Groww vs Kotak Neo
A full side-by-side comparison of brokerage charges, demat AMC, margin, platforms, features and user ratings — updated for 2026.
Groww vs Kotak Neo — quick verdict
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One of India's oldest stock broking companies, offering full-fledged investment services across asset classes through a single-login platform.
Company overview
Groww is a discount broker incorporated in 2016; Kotak Neo is a full-service broker incorporated in 1994.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Type of broker | Discount Broker | Full-Service Broker |
| Exchange membership | NSE · BSE · MCX | NSE · BSE · MCX |
| Year of incorporation | 2016 | 1994 older |
| Number of branches | Not Disclosed | 1,500+ Branches & Customer Touchpoints |
| Active clients | ~1.29 Crore larger | 15+ Lakh (Approx.) |
Charges & AMC
Account-opening and maintenance charges for Groww and Kotak Neo compared side by side.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Trading a/c opening | ₹0 (Free) | ₹0 (Online) |
| Trading a/c AMC | ₹0 (Free) | ₹0 |
| Demat a/c opening | ₹0 (Free) | ₹0 |
| Demat a/c AMC | ₹0 (Free) | As per applicable tariff plan |
| DP charges (per ISIN, sell) | Depository ₹3.50 (Male) / ₹3.25 (Female) + Groww ₹16.50 per debit transaction (₹0 for debit value below ₹100) lower | ₹13.5 + GST per debit |
Brokerage charges
How Groww and Kotak Neo price each trading segment, per executed order.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Delivery | ₹20 or 0.1% per executed order (whichever is lower, minimum ₹5) | ₹0 (Free) |
| Equity Intraday | ₹20 or 0.1% per executed order (whichever is lower, minimum ₹5) | ₹20 or 0.03% (lower) |
| Equity Futures | ₹20 per executed order | ₹20 or 0.03% (lower) |
| Equity Options | ₹20 per executed order | ₹20/order |
| Currency F&O | ₹20 per executed order | ₹20 or 0.03% (lower) |
| Commodity F&O | ₹20 per executed order | ₹20 or 0.03% (lower) |
| Call & Trade | Not Available | +₹50/order |
Transaction charges (exchange turnover)
Exchange turnover and clearing charges passed through by Groww and Kotak Neo, per segment.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Delivery | NSE: 0.00297% | BSE: 0.00375% | NSE ₹297 per Crore (0.00297%) | BSE ₹297 per Crore (0.00297%) |
| Equity Intraday | NSE: 0.00297% | BSE: 0.00375% | NSE ₹297 per Crore (0.00297%) | BSE ₹297 per Crore (0.00297%) |
| Equity Futures | NSE: 0.00173% | BSE: 0.00% | NSE ₹173 per Crore (0.00173%) | BSE ₹173 per Crore (0.00173%) |
| Equity Options | NSE: 0.03503% (on premium) | BSE: 0.0325% (on premium) | NSE ₹3,503 per Crore of premium (0.03503%) | BSE ₹3,250 per Crore of premium (0.0325%) |
| Currency Futures | NSE: 0.00012% | BSE: 0.00005% | NSE ₹35 per Crore (0.00035%) | BSE ₹35 per Crore (0.00035%) |
| Currency Options | NSE: 0.0325% (on premium) | BSE: 0.001% (on premium) | NSE ₹3,100 per Crore of premium (0.0311%) | BSE ₹1,000 per Crore of premium (0.01%) |
| Commodity Futures | MCX: 0.00210% | MCX ₹260 per Crore (0.00260%) |
| Commodity Options | MCX: 0.04180% (on premium) | MCX ₹5,000 per Crore of premium (0.05%) |
Demat & DP charges
Depository (demat) charges for Groww and Kotak Neo — AMC, debit transactions, pledging and remat.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Demat Account Opening | ₹0 (Free) | — |
| Transaction Charges (Sell) | Depository ₹3.50 (Male) / ₹3.25 (Female) + Groww ₹16.50 per debit transaction (₹0 for debit value below ₹100) | — |
| Transaction Charges Demat Account Opening ₹0 (Free) Transaction Charges (Sell) Depository ₹3.50 (Male) / ₹3.25 (Female) + Groww ₹16.50 per debit transaction (₹0 for debit value below ₹100) Annual Maintenance Charges (AMC) | ₹0 | — |
| Pledge / Unpledge | ₹20 per ISIN | — |
| Remat | ₹150 per certificate + courier charges | ₹150 + GST |
| Failed Demat Transaction | ₹50 per ISIN | — |
| Demat Opening | — | ₹0 |
| Transaction Charges | — | ₹13.5 + GST |
| AMC | — | ₹300 + GST |
| Pledge | — | ₹30 + GST |
| Nil | — | Nil |
Margin & leverage (MTF)
Intraday and delivery margin / leverage offered by Groww and Kotak Neo.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Delivery | 100% of trade value (1x) | 100% of trade value (1x) |
| Equity Intraday | As per SEBI peak margin rules (Up to 5x*) | As per SEBI peak margin norms (Up to 5x (eligible stocks)) |
