Every week, someone in our community asks the same thing. "Which is the best stock market app in India for me?"
The honest answer is that the "best" app changes with who you are. A salaried investor in Pune and an engineer in Dubai need very different things from the same app.
At Belong, we speak with Indians in both situations every day.
This guide compares the best stock market apps in India side by side. It also shows which one fits your residency, your bank, and your goal.
Quick Answer: Our Top List
If you only have a minute, start here.
This ranking weighs NRI access, product range, ease of use and transparency. It does not rank apps by trading speed or tips.
Tip: Before you shortlist any app, check whether it supports your residency status. Many apps that work well for residents are limited for NRIs.
First, Know Who You Are as an Investor
The app decision starts with one question. Are you an NRI or a resident Indian?
If you are an NRI, you cannot use a regular resident demat account. You need an NRI trading and demat account linked to an NRE or NRO bank account.
If you are a resident Indian, almost every app below is open to you. Your bigger question is often what these apps cannot do, such as give you global exposure.
We cover both audiences separately below. Read the section that matches your situation.
PIS vs Non-PIS: The Rule That Decides Your App
This is the part most "best app" lists skip. For NRIs, it matters more than brokerage.
The Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS) is an RBI framework. It lets NRIs buy and sell Indian shares on stock exchanges through a designated bank branch.
You can read the scheme's basis in the RBI Master Circular on Foreign Investment in India.
In simple terms, PIS is usually needed when you invest from an NRE account. A non-PIS route usually runs through an NRO account.
The practical difference shows up in what you can trade.
As per Zerodha's NRI account page, PIS accounts allow equity delivery, mutual funds, IPOs and ETFs. They do not allow F&O or intraday trading.
Non-PIS NRO accounts on the same platform allow F&O and intraday trades. Currency and commodity trading stays off limits for NRIs on both routes.
We have explained this choice in detail in our guide on PIS vs non-PIS accounts for NRIs.
Tip: Your PIS bank decides your app shortlist. If your NRE account is with a bank that a broker does not support, that app is off the table.
The Best Stock Market Apps in India, Reviewed and Compared
1. Zerodha Kite
Zerodha is the app many Indian investors began with. Kite, its trading app, is known for a clean, fast interface.
What it offers NRIs: Zerodha supports both PIS and non-PIS accounts. Its NRI account page lists HDFC, IndusInd, IDFC First, Axis, ICICI and Yes Bank for PIS. For non-PIS, it accepts any Indian bank.
The process is online, but NRIs abroad still courier signed forms. NRIs also pay higher delivery brokerage than residents, so check the current rate card.
What it offers residents: Equity, F&O, mutual funds, IPOs and ETFs in one login. Its educational content is a real strength for new investors.
How it compares: Zerodha supports more PIS banks than Upstox or HDFC Securities. It is less beginner-friendly than Groww but gives more control.
Best for: Long-term investors and NRIs who want flexibility between NRE and NRO.
2. Groww
Groww has grown fast by keeping things simple. Its app feels closer to a shopping app than a trading terminal.
What it offers NRIs: Groww supports NRI accounts only on the non-PIS NRO route, according to its NRI demat page. NRIs can trade equity delivery, F&O, mutual funds, ETFs and IPOs.
The page states that margin trading and commodities are not permitted on this route. It does not mention NRE support.
What it offers residents: A very easy start for stocks, mutual funds and IPOs. The design suits investors who find trading screens intimidating.
How it compares: Groww is simpler than Zerodha and Upstox. But NRIs who want to invest NRE funds will find Zerodha or ICICI Direct more suitable.
Best for: First-time resident investors and NRIs who invest only from NRO funds.
3. ICICI Direct
ICICI Direct is a bank-backed platform. Its biggest NRI advantage is the 3-in-1 account.
What it offers NRIs: As explained on ICICI Direct's 3-in-1 page, the account links three parts. These are an NRE or NRO bank account, a demat account and a trading account. PIS reporting to RBI is automated.
