5paisa vs ICICI Direct

A full side-by-side comparison of brokerage charges, demat AMC, margin, platforms, features and user ratings — updated for 2026.

5paisa
5paisa
Discount Broker · since 2007
VS
ICICI Direct
Full-Service Broker · since 1995
ICICI Direct

5paisa vs ICICI Direct — quick verdict

Choose 5paisa if

You want low-cost, self-directed trading

India Ka Favourite Discount Broker

Choose ICICI Direct if

You want research and offline support

One Account. Infinite Opportunities.

Company overview

5paisa is a discount broker incorporated in 2007; ICICI Direct is a full-service broker incorporated in 1995.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
Type of broker Discount Broker Full-Service Broker
Exchange membership NSE · BSE · MCX NSE · BSE · MCX · NCDEX
Year of incorporation 2007 1995 older
Number of branches 20+ Branches 3,000+ ICICI Bank Branches & Customer To wider
Active clients 38 Lakh+ larger ~19.80 Lakh+

Charges & AMC

Account-opening and maintenance charges for 5paisa and ICICI Direct compared side by side.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
Trading a/c opening ₹0 ₹0 (Online)
Trading a/c AMC ₹0 ₹0
Demat a/c opening ₹0 ₹0
Demat a/c AMC ₹300 + GST per year ₹300 + GST per year
DP charges (per ISIN, sell) ₹25 per scrip (ISIN) on sell transactions lower NSDL – ₹20 + GST (first debit), ₹4 + GST (subsequent same-day debit); CDSL – ₹20 + GST per scrip sold per day

Brokerage charges

How 5paisa and ICICI Direct price each trading segment, per executed order.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
Equity Delivery ₹20 per executed order ₹20 per order (or plan-specific rate)
Equity Intraday ₹20 per executed order ₹20 per order
Equity Futures ₹20 per executed order ₹20 per order
Equity Options ₹20 per executed order ₹20 per order
Currency F&O ₹20 per executed order ₹20 per order
Commodity F&O ₹20 per executed order ₹20 per order
Call & Trade ₹100 per executed order ₹50 per order

Transaction charges (exchange turnover)

Exchange turnover and clearing charges passed through by 5paisa and ICICI Direct, per segment.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
Equity Delivery NSE: 0.00297% • BSE: 0.00375% NSE: 0.00297% + IPFT 0.00010% • BSE: 0.00375%
Equity Intraday NSE: 0.00297% • BSE: 0.00375% NSE: 0.00297% + IPFT 0.00010% • BSE: 0.00375%
Equity Futures NSE: 0.00173% NSE: 0.00173% + IPFT 0.00010% • BSE: 0.00000%
Equity Options NSE: 0.03503% (on premium) NSE: 0.03503% (on Premium) + IPFT 0.00050% • BSE: 0.03250% (on Premium)
Currency Futures NSE: 0.00035% NSE: 0.00012% • BSE: 0.00005%
Currency Options NSE: 0.03110% (on premium) NSE: 0.03250% (on Premium) • BSE: 0.00100% (on Premium)
Commodity Futures MCX: 0.00210% —
Commodity Options MCX: 0.04180% (on premium) —
Commodity Futures (MCX) — 0.00210%
Commodity Options (MCX) — 0.04180% (on Premium)

Demat & DP charges

Depository (demat) charges for 5paisa and ICICI Direct — AMC, debit transactions, pledging and remat.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
Demat Account Opening ₹0 ₹0 (Online)
Annual Maintenance Charges (AMC) ₹300 + GST per year ₹300 + GST per year
Debit Transaction Charges ₹25 per scrip (ISIN) on sell transactions —
Pledge / Unpledge Charges ₹20 + GST per request —
Dematerialisation (Demat) ₹150 per certificate + GST —
Rematerialisation (Remat) ₹150 per certificate + GST —
Failed Transactions Nil —
DP Charges (NSDL) — ₹20 + GST per scrip for the first debit instruction and ₹4 + GST for subsequent debit instructions in the same scrip on the same day
DP Charges (CDSL) — ₹20 + GST per scrip sold per day (includes depository charges)
Call & Trade (Equity & Derivatives) — ₹50 per order
Call & Trade (Commodity) — ₹50 per order
Pledge Charges (MTF) — ₹25 + GST per pledge instruction
Pledge Charges (Shares as Margin - SAM) — ₹29 + GST per pledge instruction
Pledge Charges (CUSPA) — ₹29 + GST per pledge instruction

