Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Freedom24 vs Lightspeed Financial
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Freedom24 |  Lightspeed Financial |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | €0 | $10,000 |
| Stock trade fee | €2 | $4.50 |
| Inactivity fee | €0 | $25 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures |
| Regulators | CySEC | FINRA |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Options contract fee | $0.65 | $0.60Lower |
| Platforms | Freedom24 App, Freedom24 Web | Lightspeed Trader Pro, Web & Mobile |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.005% | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | EUR 7 per withdrawal | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Freedom24 scores higher overall: 8.9 vs 8.6.
- Regulators: only Freedom24 offers CySEC.
- Regulators: only Lightspeed Financial offers FINRA.
- Options contract fee is lower at Lightspeed Financial: $0.60 vs $0.65.
- Markets: only Freedom24 offers Bonds.
- Markets: only Lightspeed Financial offers Futures.
- Platforms: only Freedom24 offers Freedom24 App, Freedom24 Web.
- Platforms: only Lightspeed Financial offers Lightspeed Trader Pro, Web & Mobile.
- Features: only Freedom24 offers Options.
- Features: only Lightspeed Financial offers Demo account.
Our verdict on each
Freedom24
Freedom24 suits European investors who want stocks, ETFs, options and bonds under one CySEC-regulated roof, and who would rather not pay an annual account charge of €0. A euro minimum deposit of €0 keeps entry easy, while per-deal trading costs make it a better fit for occasional buyers than for frequent traders.
Lightspeed Financial
Lightspeed Financial suits experienced traders and day traders who put on a large amount to clear a steep entry bar. Fees of $4.50 a stock trade, $0.60 an options contract and a $10,000 minimum deposit set it well apart from cheaper platforms such as eToro.
Score breakdown
| Area | Freedom24 | Lightspeed Financial |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2HigherCost is middling: account fee €0 and minimum deposit €0 are nil, but €2 per deal is high against the €0 median. | 8.4Minimum deposit of $10,000, stock trade fees of $4.50 and an inactivity fee of $25 put costs well above lighter rivals. |
| Offer | 8.9 | 9.0Higher |
| Trust | 8.7Higher | 8.6 |
Pick Freedom24 if, pick Lightspeed Financial if
Pick Freedom24 if cost matter most.
Pick Lightspeed Financial if options contract fee matter most.
Licences and countries
| Country | Freedom24 | Lightspeed Financial |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | CySEC 275/15 | Not confirmed |
| United States | Not confirmed | FINRA 104369 |
Where these facts come from
Freedom24
- forex.wikibit.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- matchmybroker.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- ucits-etfs.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- beinoption.vercel.app: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- eupersonalfinance.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Lightspeed Financial
- lightspeed.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- files.brokercheck.finra.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- smartasset.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- wikistock.cn: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- forexsuggest.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Freedom24 | Lightspeed Financial |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 161 of 471 | 208 of 471 |
| Options trading platforms | 57 of 103 | 67 of 103 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Freedom24 | Lightspeed Financial |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Options, Mobile app | Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Low fees |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Experienced, Day traders |
| Legal entity | Freedom Finance Europe Ltd | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2013 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Freedom24 | Lightspeed Financial | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | €0at the median | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.005%lowest quarter | Not confirmed | 0.45% |
| Options contract fee | $0.65above the median | $0.60below the median | $0.625 |
Median across 52 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Freedom24
Pros
- Account fee €0 and inactivity fee €0 leave the cost of holding an account at nil.
- A minimum deposit of €0 sits well under the €6.17 median for stock brokers.
- A single account covers stocks, etfs and options, so an ETF, a bond and an option sit together.
Cons
- A stock trade fee of €2 ranks 126 of 161 on the site, well behind the field.
- Withdrawals cost EUR 7 per withdrawal each.
- Currency conversion is charged at 0.005% on positions held outside the euro.
Lightspeed Financial
Pros
- Regulated in the US by FINRA, with SIPC cover of SIPC up to USD 500,000
- Trades run across stocks, etfs and options in one account
- A demo account is available to practise before funding
Cons
- A $10,000 minimum deposit is far above the site median of €4.64
- An inactivity fee of $25 applies on dormant accounts
- Support runs on phone and help centre only
Who each suits
Freedom24
Who it suits
- Investors who want stocks, etfs and options in one account with an account fee of €0.
- Savers who prefer a euro starting point of €0 and a firm authorised in Cyprus under 275/15.
- People who trade from a phone as well as a browser, since Freedom24 App and Freedom24 Web lists the Freedom24 App and web platform.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro, if the cost of each trade decides it, because its stock trade fee is $0.
- Vantage, if you would rather start with a deposit of $5 than fund the account from the first unit.
Lightspeed Financial
Who it suits
- Experienced traders who already trade options and futures
- Day traders who keep a large cash balance
- Anyone who wants a single account across stocks, etfs and options
Who should look elsewhere
- New investors, since no beginner audience is listed
- Small savers put off by a $10,000 minimum deposit
- Anyone wanting a free stock trade, as eToro charges $0
Current offers
Lightspeed Financial
Current offer
Bonus
Get Up To $10,000 Cash Back: Up to $10,000
open an account with a $25,000 deposit and maintain the amount for 3 months
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Freedom24 | Lightspeed Financial |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Freedom24
What does a trade cost at Freedom24?+
A stock trade costs €2, with options at $0.65 per contract and currency conversion at 0.005%. That per-deal cost is the number to weigh, since the account fee of €0 adds nothing to it.
Is there an account fee or an inactivity charge?+
The account fee is €0 and the inactivity fee is €0. Both rank 1 on the site, so an unused account does not start costing money. That suits investors who top up in small amounts rather than trading often.
Lightspeed Financial
What does it cost to trade stocks at Lightspeed Financial?+
A stock trade costs $4.50. That sits well above the site median stock trade fee of €0, and above what the median-ranked broker in this field charges, so the cost only makes sense for high-volume trading.
What is the minimum deposit?+
You need a minimum deposit of $10,000 to open an account. That is far higher than the site median minimum deposit of €4.64, and it rules out the small-balance investor entirely.
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