Dhan vs Upstox vs Zerodha (2025) – Which Is the Best Broker for Beginners?

If you’re new to investing or trading in 2025, choosing the right broker is your first real decision. And let’s be honest… beginners often overthink it.

Dhan?
Upstox?
Zerodha?

All three are popular, all three are trusted, but they’re not built the same — especially if you’re starting fresh with zero experience.

So this guide breaks down the exact differences in:

• charges
• app experience
• tools
• speed
• features
• support
• learning resources

…so you can choose the broker that actually suits your trading style.

And after comparing all three closely, Dhan stands out as the best overall broker for beginners in 2025, followed by Upstox, then Zerodha for long-term investors.

Let’s dive in.

✅ Quick Comparison (2025)

 

✅ 1. Dhan – Best Overall Broker for Beginners (2025 Winner)

Dhan is the easiest recommendation for beginners who want something:

• simple
• fast
• modern
• affordable
• powerful

The app is clean, extremely beginner-friendly, and packed with features you normally need to pay for elsewhere.

Why Dhan Wins This Comparison

• Zero account opening + zero AMC
• TradingView built-in (no switching tabs)
• Options Chain with Greeks, IV, Max Pain, OI
• Free APIs + algo trading support
• Fastest order execution in this list
• ScanX screener for trending stocks
• Readymade & custom option strategies
• Instant pledge margin
• Advanced charting + auto candlestick detection
• 3 platforms: App, Web, Dedicated Options App

Beginner Experience

Dhan’s UI is perfect for first-time investors. No clutter. No confusion.
You get everything in one place — charts, orders, positions, analytics.

✅ Verdict: Best for beginners & active traders

Dhan gets the top spot for its mix of speed, tools, zero charges, and clean design.

✅ Open Your Free Dhan Demat Account (Recommended)

100 percent online. Zero AMC. Setup in minutes.

If you’re serious about intraday or options trading, Dhan is currently the best choice in India (2025).
It’s not just another discount broker — it’s a trader-first platform built around precision, analytics, and automation.

✅ Best for:

• Intraday traders

• Options strategists

• Algo traders & scalpers

Overall Rating: ⭐ 9.6/10

⚡ Ready to trade like a pro?
👉 Open Free Dhan Trading & Demat Account Now
Zero paperwork. Zero opening charges. Instant setup.

Dhan also offers different financial instrument to trade and invest such as Mutual Funds IPO’s, NFO’s, ETF, SGB, Bonds etc.

 

All Key Features of Dhan:

Trusted by 2 million+ users, Dhan has become the go-to trading app for traders and investors looking for speed, advanced tools, reliability, and excellent customer support.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, Dhan offers an all-in-one trading platform designed to simplify your investment journey in the Indian stock market.

1. Dhan have 3 trading platform for all devices known as Dhan App for Mobile, Dhan for desktop web version and dedicated option trading platform (Web + App) by dhan. You can do fundamental as well as technical analysis quite easily on all its platform.
2. Pre-Built Option Trading Strategies for FREE plus customized Option strategy builder which you won’t be getting at any other broker.
3. You can Invest and trade in all segments at Dhan broker i.e. Equity (Stocks), FNO, Commodity, Currency on NSE, BSE & MCX.
4. One of the USP of Dhan is it’s brokerage structure, brokerage charges are kept at decent Rs 20 or 0.03% (Whichever is lower) per order.
5. There are no brokerage charges for delivery based trades at Dhan. 
6. Dhan also gives Margin Trading Facility (MTF) for up to 4X leverage (75% funds) from Dhan for Equity Delivery trading. You can buy 950+ stocks and hold them for unlimited period of time.
7. With Dhan you can also invest and trade in IPO’s, NFO’s, SIP, Bonds, ETF, SGB, and many other financial products with so much ease.
8. Recently Dhan have also made tie up with smallcase for making portfolio based investment moreover they do have a stock recommendation tool as well which gives long term investment ideas known as Stratzy.
9. Dhan App have been downloaded on playstore for more than 1 million with a user rating of 4.5 which also shows the trust they have created among users within small time period.
10. Dhan also offers another feature known as WelathBasket, it is a basket of stocks/ETFs, based on a strategy, theme or idea. WealthBaskets are professionally managed and help you invest in Stock Markets in a systematic way.
11. Dhan has also partnered with Tactic who provides Trade Ideas & Strategies of top SEBI registered traders in currently 3 modes – Intraday, Positional & BTST. This feature will greatly help the new as well as experience traders.
12. 1Cliq by oipulse is integrated with Dhan which helps fast traders to identify trends especially scalpers. You can have trade execution with pre defined SL, auto Trailing SL, MTM target and stop loss are some of it’s amazing features.
13. Dhan also has Auto-Detection of Candlestick Patterns on Charts on their trading platform which means charts will now automatically recognize & display the names of 37 widely known Candlestick Patterns. Combine this with dhan other features like 20 Depth Data, Price Alerts, Import Watchlists, etc. you have enough data to help you with your trades.
14. There are different types of orders available at dhan such as forever, after market, basket order and lot more.
15. For a limited time period you can open a Free Dhan trading/demat account with Zero Annual Maintenance Charges online here.
16. If we talk about Margin at Dhan, after SEBI Rules on Intraday margin every stockbroker is giving same margin of 5X throughout India, hence this does not matter anymore.
17. Overall, Dhan is best for intraday traders as well as investors as the brokerage is very less, moreover the trading platform is best and available with all tools and resources in all 3 versions.

