HDFC Sec Vs. HDFC SKY is a comparison to help you select between the two. In this article, I will discuss the various crucial aspects of the two trading platforms, covering the pros and cons, charges, and trading platforms.
HDFC Sec Vs. HDFC SKY (Summary):
HDFC Securities Ltd is a subsidiary of HDFC Bank Limited and was launched in 2000. HDFC SKY is a new trading platform launched by HDFC Securities in 2023 as a better version of HDFC Sec for the Discount Broking industry.
Both the platforms have similiar product offerings comprising stocks, mutual funds, IPOs, Futures and Options, Commodities and Currencies. In addition, HDFC SKY offers US Stocks.
HDFC Securities' charges are pretty high from Demat account opening, Demat charges to brokerage charges. At the same time, HDFC SKY follows the discount broking model with no trading account opening charges, low AMC, and low brokerages.
Withdrawing funds to savings account is seamless in both the platforms since they come with 3-in-1 account.
HDFC SKY has better trading applications than HDFC Securities, which has been more interested in upselling its subscription-based services, ProTerminal and Blink.
HDFC Securities has comparatively better and more comprehensive customer service than HDFC Sky, with Live chat, Phone, and Email. However, HDFC SKY offers customer service through tickets alone.
HDFC Sec Vs. HDFC SKY (Pros & Cons):
HDFC Sec Pros & Cons:
HDFC Sec Cons:
- 3-in-1 Account.
- Reliable performance.
- Good product offerings.
- Multiple order types.
- Responsive customer support.
HDFC Sec Pros
- High account opening charges.
- High annual maintenance charges.
- Pricing is confusing, and brokerage charges are high.
HDFC SKY Pros
- Zero demat account opening charges.
- Low AMC charges and minimal brokerage charges.
- Good product offerings including stocks, mutual fund, and F&O.
- Advanced trading applications across web and mobile device platforms.
- Multiple order types.
HDFC SKY Cons
- Only ticket support.
HDFC Sec Vs. HDFC SKY (Charges):
To open a demat account with HDFC Sec, you have to pay a one-time account opening charge of ₹999. Besides, the platform charges an AMC of ₹750.
One thing I disliked as a beginner trading on this platform in the past was its brokerage structure. I feel the charges are presented in quite a twisted manner. The pricing structure is really hard for any beginner to understand. However, here is the HDFC Sec's brokerage structure:
- Delivery-based trading: 0.50% or min ₹25 or ceiling of 2.5% on transaction value (Both Buy & Sell)
- Square-off trades cash & carry scrips: 0.10% or min ₹25 or ceiling of 2.5% on transaction value (Both Buy & Sell)
- Square-off trades margin scrips: 0.05% or min Rs 25 or ceiling of 2.5% on transaction value (Both Buy & Sell)
- Futures Non-Square Off (Carry Forward) Trades: 0.05% or min Rs.25/- or ceiling of 2.5% of the transaction value (Both Buy & Sell)
- Futures Square-off trades: 0.025% or min Rs.25/- or ceiling of 2.5% of the transaction value (Both Buy & Sell)
- Option Market: Higher of 1% of the premium amount or Rs.100 per lot (Both Buy & Sell)
To put in a simple way, HDFC Sec brokerage charges are high and the platform even charges for Equity Delivery trades while most brokers don't charge brokerage on Equity Delivery. Fortunately, beginners today has a lot of good and affordable brokers to choose from to start their trading journey.
HDFC SKY doesn't charge any demat account opening fee. The platform's AMC is only ₹240, which is way less than that of HDFC Sec. On top of that, HDFC SKY charges AMC only from the second year onward.
Now, it's time to look at HDFC SKY's brokerage model. Here are the charges:
- Equity Delivery: ₹20 or 0.1% (Whichever is Lower).
- Equity Intraday: ₹20 or 0.1% (Whichever is Lower).
- All Segment Futures (Intraday & Carry Forward): ₹20 or 0.1% (Whichever is Lower).
- All Segment Options (Intraday and Carry Forward): ₹20 per order.
As you can see HDFC SKY is a lot affordable than HDFC Sec and most importantly, the HDFC SKY official website states the charges in a clear and concise manner. Any one can easily go through it and understand.
HDFC Sec Vs. HDFC SKY (Trading Applications):
HDFC Sec has trading applications across web and mobile platforms. The interface is fast. The platform uses ChartIQ as the default charting tool. For better charting experience, one has to subscribe to HDFC Securities' Pro Terminal, which costs ₹1,999. Besides, HDFC Sec has Blink, another subscription based service, which costs ₹2,999. Now, you can hardly see this level of upselling in any of the popular brokers nowadays.
Apart from this, you get multiple watchlists to track share price of various stocks and arrange them categorically in terms of sectors. You can also choose from multiple order types such as Bo, CO, GTT, and AMO. I have never faced any issue while placing and squaring off orders on HDFC Securities trading terminal.
HDFC SKY certainly has better trading applications than HDFC Sec in terms of usability, much like other popular brokers these days. HDFC SKY has web and mobile applications. The interface is comparatively cleaner and intuitive. Users can choose between ChartIQ and Tradingview for no additional cost. Other trading features include multiple watchlists and advanced order types such as GTT and AMO.
The platform comes with an innovative feature for Options trading called Predict View. The feature lets users specify their market sentiments in terms of Bullish and Bearish sentiments, and it accordingly generates a curated list of Options trading strategies.
Conclusion
I have discussed the crucial aspects of the two platforms. As you have seen in the post, the charges are pretty high in HDFC Sec. I am not denying the fact that it's a reliable trading platform.
However, I have always had a feeling that HDFC Sec doesn't pay much attention to offering a great trading experience to its regular users and rather focuses on upselling its subscription based products, such as ProTerminal and Blink.
Buying these subscription based products might have worked in the past but it certainly doesn't not work anymore with the profileration of discount brokers. Discount brokers are way more generous than HDFC Sec in terms of their offerings. Almost all discount brokers these days come with great charting tools.
I see HDFC SKY as HDFC Securities' desperate attempt to fit into the discount broking industry. However, the platform looks promising and is definitely way better than HDFC Securities. HDFC SKY has affordable charges and good web and mobile trading applications.
💼 When choosing between HDFC Sec and HDFC SKY, it’s crucial to understand the key differences. HDFC Sec is a subsidiary of HDFC Bank, offering a reliable trading and investment platform with a three-in-one account model, catering to various financial instruments. It’s known for being one of India’s more expensive platforms. On the other hand, HDFC SKY is a newer discount broking application that offers a wider range of products, including Equity, Mutual Funds, ETFs, US Stocks, Futures and Options, Currency, and Commodity trading. The choice depends on your preferences and investment goals. 🏦📈 #HDFCSec #HDFCSKY #InvestmentPlatforms
why cant the HDFC Securities automated switchover to their recent trading apps i.e Investright or Sky by showing plain button to switch over to the choosen app totheir existing clients? Once the eyes are set to any specific app it is a high discomfort to enter into a new interface.