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ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha NRI Account Comparison

The side-by-side comparison of ICICIdirect and Zerodha NRI Account. Compare ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha NRI Account brokerage charges, exposure margin, demat account and AMC. Read Zerodha and ICICIdirect NRI Account reviews.

Find out ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha which is better NRI Trading Account. See ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha which is best NRI Demat Account.

Our ICICI Securities Pvt Ltd. comparison with Zerodha highlights the major differences between two brokers. Find the best between ICICIdirect and Zerodha NRI Account.

ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha

 ICICIdirectZerodha
 
 ICICIdirect LogoZerodha Logo
About the BrokerICICI Bank offers trading and investment opportunities in India stock market to NRIs through ICICI NRI 3-in-1 account. It is a combination of an NRI saving bank account, an NRI Demat, and an NRI trading account. The ICICI 3 in 1 Account for NRI enab...Know more about ICICI Securities Pvt Ltd.Zerodha is a leading stock broker in India. The Bengaluru based stock broker offers online discount broking services to both resident and non-resident Indians (NRIs). Zerodha offers 2-in-1 accounts to NRIs which includes a trading and a demat account...Know more about Zerodha
Account TypeNRI AccountNRI Account
Special Offer

Zerodha (Flat Rs 20 Per Trade)

Special Offer - Invest brokerage-free Equity Delivery and Direct Mutual Funds (truly no brokerage). Pay flat Rs 20 per trade for Intra-day and F&O. Open Instant Account and start trading today.

Special Offer: Invest with zero brokerage in Equity Delivery and Direct Mutual Funds. Pay a flat ₹20 per trade for Intraday and F&O. Open an instant account (FREE) with Zerodha and start trading today.

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ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha Charges

 ICICIdirectZerodha
NRI Account Opening Fees₹4000₹500
NRI Account AMC₹0₹0
NRI Demat Account Opening FeesRs 0 (Free)Rs 0
NRI Demat Account AMCFor Individual account: Rs. 700 p.a.Rs 300
PIS Account AMCNA
RBI approval for PIS (One time)₹500 + GST₹500 + GST
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ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha NRI Account Brokerage Comparison

Account TypeICICIdirect NRI AccountZerodha NRI Account
Equity Delivery0.50% - 1.25%₹100 per trade (non-PIS), ₹200 per trade (PIS)
Equity Futures0.03% - 0.05%₹100 per trade (non-PIS), ₹200 per trade (PIS)
Equity Options₹70 to ₹95₹100 per trade (non-PIS), ₹200 per trade (PIS)
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Other Charges

Contract Note Reporting ChargesNA
Other Brokerage ChargesDemat Account AMC: ₹300 yearly
TDS Charges on Long Term Gain (Holding > 365 Days)11.96%11.96%
TDS Charges on Short Term Gain (Holding <= 365 Days)17.94%17.94%
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ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha NRI Account Taxes/Fees

 ICICIdirectZerodha
Securities Transaction Tax (STT)
  • Equity Intraday: 0.025% (on Sell trade)
  • Equity Delivery: 0.1% (on Buy and Sell)
  • Equity Futures: 0.01% (on Sell trade)
  • Equity Options: 0.05% (on Sell trade premium) or 0.125% (on exercised options)
  • Equity Intraday: 0.025% (on Sell trade)
  • Equity Delivery: 0.1% (on Buy and Sell)
  • Equity Futures: 0.01% (on Sell trade)
  • Equity Options: 0.05% (on Sell trade premium) or 0.125% (on exercised options)
Exchange Transaction ChargesCheck Exchange Transaction Fee
SEBI Charges0.00005% (₹5/Crore)0.00005% (₹5/Crore)
Goods and Services Tax (GST)18% on (brokerage + transaction charges)18% on (brokerage + transaction charges)
Stamp Duty0.01% on delivery based turnover and 0.002% on non-delivery based turnover.0.01% on delivery based turnover and 0.002% on non-delivery based turnover.

