Religare Review

Religare is an online broker that offers a variety of investment research and analysis tools, alongside handy digital platforms for you to trade on-the-go.

This review will examine the accounts and services offered by Religare, the features on offer and their accompanying fees.

About Religare

Religare is a member of Religare Enterprises Limited, a diversified financial services group based in New Delhi, India. From working capital loans to health and life insurance, Religare Enterprises offers an extensive range of financial products to millions of Indians.

Can I trust Religare?

As a member of Religare Securities Limited, Religare is registered with the Securities and Exchanges Board of India (SEBI) and is a member of exchanges such as the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange. As such, it is generally considered safe to invest with.

Note: Investing and trading always carries risks which you should be aware of, so read up before you start investing. Do your research and compare brokers in India before signing up with any trading platform.

What markets can I trade with Religare?

You can trade on the BSE, NSE, and MCX for the following securities:

• Equities Trading – Delivery
• Equities Trading – Intraday
• Derivatives
• Mutual funds
• ETFs
• IPO
• Commodities
• Currencies
• Bonds

Religare highlights

Here are a few of the notable account features you’ll enjoy:

• Mobile app. With Religare Dynami, you can monitor the performance of your holdings on-the-go. Religare Dynami is available on both Android and iOS platforms, offering features such as real-time price updates and the ability to place trades in a swipe.
• 2-in-1 account. Your account acts as both a trading and demat account, therefore streamlining the hassle of having to check on both accounts separately.
• Leverage. Beyond the standard trading features offered by most brokers in India, you’ll get accesss to margin-against-shares facility for you to trade on your existing demat holdings.
• Detailed research & analytics. Religare provides a detailed feed with up-to-date market news, helping you stay on top of all major events in the equity market. You can also build customised watchlists to stay updated on important currency pairs.
• Customer support . You can get in touch with the Religare Securities Helpdesk team by phone or send them an email for non-urgent questions. You can also clarify your doubts in real-time by reaching out to the Religare Social Media Helpdesk over Twitter or Facebook during working hours.

What are the spreads and fees?

To trade with Religare, be prepared to shell out a one-time fee of ₹500 with no further annual charges. On the other hand, opening a demat account with Religare is free, but there will be a ₹400 annual maintenance charge from the second year onwards.

The overall fees charged are in-line with other stockbrokers in the market: 0.10% – 0.50% for equity delivery and 0.05% for all futures. For options trades, you’ll have to pay up to ₹70 per lot. However, be warned that Religare charges a range of hidden fees such as ₹30 for demat rejection or debit delivery to your account.

We encourage you to get in touch with Religare’s customer support team to understand exactly how much you could end up paying, depending on your account type and how you intend to trade. Alternatively, you can use the brokerage calculator available on their website for an estimate.

Pros and cons

How do I open a Religare account?

To open an account, you can either visit a local branch, consult a sub-broker office or sign up online.

To sign up online, clicking the ‘Open an account’ button on Religare’s website and start filling out the application. You will be asked for the following details through the eKYC process:

• PAN Number and Date of Birth
• Standard personal details
• Bank & Income information
• Trading & Product Plan
• Document Upload

You’ll also be required to open a Demat account if you intend to hold shares and securities.

Bottom line

Religare offers a no-frills 2-in-1 investment account, which comes with a handy trading app and accessible customer support services. While it might not always offer the most competitive prices on the market, it’s a worthy contender — especially for investors interested in leverage and IPO markets.