 

If you’re serious about trading, don’t compromise on tools or speed.

🔥 Open Your Free Dhan Account Today & Start Trading Smarter →

If you’re a trader or want more control over execution, charts, and speed.
Dhan is not just another discount broker — it’s genuinely innovating, especially for the next-gen Indian trader.

If you’re tired of clunky trading platforms and want modern, high-speed trading with transparent fees — Dhan is one of the best stockbrokers in India today.

According to the latest NSE reports  there are about 200+ stock brokers in India, however what makes Dhan a leading and strong contender in the stock broking industry is the tools and resources they have in their trading platform.

Moreover there are no hidden charges and the brokerages are very minimal if we do the industry comparison. They are also backed by cash enriched investors so nothing to fear.

If I have to rate Dhan app after looking at there breakthrough pricing model for brokerages as well as other charges and experiencing there simple yet great user interface for trading platform I would give it 9.6 out of 10.

There’s never been a better time to take control of your financial future and with Dhan, you get the fastest, most reliable, and feature-packed stock broker app in India for 2025.

Whether you’re a beginner eager to start investing or an experienced trader seeking advanced tools and zero brokerage on delivery trades, Dhan has everything you need to succeed.

Don’t settle for less. Join over 2 million + satisfied users who trust Dhan to power their trading journey every day. With zero account opening fees, free access to multiple platforms, and dedicated customer support, the path to smarter trading has never been easier.

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Trading Game?
Start your journey with Dhan — India’s fastest, most reliable, and user-friendly stock broker app trusted by over 1 million users.

No hidden fees. No complicated processes. Just smart, seamless trading.

Open My Free Dhan Account Now

It takes less than 5 minutes to sign up and start trading.

✅ 2. Upstox – Best for Beginners Who Want Simplicity + Learning

Upstox is the perfect middle-ground broker. It’s clean, simple, and ideal for new users who want a smooth learning curve.

What Upstox Does Really Well

• Zero account opening + zero AMC
• Clean and stable mobile app
• UpLearn – structured learning for beginners
• Readymade option strategies
• Zero delivery brokerage
• Good for IPO, mutual funds, ETFs
• Smooth onboarding process

It’s powerful enough for trading, yet simple enough for someone who has no idea what charts or indicators are.

✅ Verdict: Best for beginners who want structured learning

Not as advanced as Dhan, but very beginner-friendly.

✅ Open Your Free Upstox Demat Account

 

💼 What Makes Upstox the Best Choice?

• ✅ Limited Time Free Account Opening – Zero AMC, online KYC
• ✅ ₹0 Brokerage on Mutual Funds, IPOs, Gold Bonds
• ✅ Flat ₹20/order on Equity, F&O, Currency & Commodity
• ✅ Access to UpLearn – Learn strategies, trading & more
• ✅ Invest in P2P Lending & Fixed Deposits
• ✅ Tools for every level – from beginner to pro

 

🏁 Ready to Get Started?

🎯 Open Your Free Demat + Trading Account in Just 5 Minutes!

✅ 100% Online | ⏱ Quick Setup | 💰 ₹0 Opening Fee

 

Paperless signup, ₹0 opening fee, and simple tools for first-time investors.

 

 

✅ 3. Zerodha – Best for Long-Term Investors (Not Ideal for Beginners)

Zerodha is the most trusted broker in India, no question. But it’s also the most “plain vanilla.”

Not many beginner tools. No advanced options analytics. No built-in TradingView.
But… it is extremely reliable.

