ICICI Direct vs Motilal Oswal
A full side-by-side comparison of brokerage charges, demat AMC, margin, platforms, features and user ratings — updated for 2026.
ICICI Direct
VS
Motilal Oswal
ICICI Direct vs Motilal Oswal — quick verdict
Choose ICICI Direct if
You want research and offline support
One Account. Infinite Opportunities.
Choose Motilal Oswal if
You want research and offline support
Full-service stock broker offering research-backed investing, wealth management, and advanced trading platforms.
Company overview
ICICI Direct is a full-service broker incorporated in 1995; Motilal Oswal is a full-service broker incorporated in 1987.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| Type of broker | Full-Service Broker | Full-Service Broker |
| Exchange membership | NSE · BSE · MCX · NCDEX | NSE · BSE · MCX |
| Year of incorporation | 1995 | 1987 older |
| Number of branches | 3,000+ ICICI Bank Branches & Customer To wider | 2,500+ |
| Active clients | ~19.80 Lakh+ larger | 11,00,000+ |
Charges & AMC
Account-opening and maintenance charges for ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal compared side by side.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| Trading a/c opening | ₹0 (Online) | ₹0 (Online) |
| Trading a/c AMC | ₹0 | ₹0 |
| Demat a/c opening | ₹0 | ₹0 |
| Demat a/c AMC | ₹300 + GST per year | ₹0 (1st Year), then as per applicable plan lower |
| DP charges (per ISIN, sell) | NSDL – ₹20 + GST (first debit), ₹4 + GST (subsequent same-day debit); CDSL – ₹20 + GST per scrip sold per day | ₹15.34 + GST per debit transaction (per ISIN per day) lower |
Brokerage charges
How ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal price each trading segment, per executed order.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Delivery | ₹20 per order (or plan-specific rate) | 0.20% |
| Equity Intraday | ₹20 per order | 0.02% |
| Equity Futures | ₹20 per order | 0.02% |
| Equity Options | ₹20 per order | ₹20 per lot |
| Currency F&O | ₹20 per order | ₹20 per lot |
| Commodity F&O | ₹20 per order | ₹20 per lot |
| Call & Trade | ₹50 per order | ₹20 per executed order |
Transaction charges (exchange turnover)
Exchange turnover and clearing charges passed through by ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal, per segment.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Delivery | NSE: 0.00297% + IPFT 0.00010% • BSE: 0.00375% | NSE: ₹2.97 per lakh (0.00297%) • BSE: As per exchange |
| Equity Intraday | NSE: 0.00297% + IPFT 0.00010% • BSE: 0.00375% | NSE: ₹2.97 per lakh (0.00297%) • BSE: As per exchange |
| Equity Futures | NSE: 0.00173% + IPFT 0.00010% • BSE: 0.00000% | NSE: ₹1.73 per lakh (0.00173%) |
| Equity Options | NSE: 0.03503% (on Premium) + IPFT 0.00050% • BSE: 0.03250% (on Premium) | NSE: ₹35.03 per lakh of premium (0.03503%) |
| Currency Futures | NSE: 0.00012% • BSE: 0.00005% | NSE: ₹0.35 per lakh (0.00035%) |
| Currency Options | NSE: 0.03250% (on Premium) • BSE: 0.00100% (on Premium) | NSE: ₹3.15 per lakh of premium (0.00315%) |
| Commodity Futures (MCX) | 0.00210% | — |
| Commodity Options (MCX) | 0.04180% (on Premium) | — |
| Commodity Futures | — | MCX: As per exchange |
| Commodity Options | — | MCX: As per exchange |
Demat & DP charges
Depository (demat) charges for ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal — AMC, debit transactions, pledging and remat.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| Demat Account Opening | ₹0 (Online) | ₹0 |
| Annual Maintenance Charges (AMC) | ₹300 + GST per year | ₹0 for the 1st year (selected plans), thereafter as per applicable tariff |
| 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 | — |
| Debit Transaction Charges | — | ₹15.93 per ISIN per day (including GST) |
| Pledge / Unpledge Charges | — | ₹20 + GST per request |
| Dematerialisation (Demat) | — | ₹150 per certificate + GST |
| Rematerialisation (Remat) | — | ₹150 per certificate + GST |
| Failed Transactions | — | Nil |
Margin & leverage (MTF)
Intraday and delivery margin / leverage offered by ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Delivery | Up to 100% of trade value (1x) | 100% of trade value (1x) |
| Equity Intraday | As per SEBI Peak Margin Rules (Up to 5x*) | Up to 20% of trade value* (Up to 5x*) |
