Axis Direct, the broking arm of Axis Bank (operating under Axis Securities Limited, SEBI Registration INZ000161633), operates under a hybrid pricing model — zero account opening charge combined with flat ₹20 per trade brokerage on some plans, alongside annual maintenance charges that vary significantly depending on whether you are an existing Axis Bank customer or not. Understanding every layer of the charge structure prevents surprises in your ledger and allows accurate pre-trade cost calculation.
Account Opening Charges
Standard Digital / Online Account: ₹499 for the digital account opening route. The 3-in-1 account (Axis Bank Savings + Trading + Demat) costs ₹999 for the offline route. A plan at ₹5,555 includes complementary turnover as part of the package. Several sources also list ₹0 account opening as a promotional default — Axis Direct periodically revises this; confirm the current status at simplehai.axisdirect.in before applying.
Account Closure Charge: ₹0 — no fee for closing the demat account.
Account Reactivation Charge: ₹100 if the account is dormant and requires reactivation.
Annual Maintenance Charge (AMC)
This is the most important variable to understand — because Axis Direct’s AMC is entirely different for Axis Bank customers versus non-Axis Bank customers.
Axis Bank Savings Account Holders: First year completely free. From Year 2 onwards, the demat AMC is ₹750 + 18% GST per year (= ₹885 total) for full-year billing. The first partial-year after the first anniversary may be billed at a pro-rated rate. Some platform listings also cite ₹650/year from Year 2 — verify the current applicable rate directly on the Axis Direct platform or by contacting helpdesk@axisdirect.in, as this has been revised periodically.
Non-Axis Bank Customers: ₹2,500 per year from Year 1 onwards — one of the highest AMC rates in the full-service broker segment. This pricing structure makes Axis Direct economically viable primarily for existing Axis Bank customers; non-Axis Bank customers face a significant cost disadvantage compared to all competitor platforms.
BSDA (Basic Services Demat Account): Holdings up to ₹50,000 — NIL AMC. Holdings between ₹50,001 and ₹2,00,000 — ₹100/year. Holdings above ₹2,00,000 — standard account AMC applies.
Brokerage Charges
Axis Direct has standardised its brokerage on the India Trade @20 Plan — ₹20 flat per executed order on all equity intraday, equity F&O, currency, and commodity trades. This is identical to Zerodha, HDFC Sky, and ICICI Direct’s Prime plan pricing.
Equity Delivery (India Trade @20 Plan): ₹20 flat per executed order — zero brokerage for long-term delivery trades is offered under specific promotional conditions; otherwise ₹20 applies. On the legacy Fixed Brokerage Plan and Investment Plus Plan, delivery is charged at 0.50% of turnover.
Mutual Funds: Zero brokerage — no commission on MF transactions.
DP Charges (Selling Securities)
Demat Debit Transaction (Equity Sell): ₹20 per scrip per day — flat charge applied when selling shares from the demat account through the standard online POA route. Some sources cite 0.04% of transaction value (minimum ₹25) — the flat ₹20 applies under the updated tariff for standard online transactions. Verify current applicable rate on Axis Direct’s official charge schedule.
Pledge Creation: ₹50 per request or 0.04% of value (whichever is higher).
Pledge Invocation: ₹50 per request or 0.04% of value (whichever is higher).
Statutory Charges — Standard Across All Brokers
| Statutory Charge | Rate |
| STT (Equity Delivery) | 0.1% (buy + sell) |
| STT (Intraday Sell) | 0.025% |
| GST on Brokerage/Charges | 18% |
| Stamp Duty (Buy) | 0.015% delivery; 0.003% intraday |
| SEBI Charges | ₹10 per crore |
Other Notable Charges
Call & Trade (phone-executed orders): ₹25 per trade. Margin Trading Facility (MTF) interest: 0.07% per day. Ad-hoc statement: ₹100 per statement. Account modification (CML change): ₹25 per request. KRA upload/download: ₹50.
Overview: Axis Direct Charges at a Glance (2025)
| Charge | Axis Bank Customers | Non-Axis Customers |
| Account Opening | ₹0–₹499 (digital) | ₹999 (offline) |
| Demat AMC (Year 1) | ₹0 | ₹2,500/year |
| Demat AMC (Year 2+) | ₹750 + GST / year | ₹2,500/year |
| BSDA AMC (<₹50K) | ₹0 | ₹0 |
| Brokerage (Delivery @20) | ₹20 per order | ₹20 per order |
| Brokerage (Legacy Plan) | 0.50% | 0.50% |
| Intraday/F&O | ₹20 per order | ₹20 per order |
| DP Charge (Sell) | ₹20 per scrip | ₹20 per scrip |
| Account Closure | ₹0 | ₹0 |
| Account Reactivation | ₹100 | ₹100 |
| Call & Trade | ₹25/trade | ₹25/trade |
| MTF Interest | 0.07%/day | 0.07%/day |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is the Axis Direct AMC for existing Axis Bank customers?
A: First year free; ₹750 + 18% GST (₹885 total) per year from Year 2 onwards for Axis Bank savings account holders.
Q2. What is the AMC for non-Axis Bank customers at Axis Direct?
A: ₹2,500 per year from Year 1 — making Axis Direct significantly more expensive for non-Axis Bank customers compared to competitors.
Q3. What is the flat brokerage at Axis Direct under the India Trade @20 plan?
A: ₹20 per executed order on all segments — equity delivery, intraday, F&O, currency, and commodity.
Q4. Is there a charge for closing an Axis Direct demat account?
A: ₹0 — account closure is free. Reactivating a closed or dormant account costs ₹100.
Q5. What are the BSDA AMC thresholds at Axis Direct?
A: Zero AMC for holdings up to ₹50,000. ₹100/year for holdings between ₹50,001 and ₹2,00,000. Standard AMC above ₹2,00,000.
