Slippage

The difference between an order's expected price and the price it actually fills at.

What It Means

Slippage is the difference between an order's expected price and the price it actually fills at — the gap between what you clicked and what you got.

How It Works

Slippage shows up most on market orders and triggered stop-loss orders in thin or fast-moving markets, where the price moves between the moment an order is sent and the moment it executes. Wider bid-ask spreads and low liquidity make it worse; a liquid large-cap stock during normal hours rarely slips more than a few paise.

Example

You place a market order to buy at a quoted price of ₹1,200. By the time it fills, the price has moved to ₹1,203 — that ₹3 gap is slippage.