Call and Trade charges at Zerodha

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Overview

Zerodha offers a Call and Trade service that allows clients to place orders over the phone by calling the Zerodha trading desk. An additional charge of Rs 50 per executed order is levied for this service, over and above the normal brokerage applicable to the segment (zero for delivery, Rs 20 flat for intraday and F&O). The Rs 50 charge applies to each individual order that is executed through the Call and Trade channel.

The Call and Trade service is intended for clients who are unable to access the Kite trading platform due to technical issues, travel, or other circumstances. It is not a substitute for regular electronic trading and carries a meaningful per-order surcharge that makes it expensive for active traders to use routinely.

Charge structure

ParameterValue
Call and Trade chargeRs 50 per executed order
Applicable segmentsAll segments (equity delivery, intraday, F&O, currency, commodity)
In addition toNormal brokerage for the segment
GST on the Rs 50 chargeYes, 18% = Rs 9 (total Rs 59 per order)
Charge per partial fill?Depends on whether partial fills are treated as separate orders

The Rs 50 is a dealer/intermediary charge and is subject to GST at 18 percent, making the all-in Call and Trade surcharge Rs 59 per executed order. Normal brokerage and all statutory levies (STT, exchange charges, stamp duty, etc.) also apply on top of this.

When the charge applies

The Rs 50 Call and Trade charge applies when:

  • An order is placed by calling Zerodha’s trading desk directly
  • The order is executed (either fully or partially filled) on the exchange
  • The order is placed by a dealer on behalf of the client

If a Call and Trade order is placed but not executed (e.g., a limit order that never fills), the Rs 50 charge does not apply (it is charged on execution, not on order placement).

Alternatives to Call and Trade

Zerodha provides several alternatives that do not carry the Rs 50 surcharge:

  • Kite mobile app: The primary trading platform; free to use for all order placement.
  • Kite web: Browser-based platform; free.
  • Kite Connect API: For algorithmic traders; carries API subscription charges but no per-order Call and Trade fee.
  • GTT (Good Till Triggered) orders: Pre-placed orders that execute automatically when price conditions are met; can be set up in advance and do not require active phone placement.

Clients who anticipate being unable to access the app during market hours (for example, during travel or at a location without reliable internet) are advised to place advance orders (Good Till Triggered, After Market Orders) before connectivity issues arise, rather than relying on Call and Trade.

Auto-square-off via Call and Trade

If Zerodha’s system squares off an MIS (intraday) position that the client failed to close before the auto-square-off cutoff, the auto-square-off is not a Call and Trade transaction – it is executed by Zerodha’s automated system. The charge for an auto-square-off is Rs 50 per executed order, similar in amount to the Call and Trade charge but levied under a different policy (it is a penalty for not managing the intraday position rather than a service fee for phone order placement).

Regulatory context

SEBI regulations permit brokers to charge fees for phone-based order placement. There is no regulatory cap on this charge; it is set by the broker. SEBI’s master circular for stock brokers requires that all charges be disclosed to clients at the time of account opening and in the standard schedule of charges maintained on the broker’s website.

Comparison with other brokers

Several discount brokers charge for phone order placement:

  • Upstox: Rs 20 per order for phone orders in some plans
  • Angel One: no explicit Call and Trade charge (included in some plans)
  • HDFC Securities: Rs 25 to Rs 50 per order depending on segment

The Rs 50 per order charge at Zerodha is at the higher end of the discount broker range, reinforcing the expectation that clients will self-execute through digital platforms.

Impact on active traders

For a trader who typically executes 10 orders per day and occasionally uses Call and Trade for 5 of them due to connectivity issues, the additional cost is Rs 295 (5 x Rs 59 including GST) for that day. Over a month with 22 trading days and occasional Call and Trade usage, the incremental cost could range from a few hundred to several thousand rupees depending on frequency.

Active traders who find themselves relying on Call and Trade frequently should investigate the underlying connectivity or platform issues, as the per-order surcharge will materially increase their effective transaction cost.

See also

References

  1. Zerodha Charges page, support.zerodha.com/category/charges (accessed May 2026)
  2. SEBI Master Circular for Stock Brokers, SEBI/HO/MIRSD/MIRSD-PoD-1/P/CIR/2023/72 (disclosure of all charges)
  3. CGST Act 2017, Section 9 (GST on dealer service charges)

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