Select Your Brokers to Compare
Lightspeed vs NinjaTrader : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)
Broker Name
Lightspeed
NinjaTrader
Broker Overview
Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)
STP broker
ECN/STP
Years of Existence / Established Year
2005
2003
Customer Base / Number of Accounts
No information
1.5M
Regulation & Security
Regulations (governing bodies)
FINRA, SEC
CFTC NFA
Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)
No major awards listed
Leading Broker in TASC's 2024 Readers' Choice Awards 2024 Great Place to Work Best Brokerage for Trading Futures at Benzinga Global Fintech Awards 2023
Security Measures
SIPC
SIPC & FSCS
SSL Encryption / 2FA
Yes
Yes
Segregated Funds
Yes
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
No
No
Trading Instruments/Products Offered
Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)
Commodity futures
115+ trading instruments
Currency Pairs
No
No
Commodities
No
Yes
Indices
No
Yes
Cryptocurrencies
No
Yes
CFDs
No
Yes
ETFs
Yes
Yes
Stocks
Yes
Yes
Options
Yes
Yes
Futures
Yes
Yes
Bonds
No
Yes
Mutual Funds
No
No
Fractional Shares
Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
No
No
Precious Metals
No
Yes
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
No
Yes
Equities
Yes
Yes
Trading Platforms & Technology
Trading Platform Availability
Yes
Yes
MT4
No
No
MT5
No
No
cTrader
No
No
Social Trading
No
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
Ninjatrader 8
Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Yes except Mac, iOS, Android
Yes
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
Free Plan Lifetime Plan Monthly Plan
Demo Account (Yes/No)
Yes
Yes
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
Depends on assets type
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
Free- $0.35 per micro and $1.29 per standard, Monthly- $0.25 per micro and $0.99 per standard, Lifetime- $.09 per micro contract and $0.59 per standard
Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)
Active traders, professionals, and institutional traders
Beginners & experienced
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Deposit Methods
Wire transfer, ACH, account transfer, Check
ACH Transfer Debit Card Wire Transfer / SEPA By Check
Withdrawal Methods
Wire transfer, ACH, account transfer,Check
Bank Transfer
Other E-Wallets Supported
No
No
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
Video tutorials Learning tools Technical analysis
Fees & Commissions
Trading-Related Fees
ETFs- $2, Share- $0.001, Future option fee- $1.29
$.05 to $.25 per contract
Spread (typical, fixed, variable)
NA
variable
Per Lot Fees
NA
NA
Options Contract Fees
$0.20
$0.25 per contract (order routing fees)
Futures Contract Fees
NA
$0.29 to $.85
Markup Fees on Spread
NA
Variable
Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees
NA
NA
Maximum Leverage
4:1
NA
Non-Trading Fees
Dormant Fees
$25 monthly minimum
$25 monthly
Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)
$130
Volume Indicators - $59 Data Fees - $4 per exchange Multi-License broker - $99
Advisory Fees
NA
NA
Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)
Yes
$50
Statement or Document Fee
$15 - $50 per month
NA
Account Opening Fee
$20
Free Plan - $0 Monthly Plan - $99 Lifetime Plan - $1499
Account Maintenance Fee
Maintenance fees will be billed weekly, based on the previous month's commissions
NA
Deposit Fee
$0
ACH - Free Domestic Wire Transfer - $30
Currency Conversion Fee
$10
1% of currency converted, minimum 10 units of currency sold
Withdrawal Fee
$20 fee for domestic wires and a $50 fee for international wires, Check standard time- free or overnight $30
$0
Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits
Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals
Yes
Yes
Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)
Yes
Yes
Trading Hours
Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)
4 AM to 8 PM EST on weekdays only.
Depends on the assets type
Customer Support
Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)
24/7
24/5
Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)
E-mail: [email protected], Phone: 1-888-577-3123 , 1-646-393-4800, Schedule a call
Emergency trade desk: 312.423.2234 General inquiries: 1.800.496.1683 Fax: 312.329.9888 Email: mailto:[email protected] , Live chat
Support Languages
1
1
Additional Information
Headquarters Location
Chicago office, 181 West Madison Street, Suite 2950, Chicago, IL 60602
222 N LaSalle Street Suite 1450, Chicago, IL 60601
Complaints (for crypto brokers)
No
No
Explore More Broker Matchups
Here are more Comparisons to help you choose wisely
Our Latest Contents
Stay updated with our newest insights and guides!
Top Broker Reviews
Discover brokers trusted by global traders.
No