Best Trading Apps in India
Zerodha Kite – Best for Overall Trading Experience
Upstox Pro Trading App – Best for Intraday and F&o Traders
5 Paisa – Best for Retail Trading
ICICI Direct – Best for Seasoned Traders
Kotak Securities – Kotak Securities
Angel Speed Pro – Best for Heavy Traders
IIFL Markets Mobile App – Best for Both Beginners and Seasoned Investors
MO Investor – Best for Investing in Equities and Mutual Funds
Edelweiss Mobile Trading App – Best for Advance Market Analysis
Paytm Money – Best for Both Investors and Traders
Sharekhan – Best for Experienced Investors and Traders
Groww Trading App – Best for New Investors
Featured Partners
1
BlackBull Markets
Multiple Award-Winning Broker
Listed On Deloitte Fast 50 index, 2022 Best Global FX Broker – ForexExpo Dubai October 2022 & more
Best-In-Class for Offering of Investments
Trade 26,000+ assets with no minimum deposit
Customer Support
24/7 dedicated support & easy to sign up
On BlackBull Market’s secure website
2
Aditya Birla Demat Account
Charges
Zero account opening charges
Features
Invest in Stocks, Mutual Fund, IPO and Bonds
Benefits
Trusted ABML analysts to guide your trading decisions, Get expert stock recommendations and Market Screeners
On Aditya Birla’s secure website
Comparison of the Best Trading Apps of India
Application | Company – Logo | Forbes Advisor India Rating | Forbes Advisor Rating | Best For | Brokerage Charges | Account opening charges | Learn More CTA text | Learn more CTA below text | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zerodha Kite | 4.5 | Overall Trading Experience | Nil | View More | |||||
Upstox Pro Trading App | 4.0 | Intraday and F&O Traders | Nil | View More | |||||
5Paisa | 4.0 | Retail Trading | Nil | View More | |||||
ICICI Direct | 4.0 | Seasoned Traders | Nil | View More | |||||
Kotak Securities | 4.0 | Beginners | Nil | View More | |||||
Angel Speed Pro | 4.0 | Heavy Traders | Nil | View More | |||||
IIFL Markets Mobile App | 4.0 | Both Beginners and Seasoned Investors | Nil | View More | |||||
MO Investor | 4.0 | Investing in Equities and MFs | Nil | View More | |||||
Edelweiss Mobile Trading App | 4.0 | Advance Market Analysis | Nil | View More | |||||
Paytm Money | 3.5 | Both Investors and Traders | Nil | View More |
List of Best Trading Apps
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best For Overall Trading Experience
Zerodha Kite
4.5
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
A/C opening Charges
INR 200
Brokerage charges
NIL
Android Downloads
1 crore+
A/C opening Charges
INR 200
Brokerage charges
NIL
Android Downloads
1 crore+
Why We Picked It
Zerodha has more than one crore active clients contributing almost 15% of all Indian retail trading volumes. This app is recommended for beginners as well as advanced traders and investors owing to its robust technology platform.
Zerodha Kite is an in-house flagship mobile trading software app of the company. At present, Kite 3.0 web platform offers market watch, advance charting with more than 100 indicators, advanced order types like cover order, good till triggered (GTT) order, fast order placements, among other features.
Moreover, a user can use Zerodha Kite also in the form of a chrome extension where features such as order placement, stock tracking, can be availed.
Key Features
• High-speed streaming of market data, advanced charts with sophisticated user interface.
• Launched “sticky order window”, where the order window remains open, making it easy to place multiple orders with the same input.
• “Leverage indicator “helps users to check the amount of leverage they are getting for a particular trade against equity stocks,
• Provides deep analytics on every day trades and overall portfolio.
• Advanced features such as “view breakdown” depicting brokerage and STT charges.
• Free equity delivery trading with no brokerage fee.
• Direct investment in mutual funds (MF) with no commission charges.
• Provides up to 20x leverage on intraday trading.
• Can make it a 3-in-1 account (demat-trading-bank account) with IDFC First Bank.
• Allows application for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) directly with the app.
Indicative Pricing Structure
Brokerage Charges:
Equity Delivery: Nil
Equity Intraday: INR 20
Pros & Cons
- Available on both iOS and Android.
- Zero brokerage fee for equities delivery trades and MFs.
- Beginner-friendly application and user interface
- Best-suited for passive, active or algo traders.
