Kite Mobile app (Zerodha)
Kite Mobile is the smartphone trading application component of the Kite platform operated by Zerodha, available on the Google Play Store for Android devices and on the Apple App Store for iOS devices. It provides Zerodha clients with real-time market data, order placement, charting, portfolio management, and access to back-office functions on mobile devices, serving as the portable complement to the Kite Web browser terminal.
Kite Mobile is consistently among the most downloaded and highest-rated financial applications on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in the Indian market, with several million downloads and ratings above 4.0 out of 5 from a substantial base of user reviews. It supports trading across NSE and BSE equities, equity futures and options, currency derivatives, and MCX commodity derivatives, matching the segment coverage of Kite Web.
The mobile application plays a critical role in Zerodha’s client base composition. A significant proportion of Zerodha’s clients are first-generation equity investors who entered the market through smartphones rather than desktop computers, particularly during the 2020-2021 retail investment surge driven by pandemic-era household savings. For these clients, Kite Mobile is their primary and often sole interface to the market.
History and development
Early mobile releases (2015-2017)
Zerodha released early versions of a mobile trading application alongside the initial Kite launch in 2015 and 2016. These early versions mirrored the initial Kite Web interface’s capabilities on a mobile screen, with basic watchlists, order placement, and a simple positions view. The charting capability in the early mobile app was limited relative to Pi, and the order type range was constrained by the mobile-first UX challenges of presenting complex order forms on small screens.
Kite 3 redesign (2018)
The mobile application underwent a significant redesign concurrent with the Kite 3 rewrite in 2018, aligning the mobile interface with the updated Kite Web terminal’s visual language and data architecture. The redesigned application introduced a bottom-navigation paradigm (replacing a hamburger-menu architecture), larger touch targets for order placement, and the TradingView-based charting module adapted for mobile screen dimensions.
The Kite 3 mobile redesign also moved from a polling-based market data refresh to the binary WebSocket-based push data feed, bringing the mobile app to the same data latency standard as the web terminal. This was particularly important for intraday traders who used the mobile app as their primary interface and expected near-real-time price updates.
Subsequent feature additions
After the 2018 redesign, successive Kite Mobile releases added: the GTT (Good Till Triggered) order feature (initially a web-only feature in 2019, rolled out to mobile in a subsequent update), the Kite nudges framework at the order placement stage, external account linking for Sensibull option chain analysis, Smallcase basket purchase flows, and biometric authentication (Face ID on iOS, fingerprint/face unlock on Android) as an alternative to PIN entry for session-protected actions.
Android and iOS applications are released as separate codebases, developed in Kotlin (Android) and Swift (iOS) respectively. This allows each app to follow platform-specific UI conventions (Material Design guidelines for Android, Apple Human Interface Guidelines for iOS) while sharing the same back-end API layer.
Features
Watchlists and quotes
Kite Mobile supports up to five watchlists. Each watchlist row displays the last traded price, the change from the previous session’s close in absolute and percentage terms, and quick buy and sell trigger buttons accessible with a single tap. Swiping a watchlist row to the right or left (depending on the app version) reveals additional actions: view market depth, create a GTT alert, set a Sentinel price alert, or add to a basket.
The full quote view for an instrument shows:
- OHLC data for the current session
- Previous close price
- Circuit limits (upper and lower)
- 52-week high and low
- Total traded volume
- Five-level market depth (bid and offer prices with quantities for five levels)
Real-time quote updates arrive via the binary WebSocket connection. The app’s connection management handles network interruptions common on mobile (switching between Wi-Fi and cellular data, brief connectivity drops) with automatic reconnection and re-subscription to the instrument list.
Charting
The mobile charting module uses TradingView’s mobile-optimised charting library. Touch interactions include:
- Pinch to zoom: Adjusts the time scale visible on the chart
- Swipe left or right: Scrolls through historical candles
- Single tap on chart: Displays the OHLC values for the tapped candle
- Long press on chart: Opens the crosshair/cursor for precise price and time reading
Chart types available on mobile include candlestick, Heikin-Ashi, bar, line, and area. Time frames range from one minute to one month, with extended time frames (weekly and monthly) for long-term trend analysis.