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ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha NRI Account Margin

 ICICIdirect MarginZerodha Margin
Equity Delivery1x1x
Equity Futures1x1x
Equity Options1x1x

1x margin means Full SPAN + Exposure margins defined by the exchange across Equity and Derivatives (Equity F&O, currency and commodity) segments. This means the broker does not offer any additional leverage.


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ICICIdirect and Zerodha NRI Account Features

 ICICIdirectZerodha
3-in-1 AccountYesNo
Automated TradingNoNo
Free Research And TipsYesNo
Other Features
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ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha NRI Account Review

 ICICIdirect ReviewZerodha Review
 484 Customer Reviews    Rate ICICIdirect491 Customer Reviews    Rate Zerodha
FeesRated 2.2 starsRated 3.6 stars
BrokerageRated 1.7 starsRated 4.2 stars
Trading PlatformRated 3.3 starsRated 3.6 stars
Customer ServiceRated 2.6 starsRated 3.4 stars
Overall RatingRated 2.3 starsRated 3.6 stars
Broker RatingICICIdirect is Rated 2.3 / 5 based on 484 customer reviewsZerodha is Rated 3.6 / 5 based on 491 customer reviews
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Contact Broker / Request A Call Back

 ICICIdirect EnquireICICIdirect Enquire
Contact Broker
Invest brokerage-free Equity Delivery and Direct Mutual Funds (truly no brokerage). Pay flat Rs 20 per trade for Intra-day and F&O. Open Instant Account and start trading today.
Invest with zero brokerage in Equity Delivery and Direct Mutual Funds. Pay a flat ₹20 per trade for Intraday and F&O. Open an instant account (FREE) with Zerodha and start trading today.
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ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha NRI Investment Options

 ICICIdirectZerodha
StocksYesYes
Initial Public Offers (IPO)YesNo
Mutual FundsYesNo
Other Investment OptionsETF, Corporate Bonds, NCD, FD, Insurance

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ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha NRI Customer Service

 ICICIdirectZerodha
Customer Care Number+91-22-28307780+91 80 4718 1888
Customer Care Emailnri@icicidirect.comnridesk@zerodha.com
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ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha Order Type Offered for NRI Account

 ICICIdirectZerodha
Bracket OrderYesYes
Cover OrderYesYes
After Market Order (AMO)YesYes
Good Till Cancelled (GTC)YesYes

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ICICIdirect Vs Zerodha - NRI Account Advantages and Disadvantages

 ICICIdirectZerodha
Pros
  1. India's leading stockbroker. Part of the prestigious ICICI group, a financial services conglomerate.
  2. ICICI 3-in-1 NRI Account offers the easiest online trading experience.
  3. It offers an online trading facility with automatic fund transfer and PIS reporting.
  4. Invest online in Mutual Fund, NCD, FD, IPO, etc.
  5. GTC (or GTD, VTD) and AMO order types are available for placing orders in non-trading hours.
  6. It has a very stable trading platform.
  1. Discount stock broker offer trading at a low brokerage charges. Zerodha charges Rs 200 per trade (PIS Account) and Rs 100 per trade (Non-PIS account) whereas full-service stock brokers charge on an average 0.75% of the order value. So, if you trade for Rs 1 lakh, you pay Rs 750 with a full-service stock broker whereas Zerodha will charge you Rs 200.
  2. India's largest stock broker in terms of active customers.
  3. Offers access to best-in-industry trading software and tools.
  4. Supports HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank, IDFC FIRST Bank and Axis Bank NRI Bank Account.
Cons
  1. While ICICI trading platform gets the job done, it is very old trading software with poor user experience in comparison to the next generation online brokers like Zerodha, upstox, and 5paisa.
  2. The equity delivery brokerage is higher in comparison to discount brokers like Zerodha. With ICICI, a buy order or Rs 1 lakhs will cost Rs 1250 (1.25%) in brokerage. The same order at Zerodha cost Rs 200 in brokerage.
  3. NRIs from the UK (United Kingdom) cannot invest in IPO and Mutual Fund through ICICIDirect.com
  4. ICICI Bank doesn't offer online account opening to NRIs apart from customers from the US. Online account opening is also not available to Minor NRIs from the US.
  1. Doesn't offer 3-in-1 accounts. Only offer trading and demat accounts. So, you have to first transfer funds from your PIS account to Zerodha trading account before trading.
  2. Doesn't offer Mutual Funds to NRI customers.
  3. Doesn't provide research reports or analysis.
Conclusion

