📘TraderTape Docs

Connect a Broker

Settings page showing broker connection cards for Kite, Upstox, and Groww

Goal: Connect your broker so TraderTape can fetch holdings, place GTT orders, and execute strategy signals. Supports Zerodha Kite, Upstox, Groww, and ICICI Direct.

No broker? You can still build strategies, run backtests, and paper trade without connecting any broker. See Try Paper Trading.

Quick start (2 minutes)

Step 1: Save your API key

  1. Go to Settings → Broker Connections
  2. Expand the card for your broker
  3. Paste your API key from your broker's developer portal
  4. Click Save

Step 2: Browser Login

  1. In the same broker card, expand Browser Login
  2. Paste your API secret into the password field
  3. Click Begin Browser Login
  4. A new tab opens — complete the login on your broker's site
  5. The original tab auto-detects the login and shows a green success message

That's it. Your dashboard now shows live positions, holdings, and margins.

Privacy: Your API secret stays in your browser. Only a one-way SHA-256 checksum crosses the network — we never see the secret itself. Your password manager can save the field for next time.

Per-broker setup

Zerodha Kite

Create the Kite Connect app:

  1. Go to developers.kite.trade and log in with your Zerodha credentials
  2. Click Create new app
  3. Fill in the form:
    • App name: anything (e.g., "TraderTape")
    • Redirect URL: paste the URL shown in TraderTape Settings after saving your API key (it looks like https://tradertape.com/api/auth/kite-callback/<your-token>)
    • Postback URL: leave blank
  4. Click Create
  5. Copy the API key and API secret from the app details page

In TraderTape:

  1. Go to Settings → Broker Connections → Zerodha Kite
  2. Paste the API key and click Save
  3. The Settings page now shows your Redirect URL — copy it back to the Kite developer portal if you haven't already
  4. Expand Browser Login, paste your API secret, and click Begin Browser Login

Kite Connect API is free for orders and account data. Streaming ticks and historical candles cost Rs 500/month per app.

Upstox

Create the Upstox app:

  1. Go to account.upstox.com/developer/apps and log in
  2. Click New App
  3. Fill in:
    • App name: anything (e.g., "TraderTape")
    • Redirect URL: https://tradertape.com/api/broker-proxy/upstox/callback
  4. Once created, copy the API key and API secret

In TraderTape:

  1. Go to Settings → Broker Connections → Upstox
  2. Paste the API key and click Save
  3. Expand Browser Login, paste your API secret, and click Login to Upstox

Upstox API access is free for all users.

Groww

Groww has two API auth methods. TraderTape uses the TOTP method because the alternative (api_secret + checksum) requires you to manually approve the API session on Groww's portal every morning at 6 AM IST — incompatible with automated trading.

Get your Groww credentials:

  1. Go to Groww API portal
  2. Generate an API key
  3. Enable TOTP for the key — Groww will show you a base32 secret (and a QR code). Save the base32 secret somewhere safe (your password manager works).
  4. Note your API key and the TOTP secret

In TraderTape:

  1. Go to Settings → Broker Connections → Groww
  2. Paste the API key and click Save
  3. From the broker dropdown in the navbar, click Login for Groww
  4. Paste your TOTP secret (base32) — your browser generates the current 6-digit code locally and sends only that

Privacy: Your TOTP secret never crosses the network — only the 6-digit code does, exactly like a regular two-factor auth code. Save the secret in your password manager so you don't have to paste it daily.

Groww supports GTT via its "smart orders" API (/v1/order-advance/create). OCO (target + stoploss) is supported only for F&O — equity uses single-trigger GTT.

ICICI Direct (Class 0 — admin/family only)

ICICI Direct requires storing your API secret on our server (encrypted at rest) because every API call needs a per-request checksum. This makes it a Class 0 broker — restricted to admin and family accounts.

Create the Breeze app:

  1. Go to api.icicidirect.com and log in with your ICICI Direct credentials
  2. Register a new app:
    • App name: anything (e.g., "TraderTape")
    • Static IP: your TraderTape server's IP (e.g., 13.201.56.42 for tradertape.com)
    • Redirect URL: https://tradertape.com/api/broker-proxy/icicidirect/callback
  3. Copy the API key and API secret

In TraderTape:

  1. Go to Settings → Broker Connections → ICICI Direct
  2. Paste both API key and API secret, then click Save
  3. Click Login to ICICI Direct in the broker dropdown
  4. Complete the login on ICICI's site — the session is captured automatically

Note: ICICI requires a static IP registered at app creation time. All API calls originate from the TraderTape server, so the server's public IP must be registered. Market orders are not permitted — only limit orders via GTT.

Multiple brokers

You can connect all four brokers at the same time. The dashboard, positions, and orders pages show per-broker tabs so you can view data from each broker separately.

Each model portfolio is tied to one broker at deployment time.

After login

  • Dashboard shows live positions, holdings, and P&L
  • Model Trading places GTT orders automatically when signals fire
  • Telegram Bot shows positions and alerts you to new signals
  • Token expiry: Sessions last ~14 hours. When your session expires, you get a Telegram nudge to re-login. Cached snapshots keep the dashboard working until you do.

Signing out

Settings → Broker Sessions shows all connected brokers with individual sign-out buttons and a "Sign out all" option.

Next

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Try Paper Trading
Next →
Model Trading