Key takeaways
- Published brokerage on GIFT City apps runs from about 0.05% with a minimum of a few cents to 0.29% with a US$1 minimum and no published cap (Platizio Global).
- In our cost table, a $100 buy costs from about $0.06 to $2.99, and a $10,000 buy from about $1.00 on a per-share plan to $34.72 on an uncapped percentage plan.
- No platform publishes its currency-conversion markup, which usually costs more than brokerage.
- For residents, every platform shares the same Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) limit of US$250,000 per financial year, 20% tax collected at source (TCS) above ₹10 lakh and income-tax rules.
- Several large Indian brokers received GIFT City approval in 2026 and are launching US investing; some Indian broker apps instead route US stocks through a US partner.
Last updated: 15 October 2026 · By Analyst, Platizio Global
There is no single best app to invest in US stocks from India: it depends on order size, how often you invest, whether you want systematic investment plans (SIPs) and whether you are a non-resident Indian (NRI). Low-minimum percentage fees cost least on small orders; flat or per-share fees cost least on large ones.
Disclosure: Platizio Global is our own platform; see the disclosure at the end. Platizio may receive referral fees or revenue share from ViewTrade. Fees come from each platform’s own pages, read on 15 October 2026.
GIFT City apps vs US brokers: the two routes
A GIFT City US stocks app puts your account with a firm in GIFT City’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) that is regulated by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA); some apps only refer you to such a firm. Your money goes under LRS to a GIFT City bank account, then to a US broker.
A US broker under LRS, regulated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), holds your account directly or through an Indian partner that refers you.
Indian international mutual funds avoid LRS, but most are closed to new money: see US stocks vs international mutual funds.
How US stocks apps charge (15 October 2026)
How we compared: the published fees of 13 platforms, grouped by how they charge rather than by name, with no overall ranking. Platizio Global, our own platform, is shown on its own line.
| Pricing model | Route | Brokerage per order | Typical minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage, low minimum | GIFT City apps | 0.05%–0.25%, minimum a few cents; some add a small platform fee | About $1, fractional |
| Percentage, capped | GIFT City apps and Indian-facing US brokers | 0.15%–0.25%, capped at $25–$35 an order | About $1, fractional |
| Percentage, $1 minimum, no cap | GIFT City apps | 0.10%–0.25%, minimum $1 | About $1, fractional |
| Flat per trade | US brokers reached through Indian banks’ broking arms | $1.99–$2.99 a trade on basic plans; less on paid plans | Fractional |
| Per share | US broker, opened directly | $0.005 a share (minimum $1, maximum 1%) | Fractional |
| Platizio Global | GIFT City via ViewTrade IFSC; ViewTrade Securities Inc. | 0.29% (minimum US$1); no cap | Fractional; $100 minimum funding |
“No cap” means none is published. Most GIFT City apps say goods and services tax (GST) applies to brokerage.
What you pay on $100, $1,000 and $10,000 orders
| Pricing model | $100 | $1,000 | $10,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage, low minimum | 0.06–0.30 | 0.51–2.95 | 5.01–29.50 |
| Percentage, capped | 0.24–0.31 | 2.41–3.00 | 24.10–35.00 |
| Percentage, $1 minimum, no cap | 1.18–1.19 | 1.18–3.00 | 11.80–30.00 |
| Flat per trade (basic plans) | 1.99–2.99 | 1.99–2.99 | 1.99–2.99 |
| Per share | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Platizio Global | 1.19 | 3.47 | 34.72 |
Assumptions: one buy order; published brokerage, plus 18% GST where it applies and the IFSCA turnover fee (0.005%) where published; $200 a share for per-share plans; no promotions. Excludes currency conversion, bank and deposit fees, subscriptions, small fees charged in rupees, and TCS.
A $1 minimum raises costs on small orders: below about $345 on Platizio Global’s plan, and below $400 to $1,000 on other $1-minimum plans. Caps limit what large orders cost on capped plans.
Where Platizio Global costs more: its 0.29% rate has no published cap, so above about $345 an order it costs more than capped, flat and per-share plans: $34.72 on a $10,000 order.
Currency conversion usually costs more than brokerage
No platform here publishes its foreign-exchange (FX) markup, the margin added to the exchange rate; all leave conversion to a bank or partner. A 0.5% markup each way adds about 1% to a round trip, against about 0.6% for 0.25% brokerage plus GST on the buy and the sell. Compare the rate on your remittance advice with that day’s RBI reference rate.