ICICI is a highly recommended trading account for NRIs who are looking for investing in the stock market and mutual funds in India. It offers a convenient way to invest with competitive brokerage charges. It offers a range of investment options along with a dedicated RM, NRI support desk, free research, and tips. GTC and AMO order helps NRI customers to place an order in their own convenient timings.

Zerodha comes across as a decent choice for NRIs looking to invest in stock markets in India and want to save on brokerage. The company offers best-in-the-industry trading platforms and tools. However, NRIs have to open bank accounts with HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank, IDFC FIRST Bank and Axis Bank to open a Zerodha NRI account. It also doesn't offer mutual fund investment services to NRIs. It charges a low flat-fee brokerage which makes it an attractive choice for NRIs.

Promo / Offers

Zerodha (India's Best & No. 1 Broker)

  Special Offer - Free Equity Delivery and Mutual Funds

  • Brokerage-free equity delivery trades.
  • Brokerage-free Direct Mutual Fund.
  • Pay ₹20 per trade for Intraday & F&O.
  • The best trading platform in India.

Open Instant Demat Account Read Reviews

ZerodhaSpecial Offer

Free Stock Trading and Mutual Funds

  • Free account opening for everyone
  • Zero brokerage on Equity Delivery trades
  • Flat ₹20 per trade for Intraday and F&O
  • Zero brokerage on Mutual Fund investments
  • Trade with India's leading trading platform

Limited-time offer!
Open your instant Zerodha account online and start trading today.

Open Zerodha Account

Frequently Asked Questions

ICICI Direct is a full-service broker whereas Zerodha is a discount broker. In addition to Zerodha, ICICI offers free research, margin against shares, ASBA IPO application, and fund payouts in 30 minutes. Unlike Zerodha, ICICI Direct provides a 3-in-1 account.

Both ICICI and Zerodha charge the same flat Rs 20 per trade brokerage in Intraday, Equity Options, Currency F&O, and Commodity F&O. ICICI charges higher brokerage (0.29%) for equity delivery whereas Zerodha offers it brokerage-free. ICICI Direct offers brokerage-free trading in Eq Futures whereas Zerodha charges Rs 20 per trade.

Compare Between ICICIDirect and Zerodha

ICICI Direct Zerodha

Full-Service Broker

Discount Broker

Have 100's of branches

No branches

Personalized services through relationship manager.

No personalized services.

Free research and trading tips.

No research was provided.

Offer 3-in-1 account

Offer 2-in-1 account

% based brokerage charges. 0.29% for equity delivery.

Flat Rs 20 per trade brokerage. Free for equity delivery.

Brokerage-free Equity Futures trading.

Rs 20 per trade brokerage for Equity Futures trading.

Free trading website and mobile app.

Free trading website and mobile app. Doesn't offer a trading terminal.

Also offer Mutual Funds, Insurance, Corporate FDs, Bonds, IPO and Loans

Offer Mutual funds and online IPO.

Offers margin funding.

No margin funding.

No minimum brokerage.

The minimum brokerage charge is 0.03% which is very low.

Find more detail at:

Zerodha is better than ICICI Direct in the following ways:

  • Zerodha has a superior trading platform.
  • Zerodha has much simpler and transparent pricing.
  • Zerodha offers brokerage-free equity and mutual fund investment. ICICI Direct charges 0.29% brokerage for equity delivery.
  • Zerodha call and trade charges are Rs 20 per trade while ICICI Direct charges Rs 50.
  • Zerodha doesn't charge any subscription fee. ICICI Direct charges subscription fees in the prime plan.

