Free ICICI Direct alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

5 of the 5 ICICI Direct alternatives we track can be used for free (free, open source, or with a free plan). Zerodha Kite, Groww and Upstox rank highest, with facts last verified Nov 8, 2026.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Verified price	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	Zerodha Kite	Free plan + paid	—	No	Web, Android, iOS	8 of 8	68.8
2	Groww	Free plan + paid	—	No	Web, Android, iOS	7 of 7	64.8
3	Upstox	Free plan + paid	—	No	Web, Android, iOS	7 of 7	61.8
4	Angel One	Free plan + paid	Lower of ₹20 or 0.1% per executed equity order	No	Web, Android, iOS	9 of 9	59.4
5	Mirae Asset Sharekhan	Free plan + paid	—	No	Web, Windows, iOS +1	5 of 5	42.3

1. Zerodha KiteTop pick
Best for: Self-directed Indian investors and active traders who want low, flat fees and a clean charting app
Free plan + paidWeb, Android, iOS
68.8
score / 100
Why switch from ICICI Direct
Far lower flat brokerage and a clean trading app, without needing an ICICI Bank account.
Pros
No brokerage on equity delivery trades or direct mutual funds
Flat ₹20 cap per intraday or F&O order
Detailed charts, 20-level market depth and GTT orders
Free Varsity courses and a public trading API
Cons
Annual demat maintenance charge after the first year for many accounts
No research reports or stock recommendations
Mutual funds live in a separate Coin app rather than inside Kite
Visit Zerodha Kite Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.3100
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Zerodha Kite a good ICICI Direct alternative?
Verified facts
8 of 8 verified
Equity delivery brokerage
₹0
Checked Nov 8, 2026zerodha.com(opens source in a new tab)
Intraday and F&O brokerage
₹20 or 0.03% per order, whichever is lower
Checked Nov 8, 2026zerodha.com(opens source in a new tab)
Account opening
Free for individual accounts
Checked Nov 8, 2026zerodha.com(opens source in a new tab)
Market depth
20 levels (level 3 data)
Checked Nov 8, 2026zerodha.com(opens source in a new tab)
Founded
2010
Checked Nov 8, 2026zerodha.com(opens source in a new tab)
Intraday brokerage
₹20 or 0.03% per executed order, whichever is lower
Checked Nov 8, 2026zerodha.com(opens source in a new tab)
Options brokerage
Flat ₹20 per executed order
Checked Nov 8, 2026zerodha.com(opens source in a new tab)
Demat AMC
₹300 a year + GST (non-BSDA accounts)
Checked Nov 8, 2026zerodha.com(opens source in a new tab)
2. Groww
Best for: First-time investors in India who want mutual funds and stocks in one simple app
Free plan + paidWeb, Android, iOS
64.8
score / 100
Why switch from ICICI Direct
Simpler app for stocks and mutual funds with low fees, popular with first-time investors.
Pros
No account opening or maintenance charges
Direct mutual funds and SIPs with zero commission
Beginner-friendly app that also covers US stocks and IPOs
Cons
Equity delivery trades carry brokerage, unlike Zerodha's ₹0
Advanced trading tools are split into separate terminal products
Runs its own mutual funds alongside third-party ones
Visit Groww Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.387
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Groww a good ICICI Direct alternative?
Verified facts
7 of 7 verified
Account opening
₹0
Checked Nov 8, 2026groww.in(opens source in a new tab)
Account maintenance
₹0
Checked Nov 8, 2026groww.in(opens source in a new tab)
Equity brokerage
₹20 or 0.1% per order, whichever is lower
Checked Nov 8, 2026groww.in(opens source in a new tab)
Customers
50 million+
Checked Nov 8, 2026groww.in(opens source in a new tab)
Mutual funds
Direct funds at zero charges
Checked Nov 8, 2026groww.in(opens source in a new tab)
MTF interest
14.95% a year on the funded amount
Checked Nov 8, 2026groww.in(opens source in a new tab)
Pledge charge
₹20 per ISIN
Checked Nov 8, 2026groww.in(opens source in a new tab)
3. Upstox
Best for: Indian traders who want flat-fee F&O trading with TradingView charts and API access
Free plan + paidWeb, Android, iOS
61.8
score / 100
Why switch from ICICI Direct
Discount broker with flat intraday fees and a capable charting app.
Pros
Flat ₹20 maximum brokerage per order across segments
No brokerage on mutual funds and IPOs
TradingView charts and a trading API built in
Cons
