Are you trading with UPSTOX? In the 2026 market cycle, every rupee saved in brokerage is a rupee added to your profit. This professional calculator for UPSTOX on ₹500,000 helps you peel back the layers of transaction costs. While UPSTOX might offer ₹0 delivery, the government taxes like STT and Stamp Duty still apply. Use this tool to find your true "Net Take-Home" profit and see how much you save compared to traditional full-service brokers.
Are you trading with UPSTOX? In the 2026 market cycle, every rupee saved in brokerage is a rupee added to your profit. This professional calculator for UPSTOX on ₹500,000 helps you peel back the layers of transaction costs. While UPSTOX might offer ₹0 delivery, the government taxes like STT and Stamp Duty still apply. Use this tool to find your true "Net Take-Home" profit and see how much you save compared to traditional full-service brokers.
What Are the 5 Trading Charges in India?
When you trade stocks in India, 5 different entities charge fees. Most traders only think about brokerage, but the other charges often cost more than the brokerage itself — especially for small trades.
- 1. Brokerage: Fee charged by your broker. Flat-fee brokers (Zerodha, Upstox): ₹20/order or 0.03%, whichever is lower. Full-service brokers (HDFC, ICICI): 0.3-0.5% per trade. Equity Delivery: Many brokers charge 0 brokerage on delivery.
- 2. STT (Securities Transaction Tax): Government tax. Equity Delivery: 0.1% on BUY + 0.1% on SELL. Equity Intraday: 0.025% on SELL side only. F&O: 0.0125% on premium (options), 0.01% on turnover (futures).
- 3. Exchange Transaction Charges: NSE: 0.00322% (equity delivery), 0.00689% (intraday). BSE: slightly different. This is about ₹3.22 on a ₹1 lakh trade.
- 4. GST (18%): Applied on (Brokerage + Exchange charges) combined. Not on STT or stamp duty.
- 5. Stamp Duty: State tax, only on BUY orders. Equity Delivery & Intraday: 0.015% of trade value. Futures: 0.002%. Options: 0.003% of premium.
₹5.00 Lakh Brokerage Case Study
Arjun buys ₹1,00,000 worth of Reliance shares in the morning and sells for ₹1,01,000 (₹1,000 gross profit).
With Zerodha (₹20 flat fee):
• Brokerage: ₹40 (₹20 buy + ₹20 sell)
• STT: ₹25 (0.025% on sell)
• Exchange + GST + Stamp: ~₹28
• Total charges: ~₹93 | Net Profit: ₹907
With HDFC Securities (0.5% brokerage):
• Brokerage: ₹1,000 (0.5% × ₹1L × 2 sides)
• Other charges: ~₹28
• Total charges: ~₹1,028 | Net Loss: -₹28 (despite ₹1,000 gross profit!)
Conclusion: For active traders, flat-fee discount brokers save enormous costs.
Gross Profit: ₹1,000
Zerodha Total Charges: ~₹93
HDFC Total Charges: ~₹1,028
Zerodha Net Profit: ₹907
Break-even Move Needed: 0.09% (Zerodha) vs 1.02% (HDFC)
Tool: Made multiple entries? Check your Stock Average Price here.
Broker Charges Comparison India 2026 — Zerodha vs Upstox vs Angel One
Compare key brokerage charges across top discount and full-service brokers:
| Broker | Delivery Brokerage | Intraday Brokerage | F&O Brokerage | Account AMC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zerodha | Zero | ₹20 or 0.03% | ₹20/order | ₹300/year |
| Upstox | Zero | ₹20 or 0.05% | ₹20/order | Zero |
| Angel One | Zero | ₹20 or 0.25% | ₹20/order | Zero |
| Groww | Zero | ₹20 | ₹20/order | Zero |
| HDFC Securities | 0.5% (min ₹25) | 0.05% (min ₹25) | ₹25/order | ₹750/year |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the cheapest stock broker in India 2026?
For active traders: Upstox and Angel One have zero AMC (Zerodha charges ₹300/year). All three charge ₹20/order for intraday and F&O. For delivery investors: Almost all discount brokers now offer zero delivery brokerage. Upstox is marginally cheaper overall due to zero AMC and ₹20 flat intraday. However, choose based on platform UX and reliability — ₹300 AMC difference is negligible if you trade regularly. Avoid full-service brokers (HDFC, ICICI, Kotak) if you're self-directed — their 0.3-0.5% commissions can eat 50-100% of profits on small trades.
How is STT calculated in India?
STT (Securities Transaction Tax) is a government tax collected by exchanges: Equity Delivery: 0.1% on buy value + 0.1% on sell value. Equity Intraday: 0.025% on sell value only. Options (sell): 0.0625% of premium. Options (buy): Nil. Futures: 0.0125% of turnover. Example: Buy Reliance 10 shares @ ₹2,800 (delivery): STT = ₹2,800 × 10 × 0.1% = ₹28 on buy + ₹28 on sell = ₹56 total for round trip.
What is the break-even percentage for intraday trading?
Break-even is the minimum price move needed to cover all charges. For Zerodha intraday on ₹1L trade: Total charges ≈ ₹90-100. Break-even = ₹100 ÷ ₹1,00,000 = 0.10%. For a ₹10L intraday trade: All charges ≈ ₹200-250. Break-even = 0.025% (negligible). This is why Zerodha's flat fee model is better for small trades but loses its advantage for very large trades (where 0.03% would be cheaper than flat ₹20). Most liquid large-cap stocks move 0.2-1% daily, so breaking even is easily achievable with a good entry.
Zerodha vs Upstox — which is better for beginners?
Both are SEBI-registered, reliable, and charge ₹20/order intraday. Key differences: Zerodha: Better education (Varsity), larger community, more tools (Streak, Sentinel). AMC ₹300/year. Upstox: Zero AMC, slightly cleaner app for newbies. Angel One: Zero AMC + has dedicated relationship managers + SmartAPI for algo trading. For pure beginners: Zerodha Kite is the gold standard in UX and education. For cost-conscious regular traders: Upstox or Angel One saves ₹300/year AMC. All three are excellent choices compared to full-service brokers.
Are brokerage charges tax deductible?
Yes — for traders (those declaring trading as business income), brokerage charges, STT, exchange fees, and all trading costs are deductible business expenses. For investors (holding stocks as investments): STT is not a deductible expense but is added to cost of acquisition for capital gains. GST on brokerage can be claimed as input tax credit if you're GST registered. For salaried individuals investing/trading: STT and brokerage on investments cannot be claimed as deductions — they're netted into your capital gain calculations.
⚠️ Disclaimer
The figures provided by this calculator are estimates based on the inputs you provide and standard financial formulas. STOCKCALC.IN does not offer investment advice. Please consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.