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Fidelity vs Lightyear : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Fidelity

Fidelity

VS
Lightyear

Lightyear

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Broker Overview

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

STP broker

STP

Years of Existence / Established Year

1946

2020

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

51.4 million

Info not available


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

SEC, MSRB, FINRA

FCA EFSA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online Broker for Beginning Investors 2024, Rated #1 for Overall Broker 2024, Best Online Broker 2023

No major awards listed

Security Measures

FDIC , SIPC

SIPC, EIPSF Upto Euro 20,000

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes* Restriction for some clients

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

No

No


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

10000+ mutual funds including fixed income, CDs, Annuities, life insurance, long-term Care Planning, 529 Plans IRAs, Health Savings Account

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

Currency Pairs

No

No

Commodities

No

No

Indices

No

No

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

No

CFDs

No

No

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

No

Futures

No

No

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Fractional Shares

Yes

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes - through Exchange Traded Commodities

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

Yes - through REIT stocks

Equities

Yes

Yes


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

No

MT5

No

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

Yes

Copy Trading

No

No

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Trading dashboard, Fidelity mobile, Active Trader Pro

Lightyear's proprietary platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

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

Fidelity® Cash Management Account., The Fidelity Account, Individual Retirement Account (IRA), 529 College Savings Account., Fidelity HSA, Custodial Account (UGMA/UTMA)

Personal Business

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

$0

$0

Leverage Available

No

No

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

Varies for each product

Commission (per account type)

$0

Euro 0

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

Beginners and experienced traders

Beginners


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

ATM/debit card, Deposits eligible for FDIC insurance, Cash Manager, Fidelity Mobile, Bill Pay, Check writing, Automatic investments, Automatic withdrawals, Direct deposit, Electronic funds transfer (EFT), e-wallets

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

Electronic funds transfer (EFT), Bank wire, Paper check, Paper bill varies by account types

Bank Transfers

Other E-Wallets Supported

Venmo or PayPal

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

No

No

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

Research and Tools, Investment Education, Webinars and Online Courses, Market News and Insights, Retirement and Planning Tools

Savings interest calculator Inflation calculator Ticker time machine Rate comparison calculator


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Commission for U.S stocks, ETFs, Options- $0, Mutual funds- $49.95, Crypto spread- 1.0 pip, Margin liquidation -$32.95 per liquidation, Stock certificate transfer and ship $10 Per Certificate

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)

NA

NA

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0.65/ Contract fee

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

No

Info not available


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

NA

Advisory Fees

NA

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

NA

NA

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

$0

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

$0

Deposit Fee

$0

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

Currency Conversion Fee

$50/ per trade

0.35%

Withdrawal Fee

Wire transfer-$3

$0


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

No

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Yes


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Premarket session -7:00 a.m. to 9:28 a.m. ET.

Vary for each asset class


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Customer Support

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

8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. ET , Monday- Friday

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: 800-343-0860, 800-835-5095, Live chat, Login for personalized help, FAQs

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

Support Languages

2

20+


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Boston, MA

Volta 1 Tallinn 10412 Estonia

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.
Fidelity 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.
Creating an account with Fidelity is generally faster and more user-friendly, often taking just a few minutes, while Lightyear requires more detailed steps and identity verification, which may suit more cautious investors.
The trading interface of Fidelity 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.
Fidelity supports complex strategies and asset diversity, while Lightyear offers clarity and low-cost access for long-term holders.