Guides
How to Open a Free Demat Account Online in 2026 (Best Brokers Compared)
A demat account holds your shares and mutual funds electronically; a linked trading account lets you buy and sell. Opening one in 2026 is fully online and takes minutes with Aadhaar-based KYC. Here are strong broker options — each links to its full page.
Best brokers to compare
- Angel One and Upstox — large, app-first discount brokers.
- 5paisa and Choice Equity — low-cost trading plans.
- Motilal Oswal and Bajaj Securities — full-service names.
How to open one — step by step
- Open a broker page and tap the sign-up button.
- Enter your PAN, Aadhaar and bank details for KYC.
- Complete the e-sign and a quick video/selfie verification.
- Your account is usually active within a day; then you can add funds and invest.
What to check before you pick
Compare account-opening and annual maintenance charges (AMC), brokerage per trade, and the quality of the app. See all options on the demat & broking page.
Investing carries market risk. Disclosure: broker pages may contain referral links. Charges are set by the broker and can change.
Disclosure: this page contains referral links. If you sign up through them we earn a fee at no extra cost to you. It never changes which apps we recommend.