ICICI Direct Stock Trading, Demat, Brokerage and Reviews 2020

ICICI Direct Account Opening Charges and AMC

Contact ICICI Direct / Request Call Back

Get ICICI Direct 3-in-1 account, an integrated trading + demat + bank account for one-click investment in stock market and mutual funds. Request a Callback.

ICICI Direct Margin / Exposure

ICICI Direct leverage for intraday, delivery, options, currency and commodities.

ICICI Direct Ratings

Overall Rating	2.4/5
Fees	2.3/5
Brokerage	1.7/5
Usability	3.4/5
Customer Service	2.7/5
Research Capabilities	3.1/5

Based on 428 Votes by ICICI Direct Customers

ICICI Direct Complaint

The number of ICICI Direct customer complaint received by the exchanges. The ICICI Direct consumer complaint report helps understanding the ICICI Securities Pvt Ltd. quality and relibility of service.

1. 1. What is ICICI Direct?

   ICICI Direct is a retail trading and investment service of ICICI Securities. It offers services online as well as through a network of branches across India.

   ICICIDirect.com, a flagship website of the company, offers Online Equity Trading, Derivatives Trading, Mutual Fund, IPO, Fixed Deposit, Bond, NCD, wealth products, Insurance and loans etc. An ICICI Direct customer can use all these services through one simple account.

   ICICI Direct offers a 3-in-1 account, a combination of saving bank account, stock trading account and a demat account. The ICICI 3-in-1 account facilitates smooth trading with the real-time transfer of money from the bank to the trading account and automatic debit/credit of securities from the demat account.

   To know more about ICICI Direct, read the full review here.

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2. 2. What are ICICI Direct charges?

   ICICI Direct charges include account opening charges (₹975 one time), AMC (₹700 per year), brokerage charges (0.55% for delivery), DP charges (0.04% on sell) and government taxes as applicable.

   Visit ICICI Direct charges for more detail.

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3. 3. Why ICICI Direct?

   ICICI Direct is an online trading platform of ICICI Securities, one of the largest stock brokers in India. Here are a few reasons why ICICI Direct is a great choice as a stock broker:

   • Offers 3-in-1 account for smooth and fast online trading.
   • Offers personal relationship manager and local support.
   • It has a wide range of investments under one account.
   • Free research and advisory services.
   • Part of the renowned ICICI group.
   • Good trading software for online trading.
   • Prepaid and Prime brokerage plans are available for high volume traders.
   • Offers eATM wherein you get proceeds from a sale gets credited in 30 minutes.

   On the other side, ICICI Direct has multiple disadvantages too.

   • High brokerage charges in comparison to other leading online brokers like Zerodha. In most cases, the brokerage is 90% higher.
   • Trading platforms are 20+ years old. Build on very old technology.
   • Bare-minimum investment in technology in the last 2 decades. Competitors like Zerodha and Sharekhan investing a massive amount in technology.

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4. 4. How to use ICICI Direct?

   To use various trading and investment services offered by ICICI Direct, you first need to open a 3-in-1 account combining the trading, demat and bank account. You can open an ICICI 3-in-1 account online as well as offline by visiting the ICICI Bank branch.

   Once your account is opened, you're ready to trade/invest with ICICI Direct. You could use ICICI Direct to:

   • Buy/sell equity shares of listed companies
   • Trade in Equity Derivatives (F&O)
   • Trade in Currency Derivatives (F&O)
   • Buy/sell ETFs and NCD
   • Buy/sell Mutual Funds
   • Investing in IPO
   • Buy Company FDs (CFD)
   • Buy Life and General Insurance
   • Take Loan Against Securities (LAS)
   • Portfolio Management Services

   The company offers the following software for online investment:

   • ICICI Direct website (Web-based Trading)
   • ICICI Direct Mobile (Mobile Trading App)
   • Trade Racer (Desktop Platform)

   Steps to trade with ICICIDirect Website

   • Log in to www.icicidirect.com
   • In the left navigation bar, expand 'Equity' and click 'Allocate Funds / Limit'
   • Add funds to 'Secondary Market Equity, ETF' and click Submit.
   • In the left navigation bar, expand 'Equity' and click 'Place Order'
   • Enter the order information.
   • Confirm the order.
   • In the left navigation bar, expand 'Equity' and click 'Order Book'
   • Check the status of your order.

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5. 5. How ICICI Direct works?

   ICICI Direct is a full-service stock broker offering online trading and investment services. ICICIDirect is a brand of ICICI Securities, a subsidiary of ICICI Group of companies. 

   ICICI Direct customers can invest online in stocks, IPO, Mutual Fund, Bonds, NCD, ETF and NPS etc. They can also visit ICICI Bank branches to manage the ICICI Direct account.

   To trade or invest through ICICI Direct, you need to open a 3-in-1 account. The account combines trading, demat and savings bank account. All three accounts are linked to each other. This facilitates easier and faster online trading.

   The ICICI 3-in-1 account can be opened by filling an online account application followed by an in-person visit by ICICI representative.

