Broker comparison
ICICI Direct vs Paytm Money (2026): Brokerage, API, AMC & Execution Compared
Side-by-side comparison of ICICI Direct and Paytm Money from published official pricing and features — no affiliation with either broker.
- 0 – 3Cheaper on example trades (ICICI Direct – Paytm Money)
- 4 – 3Published features (of 9)
| Metric | ICICI Direct | Paytm Money |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery brokerage | 0.29% per order on the default MoneySaver plan (lower on prepaid Prime plans) | ₹20 per order (accounts opened on or after 25 Aug 2023) |
| Intraday brokerage | 0.029% per order on MoneySaver; ₹20 per order with an iValue subscription | ₹20 per order (flat) |
| F&O brokerage | MoneySaver: futures 0.029%, options ₹49 per lot; ₹20 per order with iValue | ₹20 per order (flat) |
| AMC | ₹700 per year (₹300 for iVALUE subscribers) | ₹0 demat AMC (per official site) |
| Account opening | ₹0 (free); 3-in-1 account with ICICI Bank | See official pricing page |
| Trading API | Breeze API — Free (per official Breeze page) | Paytm Money API |
| Reported execution speed | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
| Algo support | Yes - via Breeze API | Yes - via trading API |
| Platforms | ICICI Direct web, ICICI Direct Markets app, Trade Racer | Paytm Money app, Paytm Money web |
| Best for (published) | ICICI Bank customers who want research, advisory and one integrated account. | Paytm users who want investing and broking inside one ecosystem. |
Statutory charges (STT, exchange fees, GST, etc.) are not included. Figures are from official pricing pages at our last review — verify before opening an account.
Cost face-off: what real trades cost
| Trade | ICICI Direct | Paytm Money | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intraday: ₹1 lakh buy & sell | ₹104.55 | ₹82.97 | Paytm Money (saves ₹21.58) |
| Delivery: ₹50,000 buy & sell | ₹491.09 | ₹178.98 | Paytm Money (saves ₹312.11) |
| Options: premium ₹100 × 75 | Not modelled | ₹66.43 | - |
| Futures: ₹24,000 × 75 | ₹2,253.16 | ₹1,067.15 | Paytm Money (saves ₹1,186.01) |
Illustrative quantities. Try your own trade in the compare-all brokerage calculator.
Feature check
| Feature | ICICI Direct | Paytm Money |
|---|---|---|
| Free delivery | – | – |
| Zero AMC | – | ✓ |
| Free API | ✓ | – |
| TradingView | – | – |
| MCX commodity | ✓ | – |
| Mutual funds | ✓ | ✓ |
| IPO | – | ✓ |
| Research desk | ✓ | – |
| Published speed | – | – |
What the published data shows
Both brokers publish comparable headline pricing fields at our last review. Use the table below and each broker's official pricing page — we do not pick a single "winner" from published data alone.
Tools & profiles
- ICICI Direct full profile
- Paytm Money full profile
- ICICI Direct brokerage calculator
- Paytm Money brokerage calculator
- Lowest brokerage brokers in India
- All broker comparisons
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Frequently asked questions
ICICI Direct vs Paytm Money: which has lower delivery brokerage?
At our last review, ICICI Direct published delivery brokerage as "0.29% per order on the default MoneySaver plan (lower on prepaid Prime plans)" and Paytm Money as "₹20 per order (accounts opened on or after 25 Aug 2023)". Plan-based or percentage pricing cannot always be reduced to a single winner — use the official pricing pages linked below.
Does ICICI Direct or Paytm Money have a trading API?
Both have documented APIs at review time: ICICI Direct (Breeze API), Paytm Money (Paytm Money API). Compare pricing and rate limits on each broker's developer page.
Which is faster — ICICI Direct or Paytm Money?
Neither broker publishes a verifiable execution-speed figure we could cite at review time.
Is ICICI Direct cheaper than Paytm Money?
On our four example trades (intraday, delivery, options and futures), ICICI Direct is cheaper on 0, Paytm Money on 3, and 0 are tied, with the rest not modelled from published pricing. Statutory charges are identical, so any difference comes from brokerage.
Are these comparisons independent?
Yes. Indian Broker Test is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any broker. Rankings and comparisons use only published official data; gaps are shown as Not Disclosed.
Sources
- ICICI Direct - official website - https://www.icicidirect.com
- ICICI Direct - official pricing - https://www.icicidirect.com/brokerage
- Paytm Money - official website - https://www.paytmmoney.com
- Paytm Money - official pricing - https://www.paytmmoney.com/stocks/pricing