Which kind of plan fits which investor
On published fees and features:
- Small SIP investor (about $100 a month): low-minimum percentage plans keep a $100 order near $0.30 or less, and several state SIPs. Some platforms, Platizio Global among them, set a $100 minimum deposit, and some charge $1 per deposit.
- Large one-off investor ($10,000 or more): flat or per-share US-broker plans cost $1 to $2.99 per $10,000 order; uncapped percentage plans, Platizio Global’s included, cost most.
- Active trader: resident accounts are cash-only. Paid plans at flat-fee brokers cut per-trade fees for frequent traders, and some platforms state extended hours.
- NRI: several platforms state NRI support; Platizio Global says “where supported”. Money from non-resident external (NRE) or overseas accounts is outside LRS and TCS.
Platizio Global
Our own platform. Accounts opened through Platizio Global are held with ViewTrade International IFSC Private Limited (ViewTrade IFSC), regulated by the International Financial Services Centres Authority in GIFT City (broker-dealer IFSC/BD/2024-25/0003; Global Access Provider IFSCA/GAP/BD/2025-26/001). Platizio Services LLP is not registered with IFSCA; it introduces customers to ViewTrade IFSC and provides the platform and customer support. Your US shares are held in the name of ViewTrade IFSC for the benefit of its customers (an omnibus account), not in your individual name, through ViewTrade Securities Inc. in the US. It offers only US-listed stocks and ETFs, and limit and stop orders only on whole shares. Extended hours are not stated.
How to check a platform before you sign up
- Find the firm that holds your account; some apps only refer you (Platizio Global, for example, introduces you to ViewTrade International IFSC).
- For a GIFT City app, find that firm in IFSCA’s directory under Broker Dealers and match the registration number in the app.
- Check the US broker on FINRA BrokerCheck and confirm Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) membership. SIPC protects against the failure of a brokerage firm; it does not protect against a fall in the market value of your investments or against the failure of an Indian app or IFSC firm. For Platizio Global accounts, ViewTrade IFSC is not a SIPC member; where investor protection coverage is available through a foreign broker, clearing broker or custodian, such coverage is subject to that provider’s terms and exclusions. Where an IFSC firm holds one pooled (omnibus) account, each investor’s cover depends on the broker’s records and is untested for GIFT City accounts.
- IFSC exchanges’ investor-protection, dispute and grievance mechanisms do not cover Global Access accounts.
Sources7
- Reserve Bank of India — Master Direction, Liberalised Remittance Scheme (updated 6 September 2024) — https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_ViewMasDirections.aspx?id=10192
- Income Tax Department — Section 394, Income-tax Act, 2025 — https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/w/section-394-6
- IFSCA — Caution to the public on unregistered broker-dealers (20 September 2024) — https://ifsca.gov.in/Document/Legal/caution-to-public-final20092024061610.pdf
- IFSCA — Regulatory Framework for Global Access in the IFSC, 12 August 2025 (circular text reproduced by TaxGuru) — https://taxguru.in/finance/revamped-regulatory-framework-global-access-ifsc.html
- US SEC (Investor.gov) — Investor Bulletin: SIPC Protection, Part 1 — https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/general-resources/news-alerts/alerts-bulletins/investor-bulletins/investor-bulletin-sipc-protection-part-1-sipc-basics
- Platizio Global — Pricing — https://platizioglobal.com/pricing
- Platizio Global — FAQs — https://platizioglobal.com/faqs
Accounts opened through Platizio Global are held with ViewTrade International IFSC Private Limited (ViewTrade IFSC), regulated by the International Financial Services Centres Authority in GIFT City (broker-dealer IFSC/BD/2024-25/0003; Global Access Provider IFSCA/GAP/BD/2025-26/001). Platizio Services LLP operates Platizio Global as a white-labelled partner platform in association with ViewTrade. Platizio is not a broker, broker-dealer, custodian, investment adviser, portfolio manager, research analyst, or authorised dealer. Platizio does not hold securities or client money and does not provide custody services. Platizio may receive referral fees or revenue share from ViewTrade. Platizio does not give investment advice. This comparison is for education only. It is not investment, tax or legal advice and does not recommend any platform or security. US stocks and ETFs carry market, currency, tax and regulatory risks, and returns are not guaranteed. Fees, rules and tax rates are as of 15 October 2026 and can change; check each platform’s current terms and consult a qualified tax adviser before investing.