- Charge for account opening and account maintenance, INR 200 and INR 300 per year, respectively.
- Charge extra for trade SMS alerts, which is optional.
- Does not offer any stock tips, research reports for free.
- Order details have to be fetched from a different app which is a detached entity from the main app
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best For Intraday and F&O Traders
Upstox PRO Trading App
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
A/C opening Charges
NIL
Brokerage charges
INR 20
Android Downloads
1 crore+
A/C opening Charges
NIL
Brokerage charges
INR 20
Android Downloads
1 crore+
Why We Picked It
Tiger Global-backed Upstox PRO is a popular discount broker app, which is backed by marquee investors such as Indian billionaire Ratan Tata and Tiger Global Management. It provides trading and investment opportunities in stocks, currency, commodities and in mutual funds with advanced tool options like trading view and charts IQ libraries, which is recommended for advanced and seasoned investors.
Key Features:
• Deals in equities, derivatives, currency future and options and commodity future and options.
• One can invest in gold, IPOs and MFs.
• No commission for MFs investments.
• Advanced features such as market watch, live stock quotes, advanced charts.
• Trade directly from charts under the “TFC” feature.
• Offers up to 5X leverage on intraday trading.
• Advanced charting tools with more than 100 technical indicators.
Indicative Pricing Structure
Brokerage Charges:
Equity Delivery: 2.5% or INR 20, whichever is less
Equity Intraday: 0.05% or INR 20, whichever is less
Pros & Cons
- Reasonable brokerage charges
- Available on both iOS and Android.
- Browsing between screens and trade is very easy.
- No fees for account maintenance and account opening.
- Option to set an unlimited number of price alerts of a specific stock.
- No cap on customizing of stocks watchlist.
- User complaints on the updated version of the Upstox App.
- Charges INR 20 for call and trade orders.
- Chart interface is poor.
- Does not offer any research and recommendation.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best For Retail Trading
5 Paisa
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
A/C opening Charges
NIL
Brokerage charges
INR 20/order
Android Downloads
1 crore+
A/C opening Charges
NIL
Brokerage charges
INR 20/order
Android Downloads
1 crore+
Why We Picked It
5paisa is one the growing trading apps of India which is available on both apple and android. This app is quite a preferred choice for both traders and investors. It provides an array of products such as stocks, mutual funds, commodities, currency. 5paisa also offers free access to news, research, advisory and blogs which is not provided even in the best of the trading apps.
Key Features:
• Clean user interface
• Easy access to watchlists and order books.
• Research advisory based on the specific goals.
• Real-time access to market data, live stock quotes and price updates.
• Advanced tool options for charts and multi-asset watchlists.
• Launched basket orders with which users can place several orders with a single click.
• Allows investing in U.S. stocks.
• Option to create multiple watchlists and create unlimited price alerts.
Indicative Pricing Structure
Brokerage Charges:
Equity Delivery: INR 20
Equity Intraday: INR 20
Pros & Cons
- Extra benefits such as no charge for call and trades, cashback options, among others.
- No charges for opening a demat account.
- No commission on MF investing.
- One-click order placement.
- Highly customizable app.
- Multilingual app support.
- Provides research and recommendations.
- Complaints of intermittent hanging of the app.
- Distractions on app due to advertisements and promotional offers.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Seasoned Traders
ICICI Direct
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
A/C opening Charges
NIL
Brokerage charges
0.55%
Android Downloads
10 lakh+
A/C opening Charges
NIL
Brokerage charges
0.55%
Android Downloads
10 lakh+
Why We Picked It
ICICI Direct is one of the oldest full-brokerage service providers of India, which is a part of ICICI Group. It offers smooth online trading and investment services to advanced investors, traders as well as beginners. Being a full service brokerage app, it offers free advisory services and research and offers free equity futures trading. ICICI Direct charges nothing for futures trading and account opening services.
Key Features:
• Analytical tools such as live charting, graphs on option chain, live profit and loss statements.
• Detailed research across equity and derivatives.
• Smart stock alerts safeguards against high risk stocks and penny stocks.
• Speedy orders placement, swipe to buy and sell with simplified user interface.
• Create your own multiple watchlist of stocks, index and F&O contracts.
• Wide range of products including equities, commodity and currency, derivatives margin trading facility, mutual funds, IPOs, FD and bonds, insurance, exchange traded funds (ETFs).
