Zerodha
India's largest stockbroker by client base
4.6/ 5
Best for: Cost-conscious DIY investors who mainly buy-and-hold stocks or trade F&O occasionally.
Compare Zerodha with others →Broker review
HDFC Sky review
Flat-₹20 trading rail from HDFC Securities
4.1/ 5App: 4.2/5
- Since 2023
- Delivery ₹20 or 2.5% per order
- AMC ₹0 for 1st year (Sky)
Reviewed by LetsInvest Research DeskUpdated 15 Sept 2026Pricing verified 14 Sept 2026How we test
Fees & pricing4.2
Trading platforms4.3
Customer support4.0
Research & education3.8
Ease of opening4.2
Overview
HDFC Sky is HDFC Securities' flat-pricing app: ₹20 or 2.5% (whichever is lower) per order across equity and derivatives, free account opening, plus mutual funds, IPOs, global investing and an open API.
Best for: Cost-aware traders wanting HDFC trust with flat per-order pricing.
Pros & cons
What we like
- Flat ₹20-or-2.5% pricing with free opening
- In-house research picks, baskets and Sky Learn
- Global investing plus open API and algo tools
Watch out for
- No ₹0 delivery — discount brokers beat it for buy-and-hold
- 2.5% leg punishes small orders vs flat-₹20 rivals
- AMC and DP schedules split across Sky and Bank pages
Fees & charges
Account charges
- Account openingOne-time charge to open your demat + trading account. Many discount brokers have made this free.
- FREE (Sky)✓ Verified 14/9/2026
- Annual maintenance (AMC)Yearly demat maintenance, charged by the broker (separate from CDSL/NSDL custodian fees). Often free for the first year.
- ₹0 for 1st year (Sky)✓ Verified 14/9/2026
Equity
- Equity deliveryBrokerage when you buy shares and hold them overnight or longer. This is the charge long-term investors should minimise.
- ₹20 or 2.5% per order✓ Verified 14/9/2026
- IntradayBrokerage on same-day buy-sell trades. Percentage caps (e.g. 0.03%) protect small orders from the flat fee.
- ₹20 or 2.5% per order✓ Verified 14/9/2026
Derivatives (F&O)
- OptionsPer-order charge for options buying/selling. Excludes STT, exchange and SEBI charges, which apply equally everywhere.
- ₹20 per order✓ Verified 14/9/2026
- FuturesPer-order charge for futures trades. Same statutory extras as options apply on top.
- ₹20 or 2.5% per order✓ Verified 14/9/2026
Other
- DP chargeCharged when shares leave your demat on a sell (delivery). Goes mostly to the depository, not the broker.
- ₹20 per sell transactionConfirming
Sources: official broker pricing pages. Figures marked “Confirming” are being re-verified — always confirm before trading.
What you can invest in
- Stocks (delivery)
- ✓ Yes
- Intraday
- ✓ Yes
- Futures & options
- ✓ Yes
- Mutual funds
- ✓ Yes
- IPOUPI-based IPO applications
- ✓ Yes
- US stocksGlobal Investing: US stocks/ETFs
- ✓ Yes
- Trading APIOpen API + algo tools
- ✓ Yes
Platforms & features
general
- Mobile app✓ · HDFC Sky app (Android + iOS)
- Research & advisory✓ · In-house picks, baskets + Sky Learn
- Customer support✓ · App + phone support
- IPO investing✓ · UPI-based IPO applications
- US stocks✓ · Global Investing: US stocks/ETFs
- Trading API✓ · Open API + algo tools
Support & company
Customer support
App + phone support
Company facts
- Founded
- 2023
- Regulation
- SEBI-registered stockbroker | Member: NSE, BSE, MCX
Genuinely competitive flat pricing with bank-grade trust; delivery investors should still compare ₹0-delivery discount brokers.
How to open a HDFC Sky account
Start your application
Open the HDFC Sky signup with your mobile number and email — it takes about 10 minutes.
Complete e-KYC
Verify with PAN, Aadhaar-based OTP, a live selfie and your bank proof (cancelled cheque or statement).
E-sign documents
Digitally sign the account-opening form and nomination details via Aadhaar e-sign.
Get your client ID
Activation usually takes 24–48 hours. Your login credentials arrive by email and SMS.
Alternatives to HDFC Sky
Groww
Beginner-friendly investing super-app
4.5/ 5
Best for: Beginners and mutual-fund investors who want one simple app for everything.
Compare Groww with others →
Upstox
Low-cost broker with fast trading tools
4.3/ 5
Best for: Mobile-first traders and developers who use trading APIs.
Compare Upstox with others →User reviews
No user reviews yet — yours could be the first. Reviews appear here after a quick human moderation check.
Affiliate disclosure: LetsInvest earns a commission if you open an account via links on this page — at no extra cost to you. Rankings are editorial and never sold. Read how we make money and our methodology.
How we research. Every fee on this site carries a source and a verification date. Data is re-checked against official broker pages; read our editorial methodology. LetsInvest is a research publication, not a financial adviser — see our terms.