It also gives one login for NRE and NRO investing. TDS is deducted and the net amount reaches your linked account.
What it offers residents: Equities, derivatives, mutual funds, IPOs and more. Research and bank integration are strong.
How it compares: It is costlier than discount brokers like Zerodha or Upstox. In exchange, you get the least paperwork friction for repatriation and PIS.
Best for: NRIs who value convenience and already bank with ICICI.
4. Upstox
Upstox positions itself as a low-cost, feature-rich app. It has a specific NRI offering.
What it offers NRIs: As per Upstox's NRI page, NRE accounts need a PIS letter. This comes from HDFC Bank or Axis Bank. NRE accounts allow delivery trades, mutual funds and IPOs.
NRO accounts allow equity delivery, F&O, mutual funds and IPOs. The page says NRI accounts are currently available only to residents of the UAE and India.
What it offers residents: Low-cost trading, good charting and mutual funds. It suits active and long-term investors alike.
How it compares: Upstox supports fewer PIS banks than Zerodha. For UAE-based NRIs, it is a strong alternative with a digital process.
Best for: UAE-based NRIs and resident investors who want low costs with good tools.
5. Angel One
Angel One combines a discount model with research and advisory features. It has a large resident user base.
What it offers NRIs: Angel One opens NRI accounts through offline processes only. Its NRI account guide lists Axis, HDFC, IDFC First, IndusInd and Yes Bank as PIS partner banks.
What it offers residents: Stocks, F&O, mutual funds and IPOs, along with research recommendations. Beginners often like its guided features.
How it compares: Its NRI onboarding is slower than Zerodha or Upstox. For residents, it offers more research support than Groww.
Best for: Resident investors who want research support inside their trading app.
6. HDFC Sky and HDFC Securities
HDFC Sky is the newer, app-first platform from HDFC Securities. NRI accounts run through HDFC Securities.
What it offers NRIs: As per the HDFC Securities NRI page, PIS permission comes through HDFC Bank. Derivatives are allowed only through an NRO account with income proof.
The page also states that HDFC Securities does not offer this service to USA and Canada based NRIs.
What it offers residents: HDFC Sky gives a modern app with stocks, F&O, mutual funds and IPOs. Bank linkage is smooth for HDFC customers.
How it compares: It is a natural fit for HDFC Bank customers. US-based NRIs need to look at other options.
Best for: Existing HDFC Bank customers in India or the Gulf.
7. Kotak Neo
Kotak Neo is the trading app of Kotak Securities. It is well designed for residents.
What it offers NRIs: According to Kotak Neo's support page, NRI accounts cannot be opened on the Neo platform itself. It runs through an email-assisted process.
Kotak offers 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 NRI structures. The page notes the process does not apply to US or Canada clients.
What it offers residents: A clean app for stocks, F&O and mutual funds. Kotak Mahindra Bank customers benefit from tight integration.
How it compares: Like HDFC, it suits existing bank customers. For a fully digital NRI journey, Zerodha or Upstox are easier.
Best for: Kotak Mahindra Bank customers who prefer one banking relationship.
8. Dhan
Dhan is built for traders. Its tools focus on options and fast execution.
What it offers NRIs:Dhan's support page states that NRIs can open NRO accounts. For now, these accounts support only futures and options trading.
What it offers residents: Advanced charting, options tools and trading integrations. It is less focused on long-term investing.
How it compares: Dhan is more trading-focused than any other app here. NRIs who want long-term equity investing should look elsewhere.
Best for: Active resident traders and NRIs who only trade F&O from NRO funds.
Head-to-Head: How the Apps Compare for NRIs
This table compares the NRI experience across apps. Always confirm details on the broker's own website before applying.
Head-to-Head: How the Apps Compare for Residents
For resident Indians, NRI rules do not apply. The comparison then comes down to experience and cost.