The mobile chart supports a curated subset of technical indicators: popular indicators including SMA, EMA, MACD, RSI, Bollinger Bands, Supertrend, and ATR are available. Drawing tools are present in the mobile chart but are less extensively used than on the web terminal due to the imprecision of finger-based drawing on a small screen.
Switching from the chart view to the order placement view is a single tap, with the order window pre-populated with the instrument being charted.
Order placement
The order window on Kite Mobile opens from a watchlist row tap, a chart, or the holdings or positions view. The interface is designed for minimal-tap order entry:
- The instrument is pre-populated from the context where the order window was launched.
- The client selects buy or sell, product type (CNC, MIS, NRML), and order type (limit, market, SL, SL-M, AMO, GTT).
- Quantity and price (for limit orders) are entered via a number keyboard.
- The estimated margin required for the order is displayed before submission.
- A confirmation swipe or tap submits the order.
Biometric authentication (Face ID, Touch ID on iOS; fingerprint or face unlock on Android) can be configured as the order confirmation method, replacing PIN entry. This reduces the number of inputs required for order placement to near-minimal.
The mobile app supports the same order type range as Kite Web: limit, market, SL, SL-M, AMO, IOC, cover order, and GTT. Bracket orders have been available on mobile in specific periods subject to exchange-level restrictions.
Portfolio, holdings and positions
The holdings view displays demat account equity and mutual fund holdings sourced from CDSL or NSDL data, with average cost, current value, and unrealised P&L. Zerodha Coin mutual fund units appear in the holdings view as demat-format units.
The positions view displays open intraday and carry-forward derivatives positions with real-time mark-to-market P&L. A one-tap square-off button closes each position with a market order. Options positions display individual Greeks (delta, gamma, theta, vega) and the aggregate portfolio Greeks are shown in a summary, consistent with the web terminal’s positions view.
Funds
The funds view on Kite Mobile shows available cash, collateral margin from pledged securities, margin used by open positions, and withdrawable balance. Fund additions via UPI are supported within the app: the client initiates a UPI payment from the Kite app, which redirects to the client’s UPI app (PhonePe, GPay, Paytm, BHIM, bank apps) for authorisation, then returns to Kite. UPI additions typically credit within seconds to a few minutes.
Withdrawal requests can be submitted from the mobile app. The submission is processed in the daily withdrawal batch; funds reach the client’s bank account the next working day.
Price alerts via Sentinel
Kite Mobile integrates with Zerodha Sentinel for price alerts. Clients can set a price-level alert on any instrument from the watchlist or the instrument detail view. When the alert triggers, a push notification appears on the mobile device. The notification opens Kite Mobile to the relevant instrument’s order window when tapped, enabling rapid order placement after an alert fires.
Alert management (viewing active alerts, creating new alerts, deleting triggered alerts) is accessible within the Kite Mobile app via the Sentinel integration.
External platform links
Within Kite Mobile’s navigation, links to partner platforms are accessible:
- Sensibull: Opens Sensibull’s options analytics interface in an authenticated in-app browser, using the client’s Zerodha session token for authentication. Options strategies constructed in Sensibull can be sent back to Kite Mobile’s basket order flow for execution.
- Smallcase: Opens the Smallcase platform in an authenticated in-app browser. Basket purchases and rebalancing from Smallcase execute via Kite’s basket order API.
- Zerodha Coin: Accessible from the main navigation for direct mutual fund investment.
- Zerodha Varsity: Educational content links, particularly contextual links from nudge messages.
Nudges
The Kite nudges framework is active in Kite Mobile’s order placement flow, consistent with its presence on Kite Web. Behavioural prompts appear as overlay cards within the order window when the system detects order parameters associated with statistically adverse outcomes. The most common nudge on mobile is the deep out-of-the-money options buying near expiry alert, which targets a pattern associated with very high loss rates in SEBI’s retail F&O profitability studies.