| F&O (Equity/Currency/Commodity) | SPAN + Exposure Margin (1x) | SPAN + Exposure Margin (1x) |
Features & account
Account type and feature availability across Groww and Kotak Neo.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Groww Web, Groww Mobile App, Groww API | Kotak Neo Web, Kotak Neo App, Kotak Stock Trader (Nest), Kotak Neo API |
| Intraday square-off | 3:20 PM | 3:15 PM |
| Other | Stock SIP, Option Chain, Price Alerts, Advanced Charts, Watchlists, Portfolio Tracking, Margin Trading Facility (MTF), IPO Investment, Direct Mutual Funds. | Advanced charting, basket orders, option chain, Trading API, research reports, Smart Orders, eMargin, MTF, IPO and mutual fund investments. |
Trading platforms & apps
Trading terminals, web platforms and mobile apps offered by Groww and Kotak Neo.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Trading platforms offered | Groww Web, Groww App | Kotak Neo Web, Kotak Neo App, Kotak Stock Trader (Nest), Kotak Neo API |
| Number of platforms | 2 | 4 more choice |
| Platforms (summary) | Groww Web, Groww Mobile App, Groww API | Kotak Neo Web, Kotak Neo App, Kotak Stock Trader (Nest), Kotak Neo API |
| Mobile / desktop apps | Web, Mobile | Web, Android & iOS, Desktop, API |
User ratings
User ratings for Groww and Kotak Neo across the key parameters.
| Rated on | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | 4.7 better | 4.4 |
| Brokerage | 4.6 better | 4.5 |
| Trading platform | 4.8 better | 4.7 |
| Customer service | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Research | 4.1 | 4.4 better |
| Overall | 4.6 better | 4.4 |
Investment options
Which investment products Groww and Kotak Neo let you access.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Groww and Kotak Neo.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Groww and Kotak Neo.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| SEBI registration | INZ000301838 | INZ000200137 |
| NSE member code | 90187 | 08081 |
| Year of incorporation | 2016 | 1994 longer track record |
| Net worth | Not Publicly Disclosed | ₹5,000+ Crore (Approx.) |
| Exchange memberships | NSE · BSE · MCX | NSE · BSE · MCX |
| Latest complaint ratio | 0.009% fewer complaints | 0.034% |
Complaints record
Exchange complaint data for Groww and Kotak Neo — the ratio matters more than the raw count.
| Parameter | Groww | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Latest financial year | 2023–24 | 2025-26 |
| Exchange | NSE | NSE |
| Active clients | 95,38,609 larger base | 15,40,000+ |
| Complaints filed | 834 | 520 |
| Complaint ratio | 0.009% fewer complaints | 0.034% |
Pros & cons
The main advantages and drawbacks of each broker.
▲ Pros
- ✓ Simple and beginner-friendly trading platform.
- ✓ Fully digital and paperless account opening process.
- ✓ Supports investment in stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, IPOs and F&O.
- ✓ Available on both web and mobile platforms.
- ✓ Transparent brokerage structure.
- ✓ Easy portfolio tracking and fund management.
- ✓ Supports multiple exchanges including NSE, BSE and MCX.
- ✓ Secure online investment platform with modern trading tools.
▼ Cons
- ✕ Limited physical branch network.
- ✕ Research and advisory services are comparatively limited.
- ✕ Call & Trade facility is not available.
- ✕ Advanced trading features may be fewer than some full-service brokers.
- ✕ Customer support response time may vary during peak market hours.
- ✕ Margin funding and premium research offerings are limited compared to some competitors.
▲ Pros
- ✓ Trusted full-service broker backed by Kotak Mahindra Bank.
- ✓ Low brokerage plans for active traders.
- ✓ Advanced Kotak Neo web and mobile trading platforms.
- ✓ Investment in Stocks, IPOs, Mutual Funds, ETFs and Bonds from one account.
- ✓ Research reports, market insights and investment recommendations.
- ✓ API support for algo trading.
- ✓ Easy online account opening with Aadhaar-based eKYC.
- ✓ Multiple order types with advanced charting tools.
▼ Cons
- ✕ Demat AMC may apply depending on the selected plan.
- ✕ Call & Trade service is chargeable.
- ✕ Margin Trading Facility (MTF) is available only for eligible stocks.
- ✕ Some advanced features are available only under specific plans.
- ✕ Research and advisory offerings may vary across customer plans.