• Heat map features, such as, green color depicts high and red signifies low in the value of a specific stock.
• Several plans with different features and charges such as prime plan, neo plan and lifetime prepaid brokerage plan.
Indicative Pricing Structure
Prime Plan | Neo Plan | Lifetime Brokerage Plan |
---|---|---|
Ranges from INR 299 to INR 4999 | Plan starts from INR 299+ GST with lifetime validity | Ranges from INR 2500 to INR 1,00,000 |
Equity Delivery: 0.27% to 0.1% Margin Trading: INR 20 | Equity Delivery: 0.55% Margin Trading: INR 20 | Equity Delivery: 0.25% to 0.7% Margin Trading: INR 20 |
Futures Trades: NIL | Futures Trades: NIL | Futures Trades: NIL |
Options (per lot): INR 20 | Options (per lot): INR 20 | Options (per lot): INR 20 |
Interest on Margin Trading Facility (MTF) ranges from 14.90% to 8.4% | Interest on Margin Trading Facility (MTF): 0.025% per day | Interest on Margin Trading Facility (MTF) ranges from 14.90% to 8.4% |
Pros & Cons
- Biometric based log-in to the app.
- High refresh rate and low downtime.
- Updated version of the app is more responsive.
- Smart alert features help you against high risk stocks.
- Responsive customer service.
- User complainants of slow login process.
- Exchange membership is only limited to BSE and NSE.
- Not a technology-driven app.
- Average ratings on iOS and Android.
- Technical charts are not as interactive as peers such as Zerodha’s Kite.
- Difficult for beginners.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best For Beginners
Kotak Securities
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
A/C opening Charges
Nil
Brokerage charges
0.25%
Android Downloads
10 lakh +
A/C opening Charges
Nil
Brokerage charges
0.25%
Android Downloads
10 lakh +
Why We Picked It
The user can open a trading account in Kotak Securities with zero account opening fees. It also has special discounted rates for investors under 30 years of age. The account opening process is easy and quick with minimum steps required.
One can deal in stocks, IPOs, derivatives, mutual funds, currency and commodities along with global investing options via Kotak trading app. The app is well-designed with an easy interface available at iOS, android and windows. The app also offers additional features such as margin funding, live portfolio tracking, live stock quotes with stocks charting options.
Key Features:
• Online trading in equity cash, equity derivatives and currency derivatives.
• Offer research reports and online courses.
• Brokerage fees on intraday trades are nil.
• Margin trading is available.
• Basic trading tools such as news section, stock charts, gainers and losers, stocks by volume, watchlist and so on.
• Users have the option to choose from various packages such as trade free, trade free youth and others.
• Access to top stock picks and & live research calls which is beneficial for new investors.
• Runs a refer and earn program which allows 15% of the total referral transactions as referral points.
Indicative Pricing Structure
Brokerage Charges:
Equity Delivery: Nil on higher plans; 0.25% on trade free plan.
Equity Intraday: Nil
Pros & Cons
- Easy user interface.
- Wide range of research and analysis tools.
- Access to the international market.
- Solid customer support system.
- Features such as price alerts and advanced orders panel are not available.
- Does not offer a demo account.
- No option of leveraged trading via Kotak trading app.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Heavy Traders
Angel Speed Pro
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
A/C opening Charges
NIL
Brokerage charges
NIL
Android Downloads
1 crore +
A/C opening Charges
NIL
Brokerage charges
NIL
Android Downloads
1 crore +
Why We Picked It
Angel Speed Pro is a trading application software by Angel Broking, which is a full-service stock broker. This trading app is known for providing its users a single window trading experience along with insightful trade monitoring features. It is also known for its speedy execution of orders and real time stock updates.
Key Features
• Wide range of offerings from equities, commodity and currency trading along with derivatives and margin trading facilities and mutual funds.
• Live streaming of rates to enable trade instantly.
• Evaluate and analyze all investments at once with high-end stocks inbuilt portfolio.
• Instant and real-time news flashes and reports.
• Watch and update live market data in MS excel.
Indicative Pricing Structure
Brokerage Charges:
Equity Delivery: Nil
Equity Intraday: INR 20 or 0.25 (whichever is less)
Pros & Cons
- Highly customizable app
- Robust and innovative software
- No charges for account opening and account maintenance.
- Very responsive customer care service.
- Comparatively higher charges.
- User complaints of software compatibility issues.
