Mutual funds on ICICI Direct

ICICI Direct mutual funds — the short version

ICICI Direct lets you buy and manage mutual funds through the same account you use for stocks — same login, same KYC, same bank link. Equity, debt, hybrid and ELSS funds across the major AMCs are typically available, with both lump-sum and SIP entry.

The single most important thing to confirm before starting: whether ICICI Direct offers direct plans (lower expense ratio, no distributor commission) rather than regular plans. Direct plans add ~0.5–1 % a year in returns over long horizons because the AMC keeps less and you keep more. Most modern discount brokers default to direct.

Direct vs regular plans

Every mutual fund scheme in India has two plan variants:

• Direct plan — bought without a distributor in the loop. The expense ratio is lower (typically 0.5–1 % per year cheaper). Net returns are higher because you avoid the trail commission baked into the regular plan.
• Regular plan — bought via a distributor who earns a trail commission from the AMC. Expense ratio and net returns are correspondingly lower.

Across a 20-year SIP, the difference between direct and regular compounds materially. If ICICI Direct offers only regular plans, consider buying direct plans from the AMC website or via a broker that offers direct.

Running a SIP on ICICI Direct

A SIP (Systematic Investment Plan) auto-debits a fixed amount from your linked bank on a fixed cadence — typically monthly — and buys units at the prevailing NAV. To start a SIP on ICICI Direct:

1. 1
   Pick a fund, choose Start SIP, and set the amount, SIP date and tenure (or run perpetually).
2. 2
   Authorise the bank mandate (NACH or e-mandate) for the SIP amount. One-time setup; runs automatically thereafter.
3. 3
   The first SIP debit happens on the next SIP date after setup. Subsequent SIPs run on the same date each month.
4. 4
   Pause or stop the SIP from your ICICI Direct dashboard at any time — there is no exit penalty on stopping a SIP.

What ICICI Direct charges for mutual funds

ICICI Direct typically charges ₹0 commission on direct mutual fund subscriptions and SIPs — the broker does not earn from your investments. You still pay the fund’s own expense ratio (which goes to the AMC) and SEBI / depository charges on redemption. Verify the live policy on the ICICI Direct charges page; some brokers charge a small platform fee on lump sums above a threshold.

Holding funds as demat units rather than folios? See how the ICICI Direct demat account works, including AMC and depository.