Online Trading Apps In India

Online trading apps in India are becoming increasingly popular, allowing retail investors to trade stocks, forex and cryptos directly from mobile and tablet devices. But which are the best trading and investment apps to earn money?

In this guide, we explain how to compare Indian trading apps, from market access and commission-free investing to safety ratings and iOS and Android compatibility. Our experts have also compiled a list of the top 5 online trading apps in India.

How Trading Apps Work

Trading apps connect individual investors with popular financial markets, such as the NSE (National Stock Exchange of India) or the USD/INR forex pair. From a mobile device, users can buy and sell stocks at the click of a button, track their trading activity in real time, and make deposits and withdrawals.

Alternatively, some trading apps in India are solely developed to provide market analysis, live signals, financial news, or a demo trading environment. These investment applications essentially support the decision-making process for aspiring traders.

Retail investors can download online trading apps from popular brokers or directly via the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Traders simply need a stable internet connection and a compatible mobile or tablet device.

Interestingly, India is one of the most rapidly growing markets for mobile app trading. Mobile investing was only introduced in the country in 2010 but has seen exponential growth in the last few years, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The result is that Indians now have a long list of mobile trading applications to choose from. But an increase in choice can make it harder to find the ‘right’ investment app.

How To Compare Online Trading Apps In India

There are several key factors to consider when looking for the best online trading app:

  • Assets – The top trading apps in India connect users with a range of financial markets, from stocks listed on the BSE or NSE to currency pairs with Indian Rupees. Also look for a trading app that provides opportunities on popular global markets, including major forex pairs, US shares, plus soft and hard commodities.
  • Fees – Although the majority of Indian trading apps are free to download, most firms charge a spread and/or commission on each trade. Interactive Brokers, for example, apply a 0.00345% transaction charge for all cash delivery trades in India. Traders are also liable to a 0.0001% SEBI turnover charge, 0.015% stamp duty fee, and a 0.100% securities transaction tax.

In addition, it’s worth checking for other non-trading fees, such as deposit and withdrawal charges, overnight swaps, plus inactivity penalties.

Regulation – Some of the best online trading apps in India are regulated by the SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India). The financial watchdog oversees the country’s financial markets, promoting a safe, fair, and transparent trading environment. Alternatively, leading trading apps that accept Indian traders may hold a license with another trusted regulator, such as the FCA (UK Financial Conduct Authority) CySEC (Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission (CySEC), or ASIC (Australian Securities & Investments Commission).

Device Compatibility – Before downloading an online trading app in India, it is worth checking your device is compatible. Most top-rated apps are available on Apple, Android, Samsung and Sony devices. Traders can also check whether the online trading app supports native languages such as Hindi, Bengali, or Gujarati.

Features & Tools – The best online trading app in India will provide a user-friendly mobile investing experience with one-click trading, technical indicators, news streams, and mobile-optimized charts with pinch and scroll functionality.

Also look for useful tools that can support beginners, such as copy trading and forex signals.

  • Payment Methods – Does the trading app accept local payment solutions, such as RuPay or PhonePe?This will help ensure straightforward, secure and low-cost deposits and withdrawals.These apps are also more likely to be brokers with INR accounts, helping to reduce or eliminate forex conversion fees.In addition, check for minimum deposits as some of India’s online trading apps allow users to get started without an investment.
  • Customer Support – For beginners, in particular, hassle-free access to customer service is important if there are technical issues with the app or general account queries.The best Indian online trading apps will provide 24/5 or 24/7 in-app support via live chat or social media.
Online trading apps in India - XM
XM App

Types Of Trading Apps

Alongside traditional trading apps, other types of mobile investment applications can prove useful to Indian traders.

Financial News

News trading apps have become popular in India, providing real-time bulletins to a wide audience base.

The best applications for traders provide access to the latest information on business, the economic climate, and political events.

The latest announcements on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Consumer Price Index (CPI), for example, can have a significant impact on the volatility of Indian stocks

There are several financial news apps that our experts recommend for Indian traders:

  • Daily Hunt – Over one million local news articles available in 14 Indian languages from multiple content providers
  • The Times Of India – Coverage of the latest international and national news with analyst reviews and market insights
  • Aaj Tak Hindi News Live TV App – The main Indian news channel, the app provides live news streaming and breaking bulletins in Hindi
  • Inshorts – Local and global news sources summarized into news bulletin snapshots of sixty words or less

Signals

Sometimes referred to as a trade notification or alert, signals can alert investors to potential trading opportunities with information on when to enter and exit a position. Traders can essentially access the latest market data, alongside trade suggestions and strategy tips.

