TradingCritique

Select Your Brokers to Compare

Lightspeed vs Vantage : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Lightspeed

Lightspeed

VS
Vantage

Vantage

Icon

Broker Overview

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

STP broker

ECN & STP

Years of Existence / Established Year

2005

2009

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

No information

5,000,000 + traders


Icon

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA, SEC

ASIC FSC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

No major awards listed

Best Multi-Asset Broker at Online Money Awards 2024

Security Measures

SIPC

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF)

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

No

Yes


Icon

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Commodity futures

1000+ CFD products

Currency Pairs

No

Yes

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

No

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

No

Yes

CFDs

No

Yes

ETFs

Yes

No

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

No

Futures

Yes

No

Bonds

No

Yes

Mutual Funds

No

No

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

Yes

Yes


Icon

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

No

Yes

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

Yes

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

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

Vantage App

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes except Mac, iOS, Android

Yes


Icon

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

Standard Pro Raw

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

$2,000

$50

Leverage Available

4:1 to 2:1

20:1 to 1000:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

Varies by istruments

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

Standard - $0 Pro - From $1.50 Raw - From $3.00

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

Active traders, professionals, and institutional traders

Only experienced


Icon

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Wire transfer, ACH, account transfer, Check

Bank Credit / Debit cards Alternative payments account

Withdrawal Methods

Wire transfer, ACH, account transfer,Check

Bank Credit / Debit cards Alternative payments account

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

Neteller Skrill


Icon

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

Online Trading courses E-books & webinars


Icon

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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

Forex - $3.0 per lot ETFs - $12.0 per trade Precious metals - $3.0 per lot AU share CFDs - 0.08% per lot (min $5 per trade) EU share CFDs - 0.1% per lot HK share CFDs - 0.25% per lot (min $6 per trade) UK share CFDs - 0.1% per lot

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

NA

Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

Starting from $1.50 per lot

Options Contract Fees

$0.20

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

4:1

1000:1


Icon

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$25 monthly minimum

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

$130

$0

Advisory Fees

NA

$0

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

$15 - $50 per month

$0

Account Opening Fee

$20

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

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

$0

Deposit Fee

$0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

$10

0.20%

Withdrawal Fee

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

International Bank wire transfer cost - $25 Minimum Withdrawal - $30


Icon

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Yes


Icon

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

4 AM to 8 PM EST on weekdays only.

NewYork session - 8:00am to 5:00pm EST Tokyo session - 7:00pm to 4:00am EST Sydney session - 5:00pm to 2:00am London session - 3:00am to 12:00pmUS after hours trading - 16:00 to 20:00 ET


Icon

Customer Support

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

24/7

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

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

E mail: mailto:[email protected] Help centre Live chat assistance

Support Languages

1

15+


Icon

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

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

164 Blaauwberg Road Tableview Cape town Western Cape 7441, South Africa

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, Vantage includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making Lightspeed the better option for budget-focused traders.
If speed and simplicity matter to you, Lightspeed delivers a streamlined account setup. In contrast, Vantage includes more documentation and KYC checks, which can delay access but ensures strong compliance.
While Lightspeed focuses on mobile-first design and clean user experience, Vantage includes features like in-depth charting, integrated news feeds, and strong desktop performance.
Lightspeed stands out for active traders with robust tools, while Vantage suits investors seeking simplicity and ease of use.