Tip: Do not choose an app only because it has zero brokerage on delivery. Check account maintenance charges, DP charges and NRI-specific fees too.
A Pattern We See Often
If you are working in Dubai, here is a common story.
You open a resident account years ago, before moving abroad. You keep trading on it after becoming an NRI. Nobody stops you, so you assume it is fine.
It is not. Once you become an NRI, resident accounts should be closed or re-designated. Upstox states that a resident demat account cannot be converted and must be closed for a new NRI account.
What happens if this is ignored? You can face compliance issues, frozen accounts and messy tax records later. Fixing it years down the line is much harder.
We have covered the wider setup in our guide on how to invest in the Indian stock market from abroad.
What Most "Best App" Lists Miss: Tax and Repatriation
App ratings rarely talk about what happens after you sell.
For NRIs, tax is usually deducted at source when you sell. Groww's NRI page states that the broker deducts capital gains tax from sale proceeds before crediting your balance. ICICI Direct follows a similar TDS approach.
This affects your cash flow. You may need to file a return to claim excess TDS back. Our guide on NRI capital gains tax and TDS rules explains how this works.
If you would like help with this, our tax filing service handles NRI returns end to end.
Repatriation also depends on the account.
NRE funds are fully repatriable. NRO repatriation has an annual cap, as Zerodha and Upstox both note on their NRI pages. Read more on repatriable vs non-repatriable investments and the NRE, NRO and FCNR difference.
A Word on F&O and Trading Apps
Many of these apps make derivatives trading look easy. A few taps, and you have a leveraged position.
Leverage means controlling a large position with a small amount of money. If you are unsure how it works, read our explainer on leverage and on margin.
The data is sobering. A SEBI study on individual traders in equity derivatives found that a large majority made net losses in FY26.
Trading is a skill business, not an investment plan.
If you still want derivatives exposure, understand it well first. Our futures and options product page and guide to GIFT Nifty futures are good starting points.
For Resident Indians: What These Apps Cannot Do
If your portfolio is entirely in India, this section is for you.
Every app above gives you access to Indian markets. That is useful, but it also concentrates your risk in one country and one currency.
Think about it this way. Your salary, your home, your EPF and your stocks may all depend on the same economy.
That is a lot of eggs in one basket. Our piece on the risks of investing only in Indian markets explains why this matters.
There is also a currency angle. When the rupee weakens against the dollar, USD assets gain value in rupee terms. This is why global investing from India is becoming a common next step for Indian investors.
There are two main routes:
The LRS route. RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme lets residents send money abroad within an annual limit. Our guide to the LRS route explains the process.
The GIFT City route. GIFT City offers USD-denominated funds and products regulated by IFSCA. It can be simpler than opening overseas brokerage accounts.
We compare both in our guide on direct US stocks vs GIFT City mutual funds. You can also read how to invest in the USA from India.
Tip: Global investing is not about leaving Indian markets. It is about balancing them.
Where GIFT City Fits In
None of the apps above are built around GIFT City or USD investing. That is the gap we focus on at Belong.
If you are an NRI, GIFT City gives you a way to hold USD-denominated investments in India. Compare options in our guide on GIFT City FD vs FCNR vs NRO and NRE FDs. You can also explore our USD fixed deposits.
If you are a resident Indian, GIFT City funds give you global exposure in dollars. You can browse the full list on our GIFT City mutual funds tool.
A few funds investors often look at include the DSP Global Equity Fund and the Edelweiss Greater China Equity Fund. For India exposure in USD, NRIs may prefer the Tata India Dynamic Equity Fund. Another option is the Sundaram India Mid Cap Fund.
For larger tickets, our GIFT City AIF tool works as a quick comparison shortcut. You can also explore our mutual funds product.
We operate under IFSCA licences, which you can verify on our licences page. For more platforms in this space, see our roundup of GIFT City investment platforms.