Equity delivery trades cost ₹20 per order, not free
Account maintenance charge applies after the first year
No research or stock advisory like a full-service broker
Visit Upstox Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Upstox a good ICICI Direct alternative?
Verified facts
7 of 7 verified
Equity delivery brokerage
₹20 per executed order
Checked Nov 8, 2026upstox.com(opens source in a new tab)
Mutual funds and IPOs
₹0 brokerage
Checked Nov 8, 2026upstox.com(opens source in a new tab)
Account maintenance
₹0 in the first year, then ₹300 + GST (non-BSDA)
Checked Nov 8, 2026upstox.com(opens source in a new tab)
Broking licence
2010
Checked Nov 8, 2026upstox.com(opens source in a new tab)
Users
2 crore+
Checked Nov 8, 2026upstox.com(opens source in a new tab)
Equity options brokerage
Flat ₹20 per executed order
Checked Nov 8, 2026upstox.com(opens source in a new tab)
Account opening
Free
Checked Nov 8, 2026upstox.com(opens source in a new tab)
4. Angel One
Best for: Indian investors who want research and recommendations along with a low-cost trading app
Free plan + paidWeb, Android, iOS
59.4
score / 100
Why switch from ICICI Direct
Low-cost full-service broker with research and advisory features at discount pricing.
Pros
Free account opening and no maintenance charge in year one
Research reports and stock recommendations included
No commission on mutual funds and IPO applications
Cons
Free brokerage lasts only 30 days, then per-order fees apply
Recommendations and promotions can be pushy for self-directed investors
Maintenance charge applies after the first year
Visit Angel One Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.369
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Angel One a good ICICI Direct alternative?
Verified facts
9 of 9 verified
Account opening
₹0
Checked Nov 8, 2026angelone.in(opens source in a new tab)
Introductory brokerage
₹0 for the first 30 days, up to ₹500
Checked Nov 8, 2026angelone.in(opens source in a new tab)
Mutual funds and IPOs
₹0 commission
Checked Nov 8, 2026angelone.in(opens source in a new tab)
Registered users
3.8 crore+
Checked Nov 8, 2026angelone.in(opens source in a new tab)
Digital since
2019
Checked Nov 8, 2026angelone.in(opens source in a new tab)
Starting price
Lower of ₹20 or 0.1% per executed equity order
Checked Nov 8, 2026angelone.in(opens source in a new tab)
F&O brokerage
₹20 per executed order
Checked Nov 8, 2026angelone.in(opens source in a new tab)
Introductory offer
₹0 brokerage up to ₹500 for the first 30 days
Checked Nov 8, 2026angelone.in(opens source in a new tab)
AMC
₹0 for the first year
Checked Nov 8, 2026angelone.in(opens source in a new tab)
5. Mirae Asset Sharekhan
Best for: Indian investors who want research, a relationship manager and branch support with their account
Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, iOS, Android
42.3
score / 100
Why switch from ICICI Direct
Similar full-service broking with research, branches and the TradeTiger desktop terminal.
Pros
TradeTiger desktop terminal for active traders
Research recommendations across equity, F&O, currency and commodities
Large network of branches and partner outlets across India
Trading API for building automated strategies
Cons
Brokerage is higher than at discount brokers, as the company itself acknowledges
Several separate apps and platforms can be confusing to start with
TradeTiger runs on Windows only
Visit Mirae Asset Sharekhan Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Mirae Asset Sharekhan a good ICICI Direct alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
Founded
2000
Checked Nov 8, 2026sharekhan.com(opens source in a new tab)
Owner
Mirae Asset
Checked Nov 8, 2026sharekhan.com(opens source in a new tab)
Desktop platform
TradeTiger
Checked Nov 8, 2026sharekhan.com(opens source in a new tab)
Branches and outlets
4,000+
Checked Nov 8, 2026sharekhan.com(opens source in a new tab)
US stocks
Yes, via GIFT City
Checked Nov 8, 2026sharekhan.com(opens source in a new tab)

Quick comparison

1. Zerodha KiteTop pick

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

2. Groww

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

3. Upstox

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

4. Angel One

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

5. Mirae Asset Sharekhan

Pros

Cons

Verified facts