HDFC Securities vs Kotak Neo
A full side-by-side comparison of brokerage charges, demat AMC, margin, platforms, features and user ratings — updated for 2026.
HDFC Securities
VS
Kotak Neo
HDFC Securities vs Kotak Neo — quick verdict
Choose HDFC Securities if
You want research and offline support
Invest Right. Invest Now.
Choose Kotak Neo if
You want research and offline support
One of India's oldest stock broking companies, offering full-fledged investment services across asset classes through a single-login platform.
Company overview
HDFC Securities is a full-service broker incorporated in 2000; Kotak Neo is a full-service broker incorporated in 1994.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Type of broker | Full-Service Broker | Full-Service Broker |
| Exchange membership | NSE · BSE · MCX | NSE · BSE · MCX |
| Year of incorporation | 2000 | 1994 older |
| Number of branches | 200+ | 1,500+ Branches & Customer Touchpoints wider |
| Active clients | ~14.6 Lakh | 15+ Lakh (Approx.) larger |
Charges & AMC
Account-opening and maintenance charges for HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo compared side by side.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Trading a/c opening | ₹999 + GST | ₹0 (Online) |
| Trading a/c AMC | ₹0 (Free) | ₹0 |
| Demat a/c opening | ₹0 (Free) | ₹0 |
| Demat a/c AMC | ₹750 per year* | As per applicable tariff plan |
| DP charges (per ISIN, sell) | ₹18.50 + GST per debit transaction | ₹13.5 + GST per debit lower |
Brokerage charges
How HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo price each trading segment, per executed order.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Delivery | 0.10% | ₹0 (Free) |
| Equity Intraday | 0.03% | ₹20 or 0.03% (lower) |
| Equity Futures | ₹20 per executed order or 0.03% (whichever is lower) | ₹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 | ₹20 per executed order | +₹50/order |
Transaction charges (exchange turnover)
Exchange turnover and clearing charges passed through by HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo, per segment.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Delivery | NSE ₹297 per Cr (0.00297%) | BSE ₹297 per Cr (0.00297%) | NSE ₹297 per Crore (0.00297%) | BSE ₹297 per Crore (0.00297%) |
| Equity Intraday | NSE ₹297 per Cr (0.00297%) | BSE ₹297 per Cr (0.00297%) | NSE ₹297 per Crore (0.00297%) | BSE ₹297 per Crore (0.00297%) |
| Equity Futures | NSE ₹173 per Cr (0.00173%) | BSE ₹173 per Cr (0.00173%) | NSE ₹173 per Crore (0.00173%) | BSE ₹173 per Crore (0.00173%) |
| Equity Options | NSE ₹3,503 per Cr (0.03503%) | BSE ₹3,250 per Cr (0.0325%) | NSE ₹3,503 per Crore of premium (0.03503%) | BSE ₹3,250 per Crore of premium (0.0325%) |
| Currency Futures | NSE ₹35 per Cr (0.00035%) | BSE ₹35 per Cr (0.00035%) | NSE ₹35 per Crore (0.00035%) | BSE ₹35 per Crore (0.00035%) |
| Currency Options | NSE ₹3,100 per Cr (0.0311%) | BSE ₹1,000 per Cr (0.01%) | NSE ₹3,100 per Crore of premium (0.0311%) | BSE ₹1,000 per Crore of premium (0.01%) |
| Commodity Futures | MCX ₹260 per Cr (0.00260%) | MCX ₹260 per Crore (0.00260%) |
| Commodity Options | MCX ₹5,000 per Cr (0.05%) | MCX ₹5,000 per Crore of premium (0.05%) |
Demat & DP charges
Depository (demat) charges for HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo — AMC, debit transactions, pledging and remat.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Demat Account Opening | ₹0 (Free) | — |
| Transaction Charges (Sell) | ₹18.50 + GST per debit transaction | — |
| Annual Maintenance Charges (AMC) | ₹750 per year* | — |
| Pledge Creation / Invocation | ₹25 + GST per request | — |
| Remat | ₹25 per certificate + applicable charges | ₹150 + GST |
| Failed Transactions | Nil | — |
| 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 HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Delivery | 100% of trade value (1x) | 100% of trade value (1x) |