Clients can read the nudge message and proceed with the order (tapping “I understand, continue”) or modify the order parameters based on the information in the nudge. Links to relevant Zerodha Varsity chapters are embedded in nudge messages.
IPO applications
The IPO module in Kite Mobile lists open mainboard and SME IPOs with the same data as the web terminal. UPI-ASBA mandate authorisation is particularly natural on mobile, since the client’s UPI app is already installed. The mandate flow redirects to the UPI app directly from Kite Mobile, providing a seamless application experience compared to the web terminal workflow where the client may need to switch devices to complete UPI authorisation.
Technical architecture
Platform and language
Kite Mobile is developed in Kotlin for Android and Swift for iOS. Both apps follow their respective platform’s current UI framework conventions: Jetpack Compose or View-based UI for Android (depending on the specific component and app version), and UIKit or SwiftUI for iOS. Platform-native implementations provide the best responsiveness and integration with system features (push notifications, biometrics, background app refresh).
Back-end connectivity
Both Android and iOS apps communicate with the same REST API and binary WebSocket back-end as Kite Web. The WebSocket client on mobile implements reconnection logic specific to mobile network conditions: detecting transitions between Wi-Fi and cellular (which cause socket disconnection), handling brief network drops, and re-subscribing to the instrument list after reconnection without losing the watchlist state.
Authentication
The initial login flow on mobile requires user ID, password, and TOTP second factor, identical to the web flow. After the initial login on a device, the app stores a device-bound session credential (subject to device security capabilities and Zerodha’s session policy) that, combined with biometric verification, allows subsequent logins without re-entering all credentials. The daily token expiry at 07:00 IST requires re-authentication each trading day, including on mobile.
Push notifications
Kite Mobile uses Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) for iOS and Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) for Android to deliver push notifications for order fills, rejection notices, and Sentinel price alerts. Notification permission is requested during app onboarding; notifications require opt-in by the user on both iOS and Android.
Regulatory compliance
Kite Mobile implements two-factor authentication as required by SEBI’s internet-based trading framework. Pre-trade margin display, UPI-ASBA IPO application support, and peak margin shortfall prevention are implemented consistently with the web terminal. The app enforces daily session expiry and requires re-authentication before trading, consistent with the session security standards applicable to internet-based trading systems.
SEBI’s 2022 consultation paper on retail algorithmic trading raised questions about whether automated order placement from mobile-based scripts through broker APIs should require additional broker oversight. Zerodha’s position, as stated in Z-Connect responses to the consultation, is that retail algo trading through Kite Connect is already subject to broker-level OMS supervision, which the Kite Mobile app itself does not bypass.
Comparison with competitors
The principal competitor mobile trading applications in the Indian retail brokerage space as of 2024 are Upstox Pro (Android and iOS), Angel One (Android and iOS), Groww (Android and iOS), and ICICI Direct (Android and iOS).
Upstox Pro for Android and iOS offers a comparable feature set: TradingView charting, GTT-equivalent conditional orders, derivatives support, and API access through Upstox’s developer platform. Upstox’s mobile app redesigned in 2022 brings a modern interface comparable to Kite Mobile’s.
Angel One’s mobile app integrates research alerts, SmartBuy recommendations, and advisory content more prominently than Kite Mobile. Angel One’s interface is designed to serve both active traders and advisory-guided investors. The biometric login experience and derivatives depth are comparable to Kite Mobile.
Groww’s mobile app is designed for simplicity: minimal chart tools, limited order types, and no derivatives beyond basic F&O access. Its onboarding flow is the smoothest in the industry for first-time investors. Groww became one of the top-downloaded financial apps in India during 2021-2023.
ICICI Direct’s mobile app offers bank account integration, research, and brokerage in a single app. The app’s feature depth in derivatives and charting is comparable but the brokerage cost per trade is higher than Kite’s flat fee.