- Relatively bulky trading app.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best For Both Beginners and Seasoned Investors
IIFL Markets Mobile App
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
A/C opening Charges
NIL
Brokerage charges
NR 20/per order
Android Downloads
50 lakh +
A/C opening Charges
NIL
Brokerage charges
NR 20/per order
Android Downloads
50 lakh +
Why We Picked It
IIFL Markets app is a trading app of the full brokerage firm, IndiaInfoline. Along with providing products across all the segments of equities, currencies, commodities and mutual funds, the IIFL Markets app is known for stock tips and research reports, which are offered free to their clients.
Key Features:
• Creates multiple watchlists in NSE, BSE, MCX-SX and NCDEX.
• Detailed and advanced dashboard for indices, commodities and currencies.
• Get live and in-depth coverage of companies, markets.
• Advanced technical charting tools such as bollinger bands, MACD, RSI and moving average.
• Paperless application for IPOs.
• Instant notification of order, trades and news.
• “Call” feature provides intraday tips to place intraday orders.
Indicative Pricing Structure
Brokerage Charges:
Equity Delivery: INR 20
Equity Intraday: INR 20
Pros & Cons
- Easy user interface
- Free research reports.
- Responsive customer care.
- Allows placing After Market Orders (AMOs).
- Free guest user log-in.
- User-based complaints of problems in the portfolio section.
- Call and trade services are provided with an extra charge of INR 50.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best For Investing in Equities and MFs
MO Investor
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
A/C opening Charges
Nil
Brokerage charges
0.20%
Android Downloads
50 lakh +
A/C opening Charges
Nil
Brokerage charges
0.20%
Android Downloads
50 lakh +
Why We Picked It
MO investor app is designed by one of the leading stock brokerage firms of India- Motilal Oswal Securities. This app is known in the market for advanced tools, instant price alerts and its user interface.
The MO investor app offers a huge array of services which allows investors to invest in equity, derivative, commodity, currency, mutual funds, IPOs, bonds, U.S. equities and other portfolio management services. For learning purposes, one can apply for their beginner, advance and intermediate courses along with a huge range of blogs and attractive infographics.
Key Features:
• AI-powered tools help to rebalance the entire portfolio and thus maximize returns.
• Value-added services such as SIP via WhatsApp, automated advisory, live bot genie and call and trade service.
• Funding services such as loan against securities, margin funding, stock lending features.
• Information on position, margin and in-depth analysis via comprehensive research reports.
• Wide range of MF schemes across 40 asset management companies.
• Access to extensive educational materials via online lessons, videos and blogs.
Indicative Pricing Structure
Brokerage Charges:
Equity Delivery: INR 20
Equity Intraday: INR 20
Pros & Cons
- User-friendly and very quick in its process.
- Allows easy overview of charts, portfolio and upcoming market events.
- Charting tools are not complex and very easy to understand.
- No charges for account opening, advisory and research services.
- Higher brokerage transactional charges.
- Complaints on poor customer service.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best For Advance Market Analysis
Edelweiss Mobile Trading App
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
A/C opening Charges
Nil
Brokerage charges
INR 10/per order
Android Downloads
10 lakh+
A/C opening Charges
Nil
Brokerage charges
INR 10/per order
Android Downloads
10 lakh+
Why We Picked It
Edelweiss mobile trading app is a best mobile app for active traders as it provides various advance chart options, market analysis tools and in-depth reports. This app also has features such as real-time commentary on markets, dedicated relationship manager, access to various research tools, free portfolio organizer service, Whatsapp alerts and so on. It offers its users two brokerage plans such as “lite” and “elite” plan where the former is little light on pocket and the latter is very rich on features.
Account opening is free for both Lite and Elite plans, however post the introductory offer period there is a charge of INR 300 for trading accounts opened in the lite plan.
Key Features
• Smooth interface for market view via real-time commentary.
• Generic sectorial performances.
• Dedicated sections for equity, derivatives and commodity markets.
•Option to create and track the stock watchlist of up to 100 stocks.
• Advanced tools for charting such as historical charting, live market news and various stock screeners.
• Plans such as “lite” and “elite” depending on the user’s need.
Indicative Pricing Structure
Brokerage Charges:
Equity Delivery: INR 10
Equity Intraday: INR 10
Pros & Cons
- Advanced market analysis tools, charts and reports.
- No charges for account opening charges and account maintenance for the first year.
