Submitted by admin on February 7th, 2026
One needs a Demat account in order to invest in stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, and IPOs. Indian investors are in 2026 spoilt with various alternatives between full-service banks and discount brokers. The selection of the appropriate Demat account is based on the charges on the transactions, the platform, the research facility, and customer services. The comparison of the top Demat accounts in India in the year 2026 is given below.
Zerodha is the largest discount broker in India. It features low brokerage based on flat fee structure; hence, it is perfect to the active traders. Its trade platform, Kite, is reputed to be fast and easy. Zerodha levies no fees on the delivery of equity and low charges on intraday and derivatives. It has however, few advisory services and this could not be suitable to beginners in need of guidance.
New investors have also been attracted to Groww because of the simplicity in its interface and straightforward account opening procedure. It has zero brokerage on delivery of equity and competitive charges on trading. The simplicity of the design of the app is the greatest strength of Groww since it can be used by beginners. Nevertheless, sophisticated traders might be missing some technical aids in comparison to other websites.
Another major discount broker that provides low-cost trading and quick execution is Upstox. It offers aggressive brokerage rates and a feature enhanced trading platform. Upstox is appropriate to both novices and experts traders. Nevertheless, the response time of the customer support may not be as rapid as the premium brokers.
Angel One is a portfolios of advisory and discount brokerage. It proposes AI-based advice, research reports and sophisticated trading tools. This qualifies it as a moderate choice among those investors who desire low cost with supporting research. The charges of the brokerage are higher than those of pure discount brokers but not high.
ICICI Direct is a full service broking firm supported by ICICI Bank. It provides easy accessibility with banking services, good research, and assurance of customer service. Its main target is long-term investors who want to be stable and have high-quality services. In spite of that, the brokerage fee is more than discount brokers.
Another bank-affiliated broker that provides strong research and portfolio management is HDFC Securities. It fits well with the conservative investors but carries high fees as opposed to online brokers.
Best low-cost trading: Zerodha, Upstox.
Best for beginners: Groww
Better research and advisory: Angel One, ICICI Direct.
Best long-term investors: HDFC Securities, ICICI Direct.
The optimal Demat account would be determined by personal investment objectives in 2026. The low costs of discount brokers have dominated and the bank-supported brokers are still relevant to the investors who need reliability and research. Before deciding on a Demat account, it is important to assess the charges, features, and support.