E*TRADE vs Lightyear : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

E*TRADE

Lightyear

Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

Both ECN and STP broker

STP

Years of Existence / Established Year

1982

2020

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

5.2 million client accounts

Info not available

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC

FCA EFSA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Investor App and #1 Web Trading Platform for 2024, Benzinga's 2023 Global Fintech Awards

No major awards listed

Security Measures

SIPC

SIPC, EIPSF Upto Euro 20,000

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Over 50,000 offerings, including US Treasury trades

US / EU / UK Stocks (3500+) Interest Money Market Funds Baltic Stocks Baltic Bonds

Currency Pairs

Commodities

Indices

Cryptocurrencies

CFDs

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Yes

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Yes - through Exchange Traded Commodities

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes - through REIT stocks

Equities

Yes

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

MT5

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app

Lightyear's proprietary platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

Brokerage, Retirement, Core portfolio, Managed portfolio, Small business retirement , bank

Personal Business

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

Leverage Available

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

Varies for each product

Commission (per account type)

Euro 0

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Transfer money, Wire transfer, Transfer an account, Deposit a check ,Direct Deposit

EUR - SEPA, Debit Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay GBP - FPS, CHAPS, BACS, SWIFT, Apple Pay, Google Pay USD - ACH, FedWire, SWIFT HUF - Bank transfers within Hungary

Withdrawal Methods

E-wallets, check, Wire transfer

Bank Transfers

Other E-Wallets Supported

Electronic transfer

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Educational Resources, Tools, Market News and Insights, Tutorials and Webinars

Savings interest calculator Inflation calculator Ticker time machine Rate comparison calculator

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs- $0, Bonds- $1, FINRA trading activity fee- $0.000166

US Shares per order - 0.1% upto $1 maximum EU Shares per order - Euro 1 UK Shares per order - Euro 1 Money Market Funds - 0.25% annually Nasdaq Baltic - Euro 1 ETFs -Euro 0 Multi-currency account -Euro 0

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

$0.65

Futures Contract Fees

$1.50

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

Info not available

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.30%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Statement or Document Fee

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

$15/ month

Deposit Fee

In EUR & GBP Debit Card / ApplePay / Google Pay - First Euro500 lifetime free, 0.5% after In USD FedWire & Swift - $6.11

Currency Conversion Fee

Direct trade-$0.005 per share, Broker assisted trader- $25

0.35%

Withdrawal Fee

Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Sunday 5 p.m. CT to Friday 4 p.m. CT

Vary for each asset class

Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

8 AM - 8 PM ET on weekdays

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Live chat, FAQ, Phone- 800-387-2331, 800-838-0908, Beneficiary Services: [email protected] General inquiries: [email protected]

Email: mailto:[email protected], Live chat Phone number:+1 332-333-4220.

Support Languages

20+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty

Volta 1 Tallinn 10412 Estonia

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.

E*TRADE stands out for its zero-commission trading model, appealing to cost-conscious investors. In contrast, Lightyear offers more comprehensive services with slightly higher fees, especially for advanced tools and asset classes.

E*TRADE offers a quick and paperless account setup that appeals to traders on the go, whereas Lightyear more involved onboarding process adds an extra layer of safety and regulatory checks.

The trading interface of E*TRADE is known for its speed and ease-of-use, while Lightyear shines with its customizable layouts and advanced charting capabilities, making it a strong choice for serious analysts.

Those seeking technical depth may prefer Etrade, while Lightyear shines with intuitive design and streamlined features.

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