Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Trading 212 vs Zerodha
Trading 212
Higher score in this comparison
Zerodha
Where Trading 212 and Zerodha differ
| Compare | Trading 212ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | ZerodhaReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £0 | ₹0 |
| Account fee | £0 | ₹300 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs | Bonds, ETFs, Funds, Futures, Options, Stocks |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) | Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) |
| Platforms | Trading 212 App, Web Platform | Coin, Console, Kite |
| Minimum deposit | £1 | Not confirmed |
| Inactivity fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | ₹20 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free withdrawals |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Joint | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Trading 212 scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.1.
- Regulators: only Trading 212 offers Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
- Regulators: only Zerodha offers Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
- Founded is lower at Trading 212: 2006 vs 2010.
- Trading 212 is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only Trading 212 offers Forex, CFDs.
- Markets: only Zerodha offers Bonds, Funds, Futures.
- Platforms: only Trading 212 offers Trading 212 App, Web Platform.
- Platforms: only Zerodha offers Coin, Console, Kite.
- Features: only Trading 212 offers Fractional shares.
Our verdict on each
Trading 212
Trading 212 suits UK and European beginners who want flat costs: a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of £0 and an ISA, SIPP and joint account. Forex and CFDs share the same menu, so the easy entry is the reason to look closer, not to trade heavily.
Zerodha
Zerodha suits Indian investors who place their own orders and want trading costs kept down. The stock trade fee is INR 0 and the account fee is INR 300, so the bill lands on holding an account and on derivatives rather than on the shares. Platforms for placing orders are Coin, Console and Kite.
Score breakdown
| Area | Trading 212 | Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherCharges sit at the floor: £0 on a trade, £0 on the account, £0 when idle. | 9.1Equity orders cost INR 0 in brokerage, but the account fee of INR 300 and INR 20 on an options contract add up. |
| Offer | 9.2 | 9.5Higher |
| Trust | 9.5Higher | 8.8 |
How they place
| Ranking | Trading 212 | Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 86 of 474 | 135 of 474 |
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | Trading 212 | Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | No |
| CFDs | Yes | No |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Trading 212 | Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile appCovers more | Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Audience | Beginners | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | Trading 212 Markets Ltd | Zerodha Broking Limited |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2006Lower | 2010 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Trading 212 | Zerodha | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £1below the median | Not confirmed | £20 |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | ₹20at the median | ₹20 |
Median across 19 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Trading 212
Pros
- Nothing to pay for holding or for going quiet: the account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0.
- Trading shares costs £0, the same stock trade fee eToro lists at $0, so the trade price is not the reason to move.
- The entry of £1 sits under the $5 Vantage asks for, which matters for a first transfer.
Cons
- The market list pairs shares and ETFs with forex and CFDs in stocks, etfs and forex, so a platform aimed at beginners, beginners, also carries leveraged products.
- The fee sheet is the easy part: retail accounts lose money at 70.15% across the brokers compared, and a £0 trade cost does not remove that risk.
- The money side runs through Trading 212 Markets Ltd in Cyprus, registered with the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission as MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32, so a UK saver is dealing with a Cyprus entity alongside the UK one.
Zerodha
Pros
- One account covers bonds, etfs and funds, so shares, funds, bonds, options and futures sit with a single provider.
- Oversight comes from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in India, with Zerodha Broking Limited as the named legal entity.
- Withdrawals carry no charge, and demo account and mobile app includes a demo account and a mobile app, so a new user can practise before funding.
Cons
- The account fee of INR 300 ranks 107 of 138 brands on that measure, above the site median of €0.
- Options contracts are charged INR 20, so the low equity cost does not carry over to derivatives.
- Crypto is not among its markets (bonds, etfs and funds), so digital asset traders need a second provider.
Who each suits
Trading 212
Who it suits
- Beginners and small regular investors who want a low bar to entry, since the minimum deposit is £1 and the app and demo account in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app support a cautious start.
- UK and European savers who care about holding cost, because the account fee of £0 and the inactivity fee of £0 leave the account free to sit and free to open.
- Savers who want a tax-wrapped and shared holding together, since isa, sipp and joint covers an ISA, a SIPP and a joint account under one provider.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for forex and CFD traders who want a deeper market list: Trading 212 stops at stocks, etfs and forex, while eToro and Vantage cover more of the leveraged side.
- Not for anyone who needs a no-cost opening: CFI takes a minimum deposit of $0 against the £1 asked here.
- Not for savers who want a bigger spread of wrappers: the account range is listed as isa, sipp and joint, which does not stretch to every tax-sheltered account type.
Zerodha
Who it suits
- Indian investors placing their own share, fund and bond orders, with Coin, Console and Kite available to trade on.
- Newcomers who want to try a demo account and a mobile app, both listed in demo account and mobile app.
- Derivatives traders who can absorb INR 20 on an options contract and want funds, bonds and equities in one place.
Who should look elsewhere
- CFI, for readers who want forex, CFDs and crypto in one account, since stocks, etfs and forex covers that wider asset list.
- Vantage, for light traders who would rather pay an account fee of $0 than INR 300.
- eToro, for readers who only compare the equity charge, since its stock trade fee is also $0.
Country by country
| Country | Trading 212 | Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| India | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Trading 212
What is the minimum deposit to open a Trading 212 account?+
The published minimum deposit is £1, low enough to open and fund in one step. That entry sits under the €4.64 level seen across the brokers compared here, and under the $5 Vantage asks for, so a small first transfer is enough to get going.
Does Trading 212 charge for keeping an account open or leaving it idle?+
The account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0, so neither holding the account nor letting it sit dormant is billed on the published sheet. The €10 inactivity level across the brokers compared sits well above that floor, which is where dormant-account charges usually show up.
Zerodha
What does Zerodha charge to buy and sell shares?+
The stock trade fee is INR 0, and Zerodha ranks 1 of 161 brands on that measure, so equity dealing sits at the cheap end of the table. Derivatives are priced apart from equities, with an options contract charged INR 20, so the headline equity cost is not the whole bill.
Is there an account fee, and how does it compare?+
Yes. The account fee is INR 300, which places Zerodha at 107 of 138 on the account fee table, well below its stock trade fee ranking of 1 of 161. Withdrawals, by contrast, cost nothing. Holding the account open is the pricier side of this cost profile, while dealing through it ranks well.
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Related by the facts
Trading 212
Zerodha