- Elite plan offers a lot of free value added services.
- No scope for bracket orders.
- Extra charges to be paid in lite plan to avail basic features.
- High switching charges of INR 2,500 from elite to lite plan.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best For Both Investors and Traders
Paytm Money
3.5
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
A/C opening Charges
Nil
Brokerage charges
Nil
Android Downloads
10 cr+
A/C opening Charges
Nil
Brokerage charges
Nil
Android Downloads
10 cr+
Why We Picked It
Paytm Money is one of the largest online trading apps with almost 14 million users till date. The segments in which one can invest here, includes equity, mutual funds and other financial instruments such as the National Pension System (NPS). However, the users of Paytm Money cannot do trading in currency and commodities.
Launched in 2017, Paytm Money has grown exponentially and is known in the market for its lowest brokerage fee. The user has to pay zero charges for services such as account opening, account maintenance. Even the equity delivery and intraday charges are as low as zero and INR 10 per order respectively.
Key Features:
• Option to invest in MFs, IPOs, equities and NPS.
• Gives 1% higher return with direct mutual funds.
• Inhouse brokerage calculator and mutual fund investment advisory services.
• Freebies such as no cost trading calls and research reports.
• Additional features such as margin funding and margin against share.
• Grievances are addressed only through chat and e-mail.
Indicative Pricing Structure
Brokerage charges:
Equity Delivery: Nil
Equity Intraday: INR 10
Pros & Cons
- SEBI registered investment advisor offers mutual fund advisory services.
- Two-factor authentication which ensures extra security.
- User friendly and clean interface.
- Hassle-free onboarding experience.
- Less reactive customer support.
- No services related to NRI trading accounts.
- Does not provide intraday trading tips and recommendations.
- No commodity and currency trading.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for New Investors
Groww Trading App
3.5
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
A/C opening charges
Nil
Brokerage charges
flat fee of INR 20 or 0.05% of the trade value
Android Downloads
5 cr+
A/C opening charges
Nil
Brokerage charges
flat fee of INR 20 or 0.05% of the trade value
Android Downloads
5 cr+
Why We Picked It
Groww follows a simple pricing model based on the flat fee model. The minimum brokerage charged by Groww is 0.05% of trade value and the maximum brokerage charged is INR 20 across all segments including Equity Delivery, Intraday and F&O2. You can use the brokerage calculator to get an estimate of all the charges involved. Free account opening and maintenance. You can open a trading and Demat account with Groww for free and there are no maintenance charges for the Demat account.
Key features:
• It allows you to invest in stocks, mutual funds, gold, US stocks, fixed deposits.
Safety and security of customer data and transactions with encryption and verification methods.
• Live market updates, stock screener, watchlist, portfolio tracker, SIP calculator, smart alerts and more.
• Expert guidance and support.
• Groww has a team of experts and analysts who provide you with research reports, recommendations, tips and insights on various stocks and mutual funds.
• Dedicated customer support team that is available 24/7 to assist you with any queries or issues.
Pros & Cons
- Free account opening and maintenance.
- Low-cost brokerage.
- Groww offers a user-friendly and intuitive app that allows you to invest in stocks, mutual funds, gold, US stocks, fixed deposits and more with just a few clicks.
- Groww provides various tools and features to help you make informed investment decisions, such as live market updates, stock screener, watchlist, portfolio tracker, SIP calculator, smart alerts and more2.
- Groww has a team of experts and analysts providing research reports, recommendations, tips and insights on various stocks and mutual funds.
- It does not offer some of the products like commodities, derivatives, currency, and bonds.
- Groww does not provide some of the features that other platforms offer, such as charting tools, technical indicators, historical data, and backtesting.