| Equity Futures | SPAN + Exposure Margin (As per Exchange) | SPAN + Exposure Margin (1x) |
| Equity Options | Premium + Applicable Margin (As per Exchange) | — |
| Currency Futures & Options | Exchange Prescribed Margin (As per Exchange) | — |
| Commodity Futures & Options | Exchange Prescribed Margin (As per Exchange) | — |
Features & account
Account type and feature availability across ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| 3-in-1 account | ✓ Yes better | ✕ No |
| Automated / API trading | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Margin Trading (MTF) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Trading in SME shares | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Trading platforms | ICICIdirect Web, ICICIdirect Mobile App, Trade Racer, Breeze API | MO Investor, MO Trader, Desktop EXE |
| Intraday square-off | 3:15 PM | 3:15 PM |
| Other | 3-in-1 Account, Research Reports, Stock SIP, Basket Orders, MTF, Loan Against Securities | Option Strategy Builder, TradeGuide Signal, Smart Stock Baskets, Research360, Price Alerts, Stock SIP, MTF (Pay Later), Advanced Charting |
Trading platforms & apps
Trading terminals, web platforms and mobile apps offered by ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| Trading platforms offered | ICICIdirect Web, ICICIdirect Mobile App, ICICI Direct Markets App, Trade Racer | MO Investor, MO Trader, MO Genie |
| Number of platforms | 4 more choice | 3 |
| Platforms (summary) | ICICIdirect Web, ICICIdirect Mobile App, Trade Racer, Breeze API | MO Investor, MO Trader, Desktop EXE |
| Mobile / desktop apps | Web, Mobile, Desktop | Web + Mobile, Desktop + Web |
User ratings
User ratings for ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal across the key parameters.
| Rated on | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | 4.1 | 4.2 better |
| Brokerage | 4.2 better | 4.1 |
| Trading platform | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Customer service | 4.7 better | 4.5 |
| Research | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Overall | 4.6 | 4.6 |
Investment options
Which investment products ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal let you access.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| 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 ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| 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 ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| SEBI registration | INZ000183631 | INZ000158836 |
| NSE member code | 07730 | 10225 |
| Year of incorporation | 1995 | 1987 longer track record |
| Net worth | Not Separately Disclosed (Subsidiary of ICICI Bank Limited) | ₹8,000+ Crore* |
| Exchange memberships | NSE · BSE · MCX · NCDEX | NSE · BSE · MCX |
| Latest complaint ratio | 0.0031% | 0.0001% fewer complaints |
Complaints record
Exchange complaint data for ICICI Direct and Motilal Oswal — the ratio matters more than the raw count.
| Parameter | ICICI Direct | Motilal Oswal |
|---|---|---|
| Latest financial year | Latest Available | 2025–26 |
| Exchange | NSE | NSE |
| Active clients | 19,60,293 larger base | 8,98,736 |
| Complaints filed | 61 (Pending SCORES 2.0) | 1 |
| Complaint ratio | 0.0031% | 0.0001% fewer complaints |
Pros & cons
The main advantages and drawbacks of each broker.
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.
Motilal Oswal
▲ Pros
- ✓ Strong in-house equity research and investment advisory.
- ✓ Wide range of investment products under one platform.
- ✓ Advanced trading platforms including MO Investor App and MO Trader.
- ✓ Margin Trading Facility (MTF) and Portfolio Management Services (PMS) available.
- ✓ Large branch and relationship manager network across India.
- ✓ Established financial services brand with decades of market experience.
▼ Cons
- ✕ Brokerage charges are generally higher than discount brokers.
- ✕ Different brokerage plans may be confusing for new investors.
- ✕ Some advanced research and premium services are available under selected plans.
- ✕ Call & Trade charges are applicable.
- ✕ Account maintenance and service charges may vary based on the selected plan.
- ✕ Budget-conscious traders may find discount brokers more economical.
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