{"id":36103,"date":"2025-10-13T03:59:33","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T03:59:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/manikarthik.com\/blog\/?p=36103"},"modified":"2025-10-13T04:05:57","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T04:05:57","slug":"upstox-vs-angel-one-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/manikarthik.com\/blog\/upstox-vs-angel-one-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Upstox vs Angel One \u2013 Which Trading App Wins in 2025?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When I first moved back to India in 2017, one of the first things I did was open a trading account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not because I wanted to become a day trader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But because I wanted to invest my US earnings back into the Indian market. Build wealth here. Put down roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And choosing the right broker? That decision matters more than you think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast forward to 2025. I get this question almost every week in our Back to India Facebook group<\/a>. “Mani, should I go with Upstox or Angel One?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s the honest truth. For most NRIs reading this, the answer is already decided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But let me break it down anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Big Elephant in the Room \ud83d\udea8<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Upstox stopped offering NRI trading services in July 2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, you read that right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re an NRI with a US address, you cannot open an Upstox account. Period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know this is a dealbreaker for 90% of you reading this. But stay with me. If you’re planning to move back soon or already have residential status, the comparison still matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For everyone else? Angel One it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quick Snapshot: Numbers Don’t Lie<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let me give you the data first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feature<\/th>Angel One<\/th>Upstox<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Year Founded<\/strong><\/td>1987<\/td>2009<\/td><\/tr>
Active Clients<\/strong><\/td>7.2 million+<\/td>2.4 million+<\/td><\/tr>
NRI Trading<\/strong><\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td>\u274c No (stopped July 2019)<\/td><\/tr>
Account Opening<\/strong><\/td>Free<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>
Demat AMC<\/strong><\/td>\u20b9240\/year (free 1st year)<\/td>\u20b9150\/year (free 1st year)<\/td><\/tr>
Equity Delivery<\/strong><\/td>\u20b90 (Free)<\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td><\/tr>
Intraday\/F&O<\/strong><\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Source: InvestorGain<\/a>, Chittorgarh<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Angel One wins on delivery trades. Upstox wins on AMC charges. But neither matters if you can’t open an account as an NRI.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Personal Take: Why This Matters to NRIs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When my wife and I decided to return, we had about $150K sitting in our US accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We wanted to slowly move this money to India and invest it. Dollar cost averaging over 2 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NRI account made this possible. I could send money from my US bank to my NRE account in India. Then trade stocks the same day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without an NRI trading account? You’re stuck waiting until you get your PAN updated, your residential status sorted, and your local Indian address finalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That could take months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Detailed Breakdown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brokerage Charges: Where Your Money Goes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what you actually pay per trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Segment<\/th>Angel One<\/th>Upstox<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Equity Delivery<\/strong><\/td>\u20b90 (Free)<\/td>\u20b920 per order or 2.5% (lower)<\/td><\/tr>
Equity Intraday<\/strong><\/td>\u20b920 per order or 0.03% (lower)<\/td>\u20b920 per order or 0.05% (lower)<\/td><\/tr>
Equity Futures<\/strong><\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td><\/tr>
Equity Options<\/strong><\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td><\/tr>
Currency<\/strong><\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td><\/tr>
Commodity<\/strong><\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Source: CompareShareBrokers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My advice?<\/strong> If you’re a long term investor (which most NRIs are), Angel One’s free delivery makes a massive difference. I’ve saved thousands over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re actively day trading? Both are identical at \u20b920 per trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What About Hidden Charges?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Let’s talk about the stuff they don’t advertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charge Type<\/th>Angel One<\/th>Upstox<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
DP Charges (per sale)<\/strong><\/td>\u20b920 per scrip<\/td>\u20b918.5 + GST per scrip<\/td><\/tr>
Call & Trade<\/strong><\/td>\u20b920 per order (extra)<\/td>\u20b920 per order<\/td><\/tr>
Pledge Creation<\/strong><\/td>\u20b920 per request<\/td>Standard rates apply<\/td><\/tr>
SEBI Charges<\/strong><\/td>\u20b910 per crore<\/td>\u20b910 per crore<\/td><\/tr>
Demat Closure<\/strong><\/td>Free<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Source: ADigitalBlogger<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DP charges add up if you’re selling regularly. But honestly? We’re talking about \u20b91.5 difference. Not a dealbreaker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Customer Service: When Things Go Wrong<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I had an issue with Angel One last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some dividend didn’t credit to my account. I called their helpline. Got through in 5 minutes. Issue resolved in 2 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My friend with Upstox? He’s been trying to get his account unlocked for 3 weeks. Still waiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s the data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Metric<\/th>Angel One<\/th>Upstox<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Total Complaints (2024)<\/strong><\/td>587<\/td>289<\/td><\/tr>
Complaints as % of clients<\/strong><\/td>0.01%<\/td>0.01%<\/td><\/tr>
Resolution Rate<\/strong><\/td>94.71%<\/td>93.61%<\/td><\/tr>
Phone Support<\/strong><\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Offline Support<\/strong><\/td>\u2705 Yes (900+ branches)<\/td>\u274c No (4 branches)<\/td><\/tr>
Email Support<\/strong><\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Source: Best Trading App Review<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Angel One has more complaints in absolute numbers. But they also have 3X more clients.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I care about? Resolution rate. And offline support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you’re dealing with lakhs of rupees, having a branch you can walk into? That’s peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trading Platforms: Apps That Actually Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both apps work fine. No complaints there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Angel One has:<\/p>\n\n\n\n