ICICI Direct review
Independent review of ICICI Direct — brokerage, app, account opening, customer support and the kind of investor it actually fits. ICICI Direct is one of India's largest full-service brokers, owned by ICICI Securities.
Verdict
ICICI Bank customers who value 3-in-1 convenience and bundled research over rock-bottom brokerage.
Brokerage at a glance
Headline brokerage on the default ICICI Direct moneysaver (default) plan. On top of brokerage you also pay STT, exchange transaction charges, SEBI fee, stamp duty, GST and DP charges — see full charges for the breakdown.
About ICICI Direct
ICICI Direct is one of India's largest full-service brokers, owned by ICICI Securities. Pricing is plan-based — new accounts default to MoneySaver (percentage-based) but customers can opt into iValue (₹299 one-time, flat ₹20 F&O) or one of three Prime tiers (Prime 999 / 4999 / 9999) for progressively lower delivery rates. Switch plans below to see your actual charges.
The ICICI Direct Markets trading app
- 3-in-1 banking integration with ICICI Bank
- Equity, F&O, MF, IPO, NPS, and bonds in one app
- Proprietary research calls and advisory
- Multiple platform variants for active vs casual traders
Opening a ICICI Direct account
Account opening is fully online for Indian residents. Keep your PAN, Aadhaar (with mobile linked for OTP), a bank cancelled cheque or statement, a passport-size photo and a signature on white paper handy. Aadhaar e-KYC, in-person video verification and e-sign typically take 1–3 working days end-to-end. Start at www.icicidirect.com.
Alternatives to ICICI Direct
See the full ranked list of every retail broker in India on the stock brokers in India page. To compare exact landed cost on a typical trade, use the brokerage calculator — switch brokers in the dropdown without leaving the page.
Frequently asked
What people ask about ICICI Direct.
ICICI Direct is SEBI-registered and holds NSE / BSE membership, so it meets the regulatory bar every Indian broker must clear. Whether it is a good fit depends on what you trade. ICICI Bank customers who value 3-in-1 convenience and bundled research over rock-bottom brokerage.
Equity delivery is 0.29%. Equity intraday is 0.029%. Equity options is Flat ₹49/lot. On top of brokerage you pay STT, exchange transaction charges, SEBI fee, stamp duty, GST and DP charges. The brokerage calculator on this site shows the all-in landed cost for a sample trade.
ICICI Direct is registered with SEBI and a trading member of NSE / BSE. Demat accounts are held with CDSL or NSDL — the broker does not hold your shares, the depository does. Funds are held in a SEBI-regulated client bank account separate from the broker's own funds. The risk to investors from broker failure is limited; the larger risk to manage is account fraud via phishing and OTP sharing.
3-in-1 banking integration with ICICI Bank. Equity, F&O, MF, IPO, NPS, and bonds in one app. For a full feature list and download links see the ICICI Direct app page.
Account opening is fully online for Indian residents. You need PAN, Aadhaar (with mobile linked for OTP), a bank cancelled cheque or statement, a passport-size photo and a signature on white paper. Aadhaar e-KYC, in-person video verification and e-sign typically take 1–3 working days. Apply via https://www.icicidirect.com.
Discount brokers comparable to ICICI Direct include Zerodha, Groww, Upstox, Dhan and Angel One. Full-service alternatives include ICICI Direct, HDFC Securities, Kotak Securities and Sharekhan. Compare brokerage rates side-by-side on the brokerage calculator before switching.