| Equity Intraday | As per SEBI peak margin norms (Up to 5x) | As per SEBI peak margin norms (Up to 5x (eligible stocks)) |
| F&O (Eq/Curr/Comm) | SPAN + Exposure Margin (1x) | SPAN + Exposure Margin (1x) |
Features & account
Account type and feature availability across HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| 3-in-1 account | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Automated / API trading | ✕ No | ✓ Yes better |
| Margin Trading (MTF) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Trading in SME shares | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Trading platforms | HDFC SKY, HDFC Securities Mobile App, ProTerminal, InvestRight | Kotak Neo Web, Kotak Neo App, Kotak Stock Trader (Nest), Kotak Neo API |
| Intraday square-off | 3:15 PM | 3:15 PM |
| Other | 3-in-1 account, MTF, research reports, IPO investment, basket orders, option chain, mutual funds, ETFs and bonds. | 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 HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Trading platforms offered | HDFC SKY, HDFC Securities Mobile App, ProTerminal, InvestRight | Kotak Neo Web, Kotak Neo App, Kotak Stock Trader (Nest), Kotak Neo API |
| Number of platforms | 4 | 4 |
| Platforms (summary) | HDFC SKY, HDFC Securities Mobile App, ProTerminal, InvestRight | Kotak Neo Web, Kotak Neo App, Kotak Stock Trader (Nest), Kotak Neo API |
| Mobile / desktop apps | Web + Mobile, Mobile, Desktop, Web | Web, Android & iOS, Desktop, API |
User ratings
User ratings for HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo across the key parameters.
| Rated on | HDFC Securities | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | 4.3 | 4.4 better |
| Brokerage | 4.4 | 4.5 better |
| Trading platform | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| Customer service | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Research | 4.5 better | 4.4 |
| Overall | 4.4 | 4.4 |
Investment options
Which investment products HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo let you access.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | 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 HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | 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 HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| SEBI registration | INZ000186937 | INZ000200137 |
| NSE member code | 06586 | 08081 |
| Year of incorporation | 2000 | 1994 longer track record |
| Net worth | ₹3,300+ Crore | ₹5,000+ Crore (Approx.) stronger |
| Exchange memberships | NSE · BSE · MCX | NSE · BSE · MCX |
| Latest complaint ratio | 0.175% | 0.034% fewer complaints |
Complaints record
Exchange complaint data for HDFC Securities and Kotak Neo — the ratio matters more than the raw count.
| Parameter | HDFC Securities | Kotak Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Latest financial year | 2025-26 | 2025-26 |
| Exchange | NSE | NSE |
| Active clients | 15,39,103 | 15,40,000+ larger base |
| Complaints filed | 2,690 | 520 |
| Complaint ratio | 0.175% | 0.034% fewer complaints |
Pros & cons
The main advantages and drawbacks of each broker.
HDFC Securities
▲ Pros
- ✓ Integrated 3-in-1 account with HDFC Bank.
- ✓ Comprehensive research reports and expert recommendations.
- ✓ Advanced web, mobile and desktop trading platforms.
- ✓ Investment in Stocks, F&O, IPOs, Mutual Funds, ETFs and Bonds.
- ✓ Margin Trading Facility (MTF) available.
- ✓ Strong brand reputation with nationwide presence.
- ✓ Dedicated relationship manager for eligible customers.
▼ Cons
- ✕ Brokerage charges are higher than discount brokers.
- ✕ Annual Maintenance Charges apply for demat accounts.
- ✕ Call & Trade service is chargeable.
- ✕ Some advanced trading tools are available only to eligible customers.
- ✕ Margin benefits depend on the applicable product and segment.
Kotak Neo
▲ 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.
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