Trading App | Company – Logo | Forbes Advisor India Rating | Forbes Advisor Rating | Account opening charges | Brokerage charges | App Downloads on Android | Learn More CTA text | Learn more CTA below text | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zerodha Kite | 4.5 | INR 200 | Nil | 1 crore+ | View More | ||||
Upstox Pro Trading | 4.0 | Nil | INR 20/order | 1 crore+ | View More | ||||
5 Paisa | 4.0 | Nil | INR 20/order | 1 crore+ | View More | ||||
ICICI Direct | 4.0 | Nil | 0.55% | 10 lakh+ | View More | ||||
Kotak Securities | 4.0 | Nil | 0.25% | 10 lakh+ | View More | ||||
Angel Speed Pro | 4.0 | Nil | Nil | 1 crore+ | View More | ||||
IIFL Market | 4.0 | Nil | INR 20/order | 50 lakh+ | View More | ||||
MO Investor App | 4.0 | Nil | 0.20% | 50 lakh+ | View More | ||||
Edelweiss Mobile Trading App | 3.5 | Nil | INR 10/order | 10 lakh+ | View More | ||||
Paytm Money | 3.5 | Nil | Nil | 1 cr+ | View More | ||||
Sharekhan Mobile | 3.5 | Nil | Nil (for first month) | 50 lakh+ | View More | ||||
Groww trading app | 3.5 | Nil | flat fee of INR 20 or 0.05% of the trade value | 5 cr+ | View More |
Methodology
Forbes Advisor India analyzed 30 trading apps of India financial market and selected the best, based on the following metrics:
- Speed of Execution : No matter if one does intraday or any other kind of trading, speed is the essence. We ranked the trading apps on the basis of its reliability and its fast working style.
- Ease of Use of the Mobile App: We have listed only those trading apps which allow the user to trade the most complicated trade via their simplest interface. Trading apps must be ultra smooth in their functioning which helps the user in executing the trading strategies in the quickest and easiest way.
- Availability of Advanced Features And Customization: An efficient trading app must support all the advanced trading features and should be receptive to customization.
- Access to Real-Time and Live Market Feeds: This feature can either make or break your trading deal. Real -time fees are much required for an app to be successful.
- Range of Products: Availability of different range of products such as stocks, equities, MFs, insurance, IPOs, among others. (10% of score).
- Trading App Charges: Fees and other charges such as account opening, account maintenance, demat charges have been taken into account while selecting the best trading apps.
What Are Trading Apps and How Do They Work?
Trading apps are mobile applications that allow you to trade in the stock market. They are designed to provide you with various services and facilities from the brokerage house that you have your account with.
You can use trading apps to buy, sell, modify, cancel, and monitor your orders, as well as to access live market data, charts, technical indicators, and portfolio information. Trading apps can help you to trade anytime and anywhere, as long as you have an internet connection and a smartphone.
Some of the functions that trading apps perform are:
- Monitors your investment and the corresponding financial portfolio
- Allows you to invest in a range of assets like stocks, commodities, mutual funds, etc.
- Enables you to open a demat account with some apps
- Gives you a view of the stock market today, or any other markets in which you can invest
How to Trade on a Mobile Trading App
Trading apps, also known as stock trading apps or investment apps, are mobile applications designed to facilitate the buying and selling of financial assets, such as stocks, bonds, cryptocurrencies, and other investment instruments. These apps allow users to trade in various financial markets and manage their investment portfolios using their smartphones or tablets. They have gained popularity in recent years due to their convenience, accessibility, and user-friendly interfaces.
Here’s how you can trade on a mobile trading app:
Fees and Commissions: Users should be aware of the fees and commissions associated with trading through these apps. Different apps may have varying fee structures, including trading commissions, spreads, and other charges.
Regulatory Compliance: Trading apps must comply with financial regulations in the regions they operate. They often require users to complete identity verification and adhere to anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) procedures.
Account Setup: To get started, users need to create an account with the trading app. This involves providing personal information, verifying identity, and linking a bank or brokerage account to fund trades.
Market Access: Trading apps provide access to various financial markets, including stock exchanges (e.g., NYSE, NASDAQ), options, futures, forex, and cryptocurrency exchanges.
Research and Analysis: Many trading apps offer research tools, news, and real-time market data to help users make informed investment decisions. Users can access charts, financial news, and analysis to stay updated on market trends.
Order Placement: Users can place orders to buy or sell financial assets through the app. They can choose between different types of orders, including market orders, limit orders, stop orders, and more. Order execution occurs in real-time.
Portfolio Management: Trading apps allow users to manage their investment portfolios. They can view their holdings, account balances, and transaction history. Some apps provide tools to analyze and track the performance of their investments.
What are the Key Features of Trading Apps?
Trading apps come in various forms and can cater to different types of traders and investors. However, there are several key features that are commonly found in trading apps to help users manage their investments effectively. Here are some of the key features of trading apps:
User-Friendly Interface: Trading apps typically offer intuitive and easy-to-navigate interfaces to make it simple for users to place trades, access market data, and manage their portfolios.
