What is the difference between Kite MCP and Kite Connect?

Kite Connect is Zerodha’s REST API for building custom trading applications — you create a developer app, manage API keys and daily access tokens, and write the integration yourself. Kite MCP is a Model Context Protocol server that AI assistants like Claude connect to directly, giving them read access to your portfolio and GTT-only order drafting. MCP needs no code; Connect needs a built application.

Is Kite Connect free?

Kite Connect became free in 2025 (it previously cost ₹2,000/month per app). It still requires creating a developer app at developers.kite.trade and building your own integration. Kite MCP is also free and requires no development work.

Can Kite MCP place market orders?

No. On Zerodha’s hosted Kite MCP, order tools are limited to GTT conditional orders, and every order should pass through explicit user approval. Kite Connect can place market orders, but SEBI’s algo framework applies to automated execution.

Yes. KitePilot runs on Kite MCP, Zerodha’s official (and free) bridge between AI assistants and your account. There is no developer setup and no paid AI subscription. Bring your own free AI key (for example Gemini), or use the built-in one.

Yes. Zerodha’s official Kite MCP service is completely free: no API key and no subscription. KitePilot is built on it, so connecting your Zerodha account here costs nothing.

Is there a daily limit on the free AI?

Yes. The built-in free AI (no key needed) allows 5 messages per day. Add your own AI key in Customize for unlimited use; your key stays in your browser. A free key from a provider like Gemini works fine.

Does Zerodha have AI trading?

No. Zerodha deliberately does not offer AI-driven trading. It offers Kite MCP, a read-only bridge that lets AI assistants see your live portfolio. The only order type allowed is a GTT, a price alert you set in advance. KitePilot wraps that in a friendly interface, and every order draft needs your explicit approval.

Can I use Zerodha MCP with Claude?

Yes. Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code and Windsurf can all connect, but that route asks you to install Node.js and edit a JSON config file. KitePilot gives you the same live Zerodha data in your browser with zero setup, and it works around the message limits Claude’s free plan hits on large portfolios.

Is it safe to connect my Zerodha account to an AI?

Yes. Your login happens on Zerodha’s own secure page, so your password and OTP never reach us. The AI can look at your portfolio but cannot place instant trades. The only orders it can draft are price alerts, and every draft waits for your approval.

Do I need to install Node.js or edit config files?

No. KitePilot exists to remove that hassle. You click Connect, log in with Zerodha, and start asking questions.

Can the AI place trades?

No instant trades, ever. The only order type is a GTT: a price alert you set in advance that goes through when your chosen price is reached. Nothing is sent until you approve the details.

Do I need a Kite Connect API key?

No. KitePilot uses Zerodha’s hosted Kite MCP, which needs no API keys at all. Only self-hosted, do-it-yourself setups need a paid Kite Connect app.

What is the difference between Kite MCP and Kite Connect?

Kite Connect is Zerodha’s toolkit for programmers building their own trading apps. Kite MCP is the newer, free bridge that lets AI assistants read your live portfolio (read-only, price-alert orders only). KitePilot uses Kite MCP, so there is no API fee.

Which AI assistants can I connect my Zerodha account to?

Zerodha’s official Kite MCP works with Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code and similar developer tools; Zerodha’s own support guide covers that setup. KitePilot is the no-setup option: a built-in AI assistant over the same live data, right in your browser.

Why do I keep getting “MCP error -32603: session not found”?

Kite MCP sessions expire. Zerodha resets them daily around 6 AM IST, and many AI setups drop the session mid-conversation. KitePilot keeps your session alive for you and tells you clearly when to reconnect. One click, not a debugging session.

Where does my data go when I ask the AI something?

Your questions, including your portfolio data, go to the AI provider you choose (for example Gemini or Anthropic, or an AI running on your own computer). Free AI services may review prompts to improve their models; paid plans generally do not. Your keys stay in your browser. For maximum privacy, connect a local AI.

What can’t the AI do?

It cannot place instant trades (price alerts only, always with your approval). It cannot see dividend history. AI can misread data: always verify numbers in Kite before acting. Outputs are informational and are not investment advice.

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Kite MCPSep 2026

Kite MCP vs Kite Connect: Which One Do You Actually Need?

Zerodha now offers two free ways to let software work with your trading account. One is Kite Connect, the older developer API. The other is Kite MCP, the 2025 AI protocol. They overlap a lot — and the wrong choice can cost you a weekend. This guide helps you decide.

The one-minute version

	Kite MCP	Kite Connect
Price	Free	Free since 2025 (was ₹2,000/mo)
Setup	Paste a URL into your AI assistant, or zero setup with a web UI	Create a developer app, write and host your integration
Who it's for	Traders who want AI answers, not apps	Developers building custom tools/algos
Order placement	GTT only, approval-gated	Full (market/limit/SL) — algo rules apply
Daily reset	Sessions expire ~6 AM IST; one-click reconnect	Request token daily; program it yourself
Best with	Claude, Cursor, KitePilot	Your own code, bots, dashboards

Choose Kite Connect if…

You write code and want raw REST control: place market/limit/SL orders, stream ticks, build a custom dashboard.
You are building a product for other users (an app with its own login flow, per-user OAuth).
You want full historical APIs and websocket tickers, set up exactly the way you want.
You accept the upkeep: managing the developer app, refreshing the daily access token, rate limits, and — for automated execution — SEBI's algo-registration and static-IP rules.

Choose Kite MCP if…

You want to ask questions and get answers about your live portfolio — not maintain software.
You use Claude, Cursor or another MCP client and are fine with the config-file setup.
You want the safe path by default: read-only data, GTT-only orders, credentials never leaving Zerodha's pages.
You want it today, in minutes, for free — including via a no-setup web UI like KitePilot.

The limit most articles skip

Kite MCP's strength is also its limit. It reads data and places GTT orders only. So you cannot build a strategy executor on it — by design. If your plan is "AI that trades my intraday system," neither MCP nor a consumer AI subscription gets you there. That needs Kite Connect plus real engineering plus regulatory compliance.

For everyone else, MCP is simply the faster path. KitePilot gives you the MCP experience with zero setup — no config files, no Node, no daily session fixing. The guide covers both routes, including fixes for the classic "session not found" error.

Quick answers

Is Kite Connect really free now? Yes — Zerodha dropped the ₹2,000/month app fee in 2025. The cost is now your time: app setup, code, hosting, token refresh.
Can I use both? Yes, independently. You can prototype with MCP this afternoon and build on Connect next month.
Which is safer? MCP is safer by design. It has read-only scope, GTT-only writes, and no credentials shared with any tool.