Upstox vs Dhan – Compare Charges, Trading Features, Offers & More

Overview — Upstox vs. Dhan

Upstox is listed as a Private Discount Broker established in 2011 with headquarters in Mumbai and founded by Raghu Kumar, Ravi Kumar & Shrinivas Vishvanath. The broker highlights access to equity delivery, equity intraday, equity futures, equity options, commodity futures, commodity options and currency futures through mobile app access, web trading and algo trading support and promotes features such as watchlists, real-time updates, portfolio tracking, online mutual fund access, interactive charts and live market tracking. It follows a Standard Plan brokerage structure.

Dhan is listed as a Private Discount Broker established in 2018 with headquarters in Mumbai and founded by Pravin Jadhav. It offers equity delivery, equity intraday, equity futures, equity options, commodity futures, commodity options and currency futures using mobile app access and web trading and supports traders with features such as watchlists, real-time updates, portfolio tracking, online mutual fund access, interactive charts and live market tracking. Its brokerage model is structured as Standard Plan.

Both brokers use technology-driven platforms to attract active traders and investors, but the better option depends on the combination of pricing, products, services, and support that matters most to you.

Brokerage charges comparison — Upstox vs. Dhan

Brokerage is the primary cost to compare when choosing a broker. Below is a segment-by-segment breakdown for Upstox and Dhan.

Equity delivery: This charge applies to buy-and-hold stock positions held beyond one trading session. Upstox charges Rs.20 per Trade or 2.5%, whichever is low while Dhan charges Free.

Equity intraday: This charge applies to buy-sell positions closed within the same trading day. Upstox charges Rs.20 per Trade or 0.05% (whichever is low) while Dhan charges Rs.20 per Trade or 0.03% (Whichever is Low).

Equity futures: This charge applies to futures contracts on stocks and indices. Upstox charges Rs.20 per Trade or 0.05% (whichever is low) while Dhan charges Rs.20 per Trade or 0.03% (Whichever is Low).

Equity options: This charge applies to equity option contracts. Upstox charges Rs.20 per Trade while Dhan charges Rs.20 per Trade.

Commodity futures: This charge covers commodities such as gold, silver, and crude oil. Upstox charges Rs.20 per Trade or 0.05% (whichever is low) while Dhan charges Rs.20 per Trade or 0.03% (Whichever is Low).

Commodity options: This charge applies to option contracts on commodity instruments. Upstox charges Rs.20 per Trade while Dhan charges Rs.20 per Trade.

Currency futures: This charge allows participation in forex price movements on the exchange. Upstox charges Rs.20 per Trade or 0.05% (whichever is low) while Dhan charges Rs.20 per Trade or 0.03% (Whichever is Low).

Currency options: This charge enables traders to hedge or speculate on currency fluctuations. Upstox charges Rs.20 per Trade while Dhan charges Rs.20 per Trade.

Trading platforms comparison — Upstox vs. Dhan

Upstox provides mobile app access, web trading and algo trading support for order placement, portfolio tracking, and market monitoring. Dhan provides mobile app access and web trading for its users.

• Android app: Upstox and Dhan both list an Android trading app.

• iOS app: Upstox and Dhan both list an iOS trading app.

• Web trading platform: Upstox and Dhan both list a web trading platform.

• Desktop trading terminal: Neither broker currently highlights a desktop trading terminal.

• Algo trading: Upstox lists algo trading support, while Dhan does not currently mention it.

• Basket trading: Upstox and Dhan both list basket trading.

• Foreign stocks platform: Neither broker currently highlights foreign stocks access.

• Mutual fund platform: Upstox and Dhan both list a mutual fund investment platform.

• Digital gold platform: Neither broker currently highlights digital gold investing.

• Bonds platform: Neither broker currently highlights a bonds investment platform.

Upstox vs. Dhan — Comparison of trading features

Upstox highlights trading features including watchlists, real-time updates, portfolio tracking, online mutual fund access, interactive charts and live market tracking, while Dhan promotes watchlists, real-time updates, portfolio tracking, online mutual fund access, interactive charts and live market tracking. The table below shows the full feature set for both brokers side by side.

• Wishlist: Monitor specific stocks or assets by adding them to a watchlist for close tracking. Both Upstox and Dhan offer this feature.

• Real time updates: Get timely updates on market trends, stock prices, and other market data. Both Upstox and Dhan offer this feature.

• Portfolio details: A detailed snapshot of all investments — stocks, bonds, and commodities — in one place. Both Upstox and Dhan offer this feature.

• Online mf buy: Buy or sell mutual funds directly from the trading platform or mobile application. Both Upstox and Dhan offer this feature.

• Interactive charts: Visual price movement charts to help analyse when to buy or sell. Both Upstox and Dhan offer this feature.

• Live market: Live updates on market movements and trends. Both Upstox and Dhan offer this feature.

• Secure platform: A secure trading environment with next-generation security controls. Both Upstox and Dhan offer this feature.