Kite Mobile’s consistent high ratings on the Play Store and App Store reflect a positive user experience for active traders. User reviews cite speed, charting quality, and reliability as strengths; requests for additional features (such as options analytics directly within the app, without opening Sensibull) appear in reviews.
Accessibility and language support
As of 2024, Kite Mobile is available in English. Zerodha’s client base includes a substantial proportion of clients from non-English-speaking Indian states, and there have been discussions (referenced in public forums) about regional language support. Zerodha Varsity has moved ahead in regional language availability (with Hindi editions), but Kite Mobile’s trading interface remains English-only. Given that SEBI’s regulatory documentation and exchange symbology is in English, trading interface localisation faces inherent constraints.
IPO application experience on mobile
The IPO module on Kite Mobile is considered one of the smoothest application workflows in the Indian broker landscape for retail IPO participants. The key advantage on mobile is that the UPI-ASBA mandate flow, where the client must authorise a UPI block on their bank account, is natural on a smartphone, since the client’s UPI app (PhonePe, GPay, Paytm, bank apps) is already installed and accessible via a deeplink or manual switch from Kite Mobile. The workflow is:
- Select the IPO from the module list.
- Enter the bid price (within the price band) and quantity (must be in multiples of the lot size).
- Select the UPI ID linked to the bank account.
- Confirm the application in Kite Mobile.
- Switch to the UPI app (automatically deeplinked in many cases) to approve the UPI mandate block.
- Return to Kite Mobile to see the application confirmation.
This end-to-end workflow typically takes two to three minutes on a smartphone. The equivalent workflow on a desktop browser requires switching to a separate UPI-enabled device or using a UPI app’s QR scan, adding steps.
Offline functionality and background data
Kite Mobile requires an active internet connection for market data and order placement; it does not function offline in any meaningful way for trading purposes. However, the portfolio view (holdings and positions) can display the most recently fetched data in a reduced-connectivity situation, allowing clients to view their last-known portfolio state without a live connection.
Background data refresh (fetching updated prices when the app is not in the foreground) is limited by iOS and Android background execution restrictions; push notifications from Sentinel alerts are the primary mechanism for receiving market condition alerts without the app in the foreground.
User ratings and review trends
Kite Mobile’s ratings on the Google Play Store have historically been in the 4.0-4.5 range out of 5, with several million total ratings as of 2024. Common themes in positive reviews include the interface speed, the chart quality, and the reliability of order placement. Common themes in negative reviews include connectivity-related issues during peak market hours (often attributable to network conditions rather than app bugs), occasional push notification delivery delays, and requests for more advanced features like integrated options Greeks without switching to Sensibull.
The ratings comparison with competitor apps (Upstox Pro, Angel One, Groww) is roughly comparable, with all major Indian trading apps in the 4.0-4.5 range. Kite Mobile’s ratings edge in some periods reflects the active trader community’s appreciation for a fast, functional interface without excessive feature bloat.
See also
- Kite (Zerodha trading platform)
- Kite Web
- Kite 3 architecture and technical stack
- Kite Connect API
- Zerodha Sentinel
- Kite nudges framework
- Zerodha Console
- Sensibull
- Smallcase
- Zerodha
References
- Zerodha Support. “Kite mobile app, frequently asked questions”. support.zerodha.com. Accessed May 2026.
- Google Play Store. “Kite by Zerodha, stock trading app”. play.google.com. Accessed May 2026.
- Apple App Store. “Kite by Zerodha”. apps.apple.com. Accessed May 2026.
- Zerodha Z-Connect Blog. “Kite 3.0, the new Kite”. z-connect.zerodha.com. 2018.
- SEBI. “Circular on internet-based trading”. SEBI/MRD/DoP/SE/Cir-11/2003 and amendments. Accessed May 2026.
- SEBI. “Consultation paper on algorithmic trading by retail investors”. SEBI. August 2022.