Charges on every trade
The price you see is not what you pay. Every buy and sell on an Indian stock exchange carries a set of statutory and exchange charges on top of your broker's fee. On small intraday or options trades they can take a large share of your profit.
| Charge | Delivery | Intraday | Futures | Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STT | 0.1% buy & sell | 0.025% sell | 0.05% sell | 0.15% sell (premium) |
| Exchange (NSE) | 0.00307% | 0.00307% | 0.00183% | 0.03553% (premium) |
| Stamp duty (buy) | 0.015% | 0.003% | 0.002% | 0.003% |
| SEBI fee | ₹10 per crore of turnover | |||
| GST | 18% on brokerage, exchange charges and SEBI fee | |||
Rates as of April 2026. BSE exchange charges differ slightly.
Worked examples
Delivery: buy 100 shares at ₹1,000 and sell at ₹1,010 with zero brokerage. Gross profit is ₹1,000, but STT alone is ₹201. Total charges come to about ₹238.86, leaving ₹761.14. The price needs to move about ₹2.39 per share just to cover costs.
Intraday: the same trade done intraday with ₹20 brokerage per order costs about ₹82.97 in total, because intraday STT is only charged on the sell side at a lower rate. Net profit is ₹917.03.
Options: buy 75 units of an option at ₹100 premium and sell at ₹110. Charges are about ₹66.42 on a gross profit of ₹750. Brokerage (₹40 for two orders) is the biggest part.
How to reduce trading costs
- Trade less often. Charges apply to every order, so frequent small trades are expensive.
- Hold for the long term. Delivery trades held for more than a year also get lower capital gains tax.
- Compare brokers. Brokerage and DP charges vary; statutory charges do not. Remember that 18% GST applies on top of brokerage (see how GST works with the GST calculator).
- Know your breakeven before entering an intraday or F&O trade.
- Buying in parts? Track your real cost per share with the stock average calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is STT?
Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is a tax on buying and selling securities on Indian exchanges. As of April 2026 it is 0.1% on both buy and sell for delivery trades, 0.025% on the sell side for intraday, 0.05% on the sell side for futures, and 0.15% of the premium on the sell side for options.
Did STT change in 2026?
Yes. From 1 April 2026, STT on futures rose from 0.02% to 0.05%, on options premium from 0.1% to 0.15%, and on exercised options from 0.125% to 0.15%. Rates for delivery and intraday equity trades did not change.
Why do I pay charges even with zero brokerage?
Zero brokerage only removes the broker’s fee. STT, exchange transaction charges, SEBI fees, stamp duty, GST and depository (DP) charges still apply to every trade.
What are DP charges?
Depository participant charges are levied by CDSL or NSDL and your broker each time shares are debited from your demat account when you sell delivery holdings. They are a flat amount per stock per day, about ₹13–16 with GST at most brokers.
How is the breakeven calculated?
Breakeven is the total charges divided by the quantity: the amount the price must move in your favour just to cover all costs before you make a profit.
Sources
Last updated 19 September 2026. Results are estimates for planning only and are not investment, tax or legal advice. See our disclaimer.