Margin & leverage (MTF)

Intraday and delivery margin / leverage offered by 5paisa and ICICI Direct.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
Equity Delivery 100% of trade value (1x) Up to 100% of trade value (1x)
Equity Intraday VAR + ELM Margin (Up to 5x*) As per SEBI Peak Margin Rules (Up to 5x*)
Equity Futures SPAN + Exposure Margin (As per available margin) SPAN + Exposure Margin (As per Exchange)
Equity Options (Buy) Premium Value (Not Applicable) Premium + Applicable Margin (As per Exchange)
Equity Options (Sell) SPAN + Exposure Margin (As per available margin) Exchange Prescribed Margin (As per Exchange)
Currency Futures & Options SPAN + Exposure Margin (As per available margin) Exchange Prescribed Margin (As per Exchange)
Commodity Futures & Options SPAN + Exposure Margin (As per available margin) —

Features & account

Account type and feature availability across 5paisa and ICICI Direct.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
3-in-1 account ✕ No ✓ Yes better
Automated / API trading ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Margin Trading (MTF) ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Trading in SME shares ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Trading platforms 5paisa Web Trade, 5paisa Mobile App, 5paisa Trader Terminal ICICIdirect Web, ICICIdirect Mobile App, Trade Racer, Breeze API
Intraday square-off 3:15 PM 3:15 PM
Other Algo Trading, API Trading, Option Chain, Basket Orders, Smart Investor, Screeners, Advanced Charting, Price Alerts, eDIS, Margin Trading Facility (MTF) 3-in-1 Account, Research Reports, Stock SIP, Basket Orders, MTF, Loan Against Securities

Trading platforms & apps

Trading terminals, web platforms and mobile apps offered by 5paisa and ICICI Direct.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
Trading platforms offered 5paisa Web Trade, 5paisa Mobile App, 5paisa Trader Terminal ICICIdirect Web, ICICIdirect Mobile App, ICICI Direct Markets App, Trade Racer
Number of platforms 3 4 more choice
Platforms (summary) 5paisa Web Trade, 5paisa Mobile App, 5paisa Trader Terminal ICICIdirect Web, ICICIdirect Mobile App, Trade Racer, Breeze API
Mobile / desktop apps Web, Mobile, Desktop Web, Mobile, Desktop

User ratings

User ratings for 5paisa and ICICI Direct across the key parameters.

Rated on5paisaICICI Direct
Fees 4.8 better 4.1
Brokerage 4.9 better 4.2
Trading platform 4.5 4.8 better
Customer service 4.2 4.7 better
Research 4 4.9 better
Overall 4.5 4.6 better

Investment options

Which investment products 5paisa and ICICI Direct let you access.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
Stocks / Equity ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Commodity ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
IPO ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Mutual Funds ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Bonds / NCD ✓ Yes ✓ Yes

Order types offered

Advanced order types supported by 5paisa and ICICI Direct.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
Bracket Order ✕ No ✕ No
Cover Order ✕ No ✕ No
BTST ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
After Market (AMO) ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
GTC / GTT ✓ Yes ✓ Yes

Safety & credibility

SEBI registration, financial strength and complaint record for 5paisa and ICICI Direct.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
SEBI registration INZ000010651 INZ000183631
NSE member code 11104 07730
Year of incorporation 2007 1995 longer track record
Net worth ₹1,201.91 Cr Not Separately Disclosed (Subsidiary of ICICI Bank Limited)
Exchange memberships NSE · BSE · MCX NSE · BSE · MCX · NCDEX
Latest complaint ratio 0.002 fewer complaints 0.0031%

Complaints record

Exchange complaint data for 5paisa and ICICI Direct — the ratio matters more than the raw count.

