Quick Answer
Zerodha Coin, Groww, and Kuvera lead the direct mutual fund ecosystem in India. All three offer zero commission on direct plans, which typically save 0.75-1.25% in annual expense ratio compared to regular plans sold by distributors.
Last updated: 2026-04-06 · 5 picks · Category: Investing
Apps were scored on direct-plan access (mandatory), SIP setup and management UX (25%), goal-based planning tools (15%), tax reports and capital-gains statements (15%), platform stability (15%), additional products like bonds, NPS, FD (15%), and customer support (15%).
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Best for
Existing Zerodha users who want unified equity + MF holdings
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Best for
First-time mutual fund investors
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Best for
Planning-focused investors and families with joint goals
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Best for
Paytm ecosystem users
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Users who want tax planning and MF in one app
Direct plans do not pay a commission to distributors, resulting in a lower expense ratio (typically 0.75-1.25% lower per year). Over 20 years, this difference can mean 15-25% more wealth in your corpus on identical returns.
Zerodha Coin holds your mutual funds in demat form, which simplifies nomination and inheritance, and is better for HNI investors. Groww uses the SoA (statement of account) mode, which is simpler for first-time investors and does not require a broking account.
Both direct and regular plans invest in exactly the same underlying portfolio managed by the same fund manager. The only difference is the absence of distributor commission in direct plans. Returns, risk, and safety are identical.
Yes, but switching triggers capital gains tax on any gains accrued. For equity funds, gains above Rs 1 lakh per year are taxed at 10% long-term. Many investors start SIPs in direct plans and gradually redeem old regular-plan units in a tax-optimised way.
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