What is brokerage in stock trading?

Brokerage is what a broker charges for executing a buy or sell order on your behalf, and it’s separate from taxes like STT or GST, which go to the government, not the broker. Most Indian brokers now use one of two models: a flat fee per executed order (commonly ₹0 to ₹20, regardless of trade size) or a percentage of turnover, which is more common for full-service brokers who bundle in research and advisory. A ₹20 flat order on a ₹5,000 trade and a ₹20 flat order on a ₹50,000 trade cost the same in brokerage, but a percentage model scales with trade value. You always check the broker’s tariff sheet, not just the homepage pricing banner, since intraday, delivery, and F&O often sit on different slabs within the same account.