ICICI Direct is better than Zerodha in the following ways:

  • ICICI Direct offers a 3-in-1 account which makes trading convenient. Zerodha offers only trading and demat accounts.
  • ICICI Direct offers free stock tips, research and advisory services. Zerodha doesn't provide advisory.
  • ICICI Direct offers free account opening while Zerodha charges Rs 200.
  • ICICI Direct offers instant availability of part of funds in the trading account when you sell shares.
  • ICICI Direct offers margin funding while Zerodha doesn't offer it.
  • ICICI Direct provides local support through the branch. Zerodha is an online broker with no branches.
  • ICICI Direct provides a relationship manager (RM) which Zerodha doesn't provide.
  • ICICI Direct is backed by ICICI Group, a leading financial group in India.

Zerodha and ICICIdirect are different types of brokers. Zerodha is an online discount broker offering only online trading services whereas; ICICIdirect is a full-service broker offering a wide range of products including trading, research, and advisory services.

Zerodha vs ICICIdirect

Key Factors

Zerodha

ICICIdirect

Account Type

2-in-1 Account (Trading and Demat Account)

3-in-1 Account (Bank, Trading and Demat Account)

Brokerage Plans

One simple flat rate brokerage plan

Different brokerage plans

Brokerage (Equity Delivery)

Free

0.29% to 0.30% based on plan

Products

Equity, F&O, Currency, Commodities, IPO, Mutual Funds

Equity, F&O, Currency, Commodities, IPO, Mutual Funds, Insurance, Corporate FDs, Loans.

Trading Account Opening Fees

Rs 200

Free

Research Services

No

Yes

Relationship Manager

No

Yes

Offline Branch Support

No

Yes

Margin Funding

No

Yes

Trading Platform

Best in the industry

20+ years old platform

Direct Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Zerodha and ICICIdirect both are stock brokers but they offer different kinds of services. Zerodha is an online flat fee broker offering stocks and mutual funds. ICICIdirect is a full-service broker that provides a range of online and offline services including research, PMS, IPO, Insurance, Mutual Funds.

Zerodha is suitable for investors who can manage to trade on their while, ICICIdirect is for traders that need hand-holding and assistance for trading.

Zerodha is better than ICICIdirect for the following points:

  • India's No.1 discount broker.
  • Simple and flat brokerage model for all.
  • Low-cost brokerage services.
  • Offers brokerage-free Equity delivery trading. ICICIdirect charge 0.29%.
  • Technologically advanced and robust trading platforms.
  • No monthly/yearly subscription fees. ICICIdirect charges a yearly subscription fee for some plans.

ICICIdirect is better than Zerodha on the following grounds:

  • 3-in-1 Account (Bank, Trading and Demat Account). Zerodha doesn't offer a bank account.
  • Free research and advisory services.
  • Personalized in-person assistance in branches or through Relationship Manager.
  • Margin funding.
  • Different brokerage plan options.
  • Instant partial fund withdrawal on the selling of shares in Prime Plan.

ICICIdirect is a full-service broker that provides a wide range of products and services. Zerodha is India's Number 1 broker offering online trading services.

ICICIdirect and Zerodha belong to different categories of the broker. Thus, their suitability differs based on the customer trading needs. Zerodha is suitable for customers who can trade online independently. ICICIdirect is apt for beginners who need assistance for trading or are frequent F&O traders.

ICICIdirect is better than Zerodha on the following grounds:

  • ICICIdirect Offers 3-in-1 Account (Bank, Trading and Demat Account). This account makes the transaction between these 3 accounts seamless and convenient.
  • ICICIdirect offers a wide range of products under one umbrella - Equity, F&O, Commodity, Currency, IPO, Mutual Funds, Insurance, Corporate FD, and Loans.
  • Flexi brokerage plan options are available for frequent traders.
  • Online and offline trading facility through branch offices.
  • Relationship manager services for in-person assistance.
  • Free research and advisory services.
  • Offline branch support through a network of branches.