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Lightspeed vs Sofi Active Investing : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Lightspeed

Lightspeed

VS
Sofi Active Investing

Sofi Active Investing

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Broker Overview

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

STP broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2005

2019

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

No information

6.2+ Million


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA, SEC

SEC, FINRA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

No major awards listed

No major awards listed

Security Measures

SIPC

SIPC

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

No

Negative Balance Protection

No

No


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Commodity futures

IPO, IRA, Shares

Currency Pairs

No

No

Commodities

No

No

Indices

No

No

Cryptocurrencies

No

Yes

CFDs

No

No

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

Yes

Futures

Yes

No

Bonds

No

No

Mutual Funds

No

Yes

Fractional Shares

No

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

No

No

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

Yes

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

No

MT5

No

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

No

Copy Trading

No

No

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Light speed trader, Web and mobile trading, Speciality trading platform, Future trading platform, Risk management Software

Mobile and Web app

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes except Mac, iOS, Android

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

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

Standard account- Individual, Joint, Retirement, Corporate, Trust, LLC, Institutional account- Prime brokerage, Separately Manged account, DVP, RVP,Cash and Margin account

Individual brokerage, IRA (Traditional, Roth, SEP)

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

$2,000

$0

Leverage Available

4:1 to 2:1

No

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

Account Equity < $25,000: No Day Trades

Commission (per account type)

Accounts under $15,000: $25 monthly fee, Lightspeed Trader and Sterling Trader Pro: $0.50 minimum per order, Eze EMS (formerly RealTick): $3.00 minimum commission, Lightspeed Web & Mobile: $1 minimum commission

$0

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

Active traders, professionals, and institutional traders

Passive investors


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Wire transfer, ACH, account transfer, Check

Bank transfers (ACH), direct deposit from linked bank accounts

Withdrawal Methods

Wire transfer, ACH, account transfer,Check

ACH transfer back to linked bank accounts

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

No

Yes

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

Trading Platform Tutorials, Market Insights and Analysis, Webinars and Online Events, Trading Education Resources, Market News and Research

Learn (Investing Education), Market Insights and Analysis, Webinars, Investing Guides, Financial Planning Tools, Sofi Insights (Market News)


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

ETFs- $2, Share- $0.001, Future option fee- $1.29

Stocks, ETFs-$0,Commission -$0

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

NA

NA

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0.20

$0- $5

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

4:1

No


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$25 monthly minimum

$25

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

$130

NA

Advisory Fees

NA

Depending on assets type, Professional charges- 1% , annual advisory fees as low as 0.25%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

NA

Statement or Document Fee

$15 - $50 per month

$5 paper statement fee

Account Opening Fee

$20

NA

Account Maintenance Fee

Maintenance fees will be billed weekly, based on the previous month's commissions

NA

Deposit Fee

$0

NA

Currency Conversion Fee

$10

NA

Withdrawal Fee

$20 fee for domestic wires and a $50 fee for international wires, Check standard time- free or overnight $30

Outgoing ACAT transfers $100


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Yes


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

4 AM to 8 PM EST on weekdays only.

Depends on the instrument offer


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Customer Support

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

24/7

Monday - Friday 5am-5pm PT

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

E-mail: [email protected], Phone: 1-888-577-3123 , 1-646-393-4800, Schedule a call

Live chat, Phone: 855-456-7634, Virtual assistant

Support Languages

1

1


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Chicago office, 181 West Madison Street, Suite 2950, Chicago, IL 60602

San Francisco, California.

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


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.
While Lightspeed maintains low trading fees with no minimum deposit, Sofi Active Investing includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making Lightspeed the better option for budget-focused traders.
While Lightspeed prioritizes fast registration with minimal steps, Sofi Active Investing focuses on a thorough vetting process that gives more flexibility in choosing account types and features.
While Lightspeed focuses on mobile-first design and clean user experience, Sofi Active Investing includes features like in-depth charting, integrated news feeds, and strong desktop performance.
Those seeking technical depth may prefer Lightspeed, while Sofi Active Investing shines with intuitive design and streamlined features.