Market Access: Access to a wide range of financial markets, including stocks, bonds, options, futures, commodities, forex, and cryptocurrencies, depending on the app’s offerings.
Real-Time Market Data: Live price quotes, charts, and market news to help users stay updated on market movements and make informed decisions.
Order Placement: Ability to place various types of orders, such as market orders, limit orders, stop orders, and more, to execute trades according to the user’s preferences.
Portfolio Management: Tools to monitor and manage investment portfolios, view account balances, track holdings, and review transaction history.
Research and Analysis: Access to fundamental and technical analysis tools, as well as research reports and investment recommendations.
Customization: The ability to customize watchlists, set up alerts, and personalize the app to match the user’s trading preferences.
Risk Management: Features for setting stop-loss and take-profit orders to manage risk, as well as margin trading and leverage options for advanced traders.
Notifications and Alerts: Customizable price alerts and notifications to keep users informed about changes in asset prices.
Security: Robust security measures, including encryption, multi-factor authentication, and secure login processes to protect user data and accounts.
Educational Resources: Some trading apps offer educational content, tutorials, and resources to help users learn about trading and investing.
Customer Support: Access to customer support, live chat, or help centers for addressing user inquiries or technical issues.
Account Funding: Integration with bank accounts and multiple deposit and withdrawal options for funding trading accounts.
Regulatory Compliance: Adherence to financial regulations and procedures, such as identity verification (KYC), anti-money laundering (AML) requirements, and tax reporting.
Performance Tracking: Tools for assessing the performance of investments, including gain/loss calculations, risk metrics, and historical data.
Mobile Trading: Trading apps are designed for mobile devices, allowing users to trade and manage their investments on the go.
Third-Party Integrations: Integration with third-party apps, tools, and trading algorithms to enhance the trading experience.
Fee and Commission Transparency: Clear information on trading fees, commissions, spreads, and any other charges associated with using the app.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Trading Apps?
- Fast execution of order placement.
- Paperless account opening process
- Real-time and live market feeds.
- Lower fees and charges than broker counterparts.
- Instant notifications and price alerts.
- Access to historical charts and detailed research reports.
- Easy to understand and simple brokerage slabs.
- Diverse mutual fund (MFs) options and quick IPO application process.
- Offer insight from experts or brokerage firms in the form of the up-to-date research reports.
Difference Between Online Trading And Offline Trading?
Online Trading | Offline Trading |
---|---|
No dependency on share brokers or intermediaries. | Total dependency on share brokers and intermediaries. |
One can place their order directly and instantly. | Time consuming process as it happens via share brokers. |
Access to multiple asset classes such as equity, currency, commodity, MFs and IPO via one trading app. | For dealing in multiple asset classes, the user has to contact different brokers separately, which can be a tedious process. |
Research reports and quality advice is provided at your fingertip. And if you are new to markets then you have direct access to educational blogs and study material. | The user is totally dependent on the broker’s advice and their recommendations. |
Access to live feeds and real-time updates. | No such access to live feeds and real-time updates. |
Paperless account opening process. (Trading and demat account) | Lots of paperwork is involved to open a demat account via a share broker. |
Entire process is online and digitized from placing orders to paying money, the speed of transaction is very fast. | Speed of carrying out transactions is comparatively slower due to manual intervention. |
Apt for new-age beginners and advanced traders and investors. | Apt for non-tech savvy, conventional and traditional investors and traders. |
Step-By-Step Guide To Download A Trading App
- Step 1: Select your broker and download their XYZ trading app from your Aadhar-linked mobile number.
- Step: 2 Sign up by setting up your user ID, password and keep your PAN number, Aadhar card and bank account number ready for online submission of documents.
- Step 3: After giving all the required details, you need to enter the OTP sent from the trading app on your registered mobile number.
- Step 4: A trading application may ask here to pay account opening charges, if it is not free. And, if free, you can directly log in.
- Step 5: As you’re logged in, you can create your watchlist and start trading.
Documents Required For Opening Up A Trading Account App?
- Photo ID proof: PAN card / Voter’s ID / Passport / Driving license / Aadhaar card.
- Address proof: Landline bill / Electricity bill / Bank statement / Ration card/ Passport / Voter’s ID
- Income Proof (optional): last six months bank statement/ three months salary slips/Income tax return (ITR).
- Bank Proof: Canceled cheque/ bank passport/account statement.