   Once your account is opened, you're ready to trade with ICICI Direct. You could use ICICI Direct to:

   • Buy/sell equity shares of listed companies
   • Trade in Equity Derivatives (F&O)
   • Trade in Currency Derivatives (F&O)
   • Buy/sell ETFs and NCD
   • Buy/sell Mutual Funds
   • Investing in IPO
   • Buy Company FDs (CFD)
   • Buy Life and General Insurance
   • Take Loan Against Securities (LAS)
   • Portfolio Management Services

   The simplest way to begin investing with ICICIDirect is by login to its website ICICIDirect.com or using ICICI Direct Mobile App. After login to these apps, you can start investing online instantly.

   It's easy to buy/sell Shares, ETF, Mutual Funds, Bonds, IPO etc. online with ICICIDirect. You could also manage your account online, get reports and statements and open service requests.

   You could refer to the online tutorials and videos to know more about it.

   A dedicated relationship manager is also assigned to you whom you could call anytime in case you need assistance with your trading and investment.

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6. 6. Can I trade commodities in ICICI Direct?

   No, ICICI Direct doesn't offer commodity trading services. You cannot use your ICICI Direct 3-in-1 account to trade in commodities. The stock broker only offers Equity, Derivatives and Currency Trading at NSE and BSE.

   Read Commodities Trading with ICICIDirect for more detail.

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7. 7. What is ICICI Direct 3 in 1?

   ICICI Direct 3 in 1 is a combo account integrating trading, demat and bank accounts. In a 3-in-1 account, all the accounts are linked to one another to facilitate smooth and faster online trading. All the 3 accounts are opened at once by filling a single application form.

   ICICI Direct 3-in-1 account is mandatory to trade/invest in the stock market. This account offers investing in a wide range of products such as Equities, Derivatives, Mutual Funds, IPOs, Fixed Deposits, Bonds and NCDs.

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8. 8. Is ICICI Direct good for trading?

   ICICI Direct is one of the largest and a good stock broker. It is an online trading and investment service by ICICI Securities, a publicly listed company promoted by well known ICICI Group. ICICI Direct is the pioneer in online trading in India.

   ICICI Direct was the largest stock broker for over 20 years until year 2019. It lost its number 1 position to Zerodha in terms of number of active clients.

   ICICI Direct Pros and Cons

   Pros	Cons
   · Part of ICICI group · 2nd largest broker in India · Offers a range of trading & investment options · The 3-in-1 account makes trading convenient · Free research and advisory services · Good and stable trading software · Wide range of brokerage plans · Physical presence across India and abroad	· High brokerage in comparison to discount brokers like Zerodha. · Trading software is 20+ years old. · Minimum brokerage per trade is ₹35. · Doesn't offer commodity trading. · ₹750 yearly AMC charges. · ₹75 per month fee for using Trading Terminal software.

   ICICI Direct is a good choice for:

   • Beginners who need hand-holding and convenient trading experience.
   • Customer who prefers going to the nearby branch office for customer services.
   • Customers who prefer 3-in-1 account for hassle-free investing.
   • An investor who invests casually in the stock market.

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9. 9. How to close ICICI Direct account online?

   You cannot close ICICI Direct account online. The account can only be closed by filling a physical form and submitting it at a branch office or by courier it to the company's office.

   Note: While ICICI 3-in-1 account (Bank, Trading and Demat Account) are opened together, they cannot be close together. You have to submit a separate account closure request for each of these 3 accounts.

   Steps to close ICICI Direct Account

   • Visit ICICI Branch
   • Get 3 account closure forms (Bank, Trading and Demat)
   • Fill it, sign it and attach required documents.
   • Submit it to the ICICI branch.

   You will get a confirmation SMS on the closing of the account.

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10. 10. What is BTST order in ICICIDirect?

    BTST in ICICIDirect is an abbreviation for Buy Today Sell Tomorrow. It is a facility that allows you to sell shares without having to wait for it to get credited in your demat account.

    It takes T+2 day (T being the day of trading) for the shares you bought to get credited in the demat account. In a normal trading process, you cannot sell shares that are not available in your demat account. Even if you sell shares (called shorting), you have to buy the shares on the same trading day.

    Now, what if you buy shares and due to an event the stock price increases in the short term. You won't be able to benefit from it as you have to wait for the shares to be delivered before selling it. The same situation arises if the stock prices move downwards.

    BTST order facility helps you to profit from such short term price movements by allowing you to sell shares before they are credited in your demat account. It also helps you prevent losses when the stock price is decreasing.

    Let us take an example. Suppose that you buy shares of a company today at 2 pm. The next day, the price of this scrip increases by ₹10. With BTST, you can sell the shares and book profits.

    Note:

    • Only limited stocks are available for the BTST facility. You can check the list through the 'Stock List'.
    • No extra brokerage is charged on BTST orders. Normal cash brokerage is charged.
    • Shares under BTST orders can be sold on T+1 or T+2 days before the delivery of the shares on the demat account.

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11. 11. What are brokerage charges for BTST in ICICIDirect?

    ICICI Direct charge Equity Delivery (Cash & Carry) brokerage for BTST trades. So the brokerage charges for BTST are 0.55% in I-Secure Plan and 0.75% to 0.25% in I-Saver Plan. There are no special charges or additional fees for BTST trades in ICICI.

    Note that BTST brokerage is are not the same as intraday. BTST trades are considered as Cash & Carry trades for brokerage.

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