How to Choose: A Decision Guide
Use this as a quick filter.
If your goal is long-term investing from NRE funds, choose a PIS-enabled app like Zerodha or ICICI Direct.
If you invest only from NRO funds and want simplicity, Groww is a reasonable choice.
If you live in the UAE and want a digital process, look at Upstox alongside Zerodha.
If you already bank with HDFC or Kotak, start with their platforms for easier linkage.
If you are in the US or Canada, confirm country eligibility first. Some brokers exclude these residents.
If your timeline is short, avoid F&O and leveraged products entirely.
If you are a resident Indian with only Indian assets, consider adding global exposure through GIFT City or LRS.
For a broader checklist, read our guide on what to check before choosing any new investment app. You can also compare wider options in our list of investment platforms for NRIs.
The Mistakes We See Most Often
A behavioural note. Many investors choose apps because a friend or colleague uses one.
That rarely accounts for your bank, your country or your goals. We have written about why copying other NRIs' investments is dangerous.
Planning to Return to India?
Your app choice should consider where you will be in five years.
When you return, your NRI status changes. Upstox notes that your NRE or NRO account must then be re-designated as a resident account. Your NRI demat and trading accounts need similar updates.
Our guide on NRE account conversion for returning NRIs walks through the steps. Planning this early keeps your investments, and their compounding, uninterrupted.
Beyond Stocks: Using Your Financial Ecosystem Well
Trading apps increasingly cross-sell loans and cards. Treat these offers with the same care as any investment.
Before accepting a pre-approved loan offer, check your CIBIL score.
If you plan to buy property in India from abroad, read our guide to NRI home loans first. And compare card offers against our list of the best credit cards in India.
If you are still building your watchlist, our picks of the best stocks are a useful start.
Also look at liquidity before buying smaller stocks. Low liquidity can make exits slow.
IPO investors can apply through most of the apps above. You can also explore our IPO product and our guide to the GIFT City IPO.
Use GIFT Nifty Before You Place Trades
Many NRIs check how Indian markets may open before they trade. GIFT Nifty is a useful early signal for that.
You can track it on our live GIFT Nifty tool and the weekly GIFT Nifty outlook. For context, see our GIFT Nifty historical data and our guide to reading the GIFT Nifty chart.
Treat it as a signal, not a trading instruction. Long-term investors rarely need to act on daily moves.
If you also hold fixed deposits alongside equities, compare current rates on our NRI FD rates tool.
Our Final Take
There is no single best stock market app in India for everyone.
For most NRIs, the right app is the one that matches your bank, your country and your account type. For most resident Indians, the right app is easy to use, low cost and transparent.
And for both, the bigger decision sits beyond the app. It is about building a portfolio that is compliant, diversified and ready for where life takes you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best stock market app in India for NRIs?
It depends on your bank and account type. Zerodha and ICICI Direct suit NRIs who invest from NRE funds through PIS. Groww suits NRIs who invest only from NRO funds.
Can NRIs trade F&O on Indian stock market apps?
Generally, yes, but only through a non-PIS NRO account. Zerodha, Groww and Upstox all state that F&O is not available on the NRE PIS route.
Can I keep using my resident trading account after moving abroad?
No. Once you become an NRI, you should open an NRI account and close or re-designate resident accounts. Brokers such as Upstox state that resident accounts cannot be converted.
Do these apps let resident Indians invest in US stocks?
Most of the apps reviewed here focus on Indian markets. For global investing from India, residents typically use the LRS route or GIFT City funds.
Is TDS deducted when an NRI sells shares?
Yes, brokers typically deduct tax at source from NRI sale proceeds. Groww and ICICI Direct both describe this on their NRI pages. You may claim excess TDS by filing a return.
Sources
Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and is not investment, tax or legal advice. Broker features, fees and eligibility change often. Please confirm details on each broker's official website before opening an account. Consult a qualified advisor for decisions specific to your situation.