NIFTY options vs futures: which has higher charges?
One NIFTY options lot (₹120 to ₹150) costs about ₹69.33 in charges; one NIFTY futures lot at 25,000 moving 30 points costs about ₹963.40, because futures STT is charged on the whole contract value.
Side by side, one lot (65 units)
| Charge | Options (₹120 -> ₹150) | Futures (25,000 -> 25,030) |
|---|---|---|
| Brokerage | ₹40.00 | ₹40.00 |
| STT | ₹14.62 | ₹813.48 |
| Exchange | ₹6.15 | ₹56.26 |
| SEBI fee | ₹0.02 | ₹3.25 |
| Stamp duty | ₹0.23 | ₹32.50 |
| GST | ₹8.31 | ₹17.91 |
| Total | ₹69.33 | ₹963.40 |
Profit before costs is the same ₹1,950 in both examples. Charges take 3.6% of it with options and 49.4% with futures.
Lot size 65 (our planner, October 2026; check NSE). Rates from 1 April 2026, ₹20 brokerage per order.
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Questions people also ask
Why are futures charges higher?
STT on futures is 0.05% of the full contract value on the sell side; on options it is 0.15% of the premium only.
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Worked out by Trading Checkup on 25 October 2026. Numbers come from the formula or rates shown on this page.
General information, not financial advice. It does not consider your situation. Statistics and examples do not promise future results.