Upstox vs. Dhan — Comparison of offers

Stockbrokers use promotional offers to attract and retain clients. Below is a side-by-side comparison of the offers currently listed by Upstox and Dhan.

• Free account opening: Upstox and Dhan both list free account opening.

• Free AMC: Dhan lists free Demat AMC, while Upstox does not currently mention it.

• Free brokerage: Dhan lists free brokerage, while Upstox does not currently mention it.

• Flat brokerage: Upstox and Dhan both list flat brokerage pricing.

• Flexible brokerage plans: Neither broker currently highlights flexible brokerage plans.

• Happy trading hours: Neither broker currently highlights happy trading hours.

• Free delivery trading: Dhan lists free delivery trading, while Upstox does not currently mention it.

• Free intraday trading: Neither broker currently highlights free intraday trading.

• Free F&O trading: Neither broker currently highlights free F&O trading.

• Free research reports: Neither broker currently highlights free research reports.

• Free trading calls: Neither broker currently highlights free trading calls.

• Zero brokerage for loss trades: Neither broker currently highlights zero brokerage for loss-making trades.

• Referral offers: Upstox offers Upto Rs.700 per Client while Dhan offers 20% of Revenue for referrals.

Offered products comparison — Dhan vs. Upstox

Product availability determines whether a broker can support your preferred markets. Upstox highlights equity delivery, equity intraday, equity futures, equity options, commodity futures, commodity options and currency futures, while Dhan highlights equity delivery, equity intraday, equity futures, equity options, commodity futures, commodity options and currency futures.

The table below compares the full product lineup side by side across equity delivery, equity intraday, equity futures, equity options, commodity futures, commodity options, currency futures, currency options and mutual funds.

• Demat services: Upstox and Dhan both list Demat services.

• Trading services: Upstox and Dhan both list trading services.

• Intraday services: Upstox and Dhan both list intraday trading services.

• F&O services: Upstox and Dhan both list F&O services.

• IPO services: Upstox and Dhan both list IPO services.

• 3-in-1 account: Neither broker currently highlights 3-in-1 account support.

• Stock research: Neither broker currently highlights stock research.

• Stock recommendations: Neither broker currently highlights stock recommendations.

• Trading education: Upstox lists trading education, while Dhan does not currently mention it.

• Share pledging: Upstox lists share pledging, while Dhan does not currently mention it.

• PMS or PCG: Neither broker currently highlights PMS or PCG support.

• NRI services: Neither broker currently highlights NRI services.

Offered services comparison — Upstox vs. Dhan

Upstox provides Demat services, trading services, intraday trading, F&O trading, IPO access and trading education, while Dhan offers Demat services, trading services, intraday trading, F&O trading and IPO access.

Stock advisory service comparison — Upstox vs. Dhan

Stock advisory helps investors choose appropriate stocks through research reports, tips, and market reviews. The table below shows which advisory products are available from Upstox and Dhan.

Exposure comparison — Upstox vs. Dhan

Margin exposure allows traders to manage larger positions with less capital. Below is a comparison of the margin available from Upstox and Dhan across different segments.

Comparison of programs — Upstox vs. Dhan

Upstox and Dhan both list a sub-broker program. Upstox and Dhan both list a partner program. Upstox and Dhan both list a referral program.

Customer support comparison — Upstox vs. Dhan

Upstox provides support through trading desk support, dedicated dealer assistance, call support, email support and website support. Dhan provides support through trading desk support, dedicated dealer assistance, call support, email support and website support.

Ratings — Upstox vs. Dhan

Both brokers have been evaluated across key parameters to help investors make an informed comparison. Upstox carries an overall rating of 9.80 / 10, while Dhan carries an overall rating of 7.26 / 10.

Complaints — Upstox vs. Dhan

SEBI, BSE, and NSE regularly publish broker complaint data as part of investor protection oversight. The table below shows the complaint records for both brokers.

Transaction charges comparison — Upstox vs. Dhan

Transaction charges are levied by the stockbroker for executing each trade. Below is a segment-wise comparison for Upstox and Dhan.

Pledge charges comparison — Upstox vs. Dhan

Pledge creation charges apply when traders borrow against their held securities. Pledge invocation charges apply if the pledged shares are sold due to a shortfall. Margin trading interest is the rate charged on borrowed funds.

Hidden charges comparison — Upstox vs. Dhan

Beyond brokerage, several statutory and operational charges apply. These include SEBI turnover fees, DP charges, GST, account closure, reactivation, dematerialisation, and call & trade charges.

Compare Demat charges — Upstox vs Dhan

Upstox lists account opening charges of Free and Demat AMC of Rs.150 per Year + GST. Dhan lists account opening charges of Free and Demat AMC of Free.

Upstox vs Dhan — Compare STT & CTT

Securities Transaction Tax (STT) and Commodity Transaction Tax (CTT) are government levies — the same for all brokers in India. These are shown below for reference.

Compare stamp duty — Upstox and Dhan

Stamp duty is a government tax charged when the broker issues, sells, or transfers a security. It is collected at the end of each trading day.

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