ICICIdirect Vs SBI Securities NRI Account Comparison

1x margin means Full SPAN + Exposure margins defined by the exchange across Equity and Derivatives (Equity F&O, currency and commodity) segments. This means the broker does not offer any additional leverage.

1. India's leading stockbroker. Part of the prestigious ICICI group, a financial services conglomerate.
2. ICICI 3-in-1 NRI Account offers the easiest online trading experience.
3. It offers an online trading facility with automatic fund transfer and PIS reporting.
4. Invest online in Mutual Fund, NCD, FD, IPO, etc.
5. GTC (or GTD, VTD) and AMO order types are available for placing orders in non-trading hours.
6. It has a very stable trading platform.

1. The largest bank in India with the highest number of branches.
2. Offer 3 in 1 account for convenient online trading
3. Free expert recommendations on trading & investments
4. Assistance from Relationship Managers
5. SBI securities NRI opening fees are lowest among full-service brokers.
6. Mutual fund services are available to NRIs who don't have a trading account.

1. While ICICI trading platform gets the job done, it is very old trading software with poor user experience in comparison to the next generation online brokers like Zerodha, upstox, and 5paisa.
2. The equity delivery brokerage is higher in comparison to discount brokers like Zerodha. With ICICI, a buy order or Rs 1 lakhs will cost Rs 1250 (1.25%) in brokerage. The same order at Zerodha cost Rs 200 in brokerage.
3. NRIs from the UK (United Kingdom) cannot invest in IPO and Mutual Fund through ICICIDirect.com
4. ICICI Bank doesn't offer online account opening to NRIs apart from customers from the US. Online account opening is also not available to Minor NRIs from the US.

1. Only Equity-based mutual funds are available for online investment. For other types of Mutual Funds, NRIs can only apply using a physical form.
2. The brokerage rates are higher when compared with discount brokers like Zerodha and Prostocks.
3. Doesn't offer Good-till canceled (GTC) order.

ICICI is a highly recommended trading account for NRIs who are looking for investing in the stock market and mutual funds in India. It offers a convenient way to invest with competitive brokerage charges. It offers a range of investment options along with a dedicated RM, NRI support desk, free research, and tips. GTC and AMO order helps NRI customers to place an order in their own convenient timings.

SBI has one of the largest branch networks among Indian banks in the world. This helps NRIs in availing in-person services on their country or city of residence. The brokerage rates charged by the company are competitive among full-service brokers. The 3-in-1 account, online trading, free research and advisory, Mutual Fund, FD and IPO investment make them attractive to most NRIs.