- Registered lease or sale agreement / Driving license.
- One passport size photograph.
- Signature on a piece of paper.
Featured Partner Offer
1
BlackBull Markets
Multiple Award-Winning Broker
Listed On Deloitte Fast 50 index, 2022 Best Global FX Broker – ForexExpo Dubai October 2022 & more
Best-In-Class for Offering of Investments
Trade 26,000+ assets with no minimum deposit
Customer Support
24/7 dedicated support & easy to sign up
On BlackBull Market’s secure website
2
Aditya Birla Demat Account
Charges
Zero account opening charges
Features
Invest in Stocks, Mutual Fund, IPO and Bonds
Benefits
Trusted ABML analysts to guide your trading decisions, Get expert stock recommendations and Market Screeners
On Aditya Birla’s secure website
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which app is best for trading?
MO Investor is suitable for investors interested in equities and mutual funds with a user-friendly interface. Edelweiss Mobile Trading App is ideal for traders who require advanced market analysis tools. Paytm Money serves both investors and traders, offering accessibility and trading capabilities. IIFL Markets Mobile App caters to beginners and seasoned investors with research tools and technical analysis. Angel Speed Pro targets heavy traders with advanced features. ICICI Direct is designed for seasoned traders seeking in-depth insights and fast execution. 5paisa is a cost-effective option for retail traders with a user-friendly interface. Upstox PRO Trading App suits intraday and F&O traders with features for short-term trading. Zerodha Kite offers an overall exceptional trading experience for various types of users.
What all can I trade using a trading app?
Online trading apps provide a wide range of financial products and services and thus helps you to invest and manage your money at one place. You can deal in equities, IPOs, derivatives, mutual funds, fixed deposits, commodities and currency.
Why is a demat account important in a trading app?
Having a proper demat account helps buying and selling of shares very easily. A demat account keeps a proper record of all your shares and securities in an electronic form, which further helps you to keep a proper control over your investments. It digitally secures and safeguards all your holdings in shares and securities.
How can I open a demat trading account?
You can get your own demat account within minutes by online applying for it in any of the discount brokerage firms or full-time brokerage firms. You must fill out the necessary paperwork and submit the required documents such as PAN card, Aadhaar card, driving license or any document verified by the central government of India. Once you complete the know your customer (KYC) process and other verification procedure, you will receive your demat account instantly. Generally, there are nominal or no charges for opening a demat account.
Is it safe and secured to trade via mobile app?
Yes, mobile trading apps are registered under the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) regulations. These applications also have a two-level authentication process and strict security protocols for user authentication.
Can I use two trading apps simultaneously?
Yes, one can use as many apps at the same time, as per their requirements and needs. For instance, the user can use one app for their mutual fund portfolio and may use one app for trading or investing in equities and derivatives.
Which is the best trading app for beginners?
The apps we mentioned are known for their intuitive designs, making it straightforward for beginners to navigate and understand how to place trades, manage portfolios, and access essential market data.
Moreover, these apps often offer educational resources and tutorials that can further assist beginners in gaining a better understanding of trading and investing. These materials can cover fundamental concepts, technical analysis, and trading strategies, providing valuable guidance to new traders.
How to choose a trading app as a beginner?
As a new entrant to the world of trading, one must know the account opening process and also have all documents in place such as PAN card, Aadhar card, income and bank proof. They should check the fee and pricing structure of a particular trading app, its new-age features, payment options and safety protocols.
What are the disadvantages of using a trading app to trade stocks?
Trading apps are enriched with new-age features but they also have certain limitations. Mobile apps offer trading experience via a small screen where one has to browse and switch screens which might be an unpleasant experience. The trading apps generally work well with good internet connection, so in remote areas they might not work that efficiently because of poor connection. Lastly, any technical issue might hinder your buying or selling process which can cause serious delays.
How to select the best trading app?
Select a few of your favorite trading apps. Compare each platform on the basis of features, product range, payment options, safe protocols, pricing structure. Also read their FAQ section which can be immensely helpful for knowing the pros and cons of a certain trading platform.
Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
Armaan JoshiEditor
Armaan is the India Lead Editor for Forbes Advisor. He has more than a decade’s experience working with media and publishing companies to help them build expert-led content and establish editorial teams. At Forbes Advisor, he is determined to help readers declutter complex financial jargons and do his bit for India's financial literacy.