Where Zerodha Shines

• Ultra-stable execution
• Excellent educational content (Varsity)
• Great for mutual funds via Coin
• Perfect for long-term investing

Where It Falls Behind

• No advanced option tools
• No free API
• No modern UI like Dhan or Upstox
• ₹200 account opening + ₹300/year AMC
• Charting is decent but not best-in-class

✅ Verdict: Best for long-term & passive investors

If you want safety + simplicity without fancy tools, Zerodha is solid.

✅ Detailed Breakdown (Beginner-Friendly)

1. App Experience

Winner: Dhan
Most modern UI, fastest execution, clean interface.

Upstox comes second, Zerodha last.

2. Charges

Winner: Tie (Dhan & Upstox)
Both offer:

• ₹0 account opening
• ₹0 AMC
• ₹20/order intraday and F&O
• ₹0 delivery brokerage

Zerodha charges more for onboarding and AMC.

3. Options Trading Tools

Winner: Dhan
Dhan’s advanced Option Chain, Greeks, IV, strategy builder, 20-depth data beats the others easily.

4. Charting

Winner: Tie (Dhan & Fyers)**
Both offer TradingView integration.

Upstox has limited TV charts.
Zerodha sticks to Kite’s built-in charts.

5. Learning Tools

Winner: Upstox
UpLearn is the best structured beginner-friendly learning tool.

Varsity (Zerodha) is educational but long.
Dhan’s tools help you trade better but aren’t full courses.

6. Speed & Performance

Winner: Dhan
Fastest execution, smoothest interface, minimal lag.

7. Who Should Choose Which Broker?

✅ Choose Dhan if:

You want a fast, modern, beginner-friendly trading app with advanced features.
Best for intraday, options, and new traders.

✅ Choose Upstox if:

You want simplicity + learning + smooth onboarding.
Best for learners and casual traders.

✅ Choose Zerodha if:

You want trust + stability + long-term investing.
Best for passive investors.

✅ Final Verdict (2025 Winner: Dhan)

If you’re a beginner in 2025, here’s the no-confusion summary:

Best Overall: Dhan

Fastest, cleanest, feature-rich, zero charges.

Second Best: Upstox

Simple, great for learning.

Best for Investors: Zerodha

Safe and stable, but not beginner-focused.

✅ Open Your Recommended Accounts

1. Dhan (Recommended for Beginners)
Fast, modern, zero charges.
👉 Open Free Dhan Demat Account

2. Upstox (Best for Learning)
Simple, smooth, easy to use.
👉 Open Free Upstox Account

✅ FAQs

Q1. Which is best: Dhan, Upstox, or Zerodha?
Dhan is best overall for beginners. Upstox is second. Zerodha is ideal for long-term investors.

Q2. Which app is easiest for beginners?
Dhan and Upstox offer the simplest and cleanest interfaces.

Q3. Which broker is best for intraday and options?
Dhan. Fast execution + TradingView + Greeks + strategy builder.

Q4. Which broker is cheapest?
Dhan and Upstox both offer ₹0 AMC and ₹0 account opening.

Q5. Which broker is safest?
All are safe and SEBI-regulated. Zerodha has the longest track record.

Conclusion:
👉 If you want the most balanced, beginner-friendly, and feature-rich experience, go with Dhan.
It’s fast, modern, and built for Indian traders who want to learn, grow, and trade smartly.

From zero account opening charges to advanced tools like native TradingView, options strategy builder, and free API access, Dhan is clearly built with the modern Indian trader in mind.

Whether you’re an intraday trader, an options strategist, or a long-term investor, Dhan offers the perfect blend of speed, simplicity, and smart technology — without burning a hole in your pocket.

Why wait? Open your Dhan account now and take control of your trading journey with confidence.

👉 Click here to get started with Dhan

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Here is the list of things as a beginner you should know, if you are thinking for doing intraday trading.

A brief understanding of

How share market works?

How To Invest In Indian Stock Market – Explained With Examples For Beginners

The Ultimate Step-by-Step Monster Guide to Trading & Investing in India (2025)

Learn about the basics of candlestick chart patterns and how to use them for intraday trading and investing. You should also learn about the best moving averages to use for better trading result.

Checkout Mastering Intraday Trading: A Beginner’s Guide to Profitable Strategies in the Indian Stock Market

Note: Please do your own research and make investment. Moneycontain will not be responsible for any of your losses at all. The point made is for educational purpose only and intended to give information. All investments are subject to risks, which should be considered prior to making any investments.