Importantly, trading signal apps provide information directly to Indians’ phones, including through push notifications. This could be via WhatsApp, SMS, or email.

Our top picks for Indian traders are:

  • 1000PipBuilder The popular app offers 24/5 signals on the forex market which are sent directly to a trader’s inbox or phone through SMS.
  • Indian investors then have the flexibility to decide whether to act on the trade suggestion.
  • ForexSignals.com – A team of 40+ plus experienced traders provide raw signals to aspiring FX traders. The app also hosts beginner-friendly educational content, sophisticated trading tools and strategies, plus access to professional mentors.
  • AmiSignals – The application offers real-time and accurate market data for retail investors of all experience levels. Users can filter and identify opportunities using the application’s entry and exit suggestions for the NSE and Nifty.
  • MotiveWave – The app offers a range of market research features suitable for beginners, as well as advanced tools for experienced retail investors. Other features include trade simulation, strategy backtesting, position replay mode, and market scanners.
  • RichLive Trade – The buy & sell signal trading app is designed specifically for the Indian market. The application has an experienced team of trading specialists, which provide investment suggestions. The strategy scanner can indicate profit potential within the first 30 minutes of a market being open.

Automated Trading

Automated investing apps or algo bots are in demand, particularly for Indian retail investors looking for a hands-off approach to trading.

Automated mobile apps can execute trades on an investor’s behalf, following pre-defined criteria.

Users can define a strategy and set limits and let the application do all the analysis work in the background.

After testing various automated online trading apps in India, our experts had several favorites:

  • Deriv – The broker’s automated trading software is popular with retail traders. The DBot platform helps traders build an automated trading program in five steps which can be deployed on more than 50 assets. Three pre-programmed strategies are also available to help beginners get started.
  • Vantage – Indian traders can program strategies to run around the clock using the Expert Advisor (EA) functionality on the MetaTrader 5 platform. Traders can design and build their own bots or download pre-made systems.
  • SpeedBot – This is one of the leading algorithmic trading apps in India. Users can trade a variety of markets by linking the application to one of multiple supported Demat accounts, including Zerodha. Traders can review a catalog of bots, classified by investment styles. Clients also benefit from profit heatmap charts and real-time performance analysis.

Demo Trading

Many brokers offer demo accounts via iOS and Android-compatible apps.

Suitable for beginners, the top virtual apps provide Indian traders with access to real-time pricing and market conditions, plus all the features and tools that can be used within a live profile.

Also, look out for additional in-built education and learning materials to use alongside paper trades.

Final Word On Online Trading Apps In India

Indian trading apps connect aspiring investors with popular financial markets, whether that’s stocks listed on the National Stock Exchange of India or shares in US technology firms and major forex pairs.

To find the best online trading app in India, compare commissions, spreads and fees, market access, device compatibility, additional tools, and support for local deposit and withdrawal methods.

Use our ranking of the top online trading apps in India to get started today.

FAQ

Are Online Trading Apps Legal In India?

Yes, online trading is legal in India, including through mobile devices. With that said, check the regulatory status of the hosting brokerage before downloading the mobile trading application.

Firms will either be registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) or another trusted regulator, such as the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC), or the Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission (CySEC).

Which Is The Best Online Trading App In India For Beginners?

Beginners may want to sign up with an app that offers demo trading.

Alternatively, look for trading firms that offer good educational resources, copy trading tools, plus on-hand customer support.

Use our list of beginner-friendly trading apps in India to find a suitable provider.

What Type Of Online Trading Apps Are Available To Indian Investors?

Traders in India can access several different trading and investment apps.This includes a standard brokerage app which facilitates trading in stocks, forex, commodities and cryptos.

Alternatively, some online trading apps in India specialize in news announcements, market insights, forex signals, copy trading, and automated bots.

What Are The Top Online Trading Apps In India?

Among the best online intraday trading apps in India are Moneta Markets, Deriv.com and Vantage.