Best 3 in 1 Demat Accounts in India 2026
What is a 3-in-1 Demat Account?
Let’s go step by step and try to understand first what exactly is a 3 in 1 demat account. Basically, it’s a demat account offered by a bank-based stock broker that links your bank account with your trading account. The transfer between these two accounts is almost instantaneous in nature. So, in case you fall short of money in your trading account, the bank account transfers money back to the trading account almost automatically.
Now let’s talk about some of the champions within three-in-one demat account services. But before we do that, we need to talk about some of the factors that we took into consideration while making this list.
Factors Considered
We looked at the expertise of the stock broker in the market. We looked at customer service, the emphasis they provide, the kind of communication channels they have, and the turnaround time for their resolutions. We looked at the history of the bank.
The brokerage charges generally brokerage charges are really expensive in nature because they give you a lot of exhaustive services. So brokerage charges will be high, but we tried to figure out which stock brokers give you value for money.
At the same time, we also looked at the trading platforms they have mobile apps, terminal-based solutions, or web-based browser applications. One thing that needs to be understood is that this is just a list; it’s not a ranking by any means.
ICICI Direct
The first name on the list is ICICI Direct. Obviously, ICICI Direct comes from ICICI Bank. You can invest and trade across equity, commodity, currency, IPOs, F&O, and other trading products. They’ve got more than 3,000 branches, so there’s a high possibility that if you need offline help, you’ll be able to find a branch near your location.
The brand trust factor is huge, with a strong reputation coming from ICICI Bank. The account opening charges are free, but there is an annual charge of ₹700 to maintain your account.
When it comes to brokerage, it is definitely high 0.55% for equity delivery. For example, if you do a trade of ₹1 lakh, the brokerage will be ₹550. Similarly, for other segments as well, it is relatively expensive. But again, they provide a lot of services along with the three-in-one demat account.
HDFC Securities
The next name on the list is HDFC Securities. It comes from HDFC Bank. They have more branches than ICICI around 3,500 locations. Customer service is one factor that differentiates HDFC Securities from other bank-based stock brokers.
The account opening charge is ₹999, and the annual maintenance charge is ₹750. So, in terms of opening and maintenance, it’s more expensive than ICICI Direct.
However, brokerage is marginally cheaper. ICICI charges 0.55%, while HDFC Securities charges 0.5% or ₹25, whichever is higher. For intraday delivery, ICICI charges around 0.275%, while HDFC charges 0.1%. Overall, HDFC Securities is relatively cheaper than ICICI Direct in brokerage.
One downside of ICICI Direct is that they are not open to negotiation on brokerage charges, unlike many full-service brokers.
Kotak Securities
The final name on this list is Kotak Securities. Kotak provides a three-in-one demat account and also offers high-tech trading platforms. They have a web-based solution, a terminal-based trading platform, and a decent mobile app.
If you’re a beginner entering the world of trading, you can learn a lot through Kotak Securities. They offer educational content to build basic fundamentals of trading and investment.
The account opening charge is ₹750, and the annual maintenance charge is ₹600, or ₹50 per month. In terms of brokerage, it’s slightly cheaper than HDFC Securities at around 0.49%. For intraday equity, Kotak charges 0.49%, while HDFC charges 0.1%, which is cheaper for intraday.
Overall, Kotak Securities is the cheapest among the three in many segments, though it doesn’t provide free account opening like ICICI Direct. Its major USP is its high-tech trading platforms.
Conclusion
These are the Best 3 in 1 Demat Accounts performing relatively better than their peers. If you’re a beginner or want easy fund transfer between accounts, you can choose any of these brokers.
At the same time, we feel that the introduction of wallets and easier online fund transfer processes are making Best 3 in 1 Demat Accounts a bit overhyped. It’s your choice and preference at the end of the day.