Parameter5paisaICICI Direct
Latest financial year 2025–26 Latest Available
Exchange NSE NSE
Active clients 16,82,541 19,60,293 larger base
Complaints filed 29 61 (Pending SCORES 2.0)
Complaint ratio 0.002 fewer complaints 0.0031%

Pros & cons

The main advantages and drawbacks of each broker.

5paisa

▲ Pros

  • ✓ Flat ₹20 brokerage per executed order across segments.
  • ✓ Fully digital and paperless account opening.
  • ✓ Supports stocks, F&O, commodities, mutual funds, IPOs, ETFs, and bonds.
  • ✓ Algo Trading, API integration, and Margin Trading Facility (MTF) available.
  • ✓ Advanced web and mobile trading platforms with powerful charting tools.
  • ✓ Transparent pricing and a wide range of investment products.

▼ Cons

  • ✕ Research and advisory services are limited compared to full-service brokers.
  • ✕ Call & Trade service is chargeable.
  • ✕ Annual Demat AMC is applicable.
  • ✕ Physical branch network is limited.
  • ✕ Customer support response times may vary during peak market hours.
ICICI Direct

▲ Pros

  • ✓ Integrated 3-in-1 Account with ICICI Bank.
  • ✓ Access to Equity, F&O, Currency and Commodity trading.
  • ✓ Strong in-house research and investment recommendations.
  • ✓ Multiple trading platforms for beginners and active traders.
  • ✓ Wide range of investment products under one account.
  • ✓ Backed by the trusted ICICI Group.
  • ✓ Digital account opening with online KYC.
  • ✓ Extensive customer support network across India.

▼ Cons

  • ✕ Brokerage charges may be higher than discount brokers.
  • ✕ Some advanced features are available only under specific brokerage plans.
  • ✕ Annual Demat AMC is applicable.
  • ✕ Certain services attract additional transaction charges.
  • ✕ Trading costs may vary depending on the selected brokerage plan.
Open 5paisa Account Open ICICI Direct Account

Explore more comparisons

Compare 5paisa with

5paisa vs Zerodha 5paisa vs Angel One 5paisa vs Upstox 5paisa vs Groww 5paisa vs Kotak Neo 5paisa vs HDFC Securities 5paisa vs SBI Securities 5paisa vs Motilal Oswal 5paisa vs Paytm Money 5paisa vs Mirae Asset Sharekhan 5paisa vs Axis Direct 5paisa vs Choice Broking 5paisa vs m.Stock 5paisa vs Sahi 5paisa vs FYERS Securities 5paisa vs SMC Global 5paisa vs Anand Rathi 5paisa vs Jainam Broking Limited

Compare ICICI Direct with

ICICI Direct vs Zerodha ICICI Direct vs Angel One ICICI Direct vs Upstox ICICI Direct vs Groww ICICI Direct vs Kotak Neo ICICI Direct vs HDFC Securities ICICI Direct vs SBI Securities ICICI Direct vs Motilal Oswal ICICI Direct vs Paytm Money ICICI Direct vs Mirae Asset Sharekhan ICICI Direct vs Axis Direct ICICI Direct vs Choice Broking ICICI Direct vs m.Stock ICICI Direct vs Sahi ICICI Direct vs FYERS Securities ICICI Direct vs SMC Global ICICI Direct vs Anand Rathi ICICI Direct vs Jainam Broking Limited
Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks; read all related documents carefully before investing. This page is for information only and is not investment advice. Brokerage, AMC and other charges change frequently — always verify against the broker's official website before opening an account. Affiliate disclosure: "Open account" links are affiliate links and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you; this does not influence our ratings.