Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Freedom24 vs Lightyear
Freedom24 vs Lightyear: the differences
| Compare |  Freedom24 |  Lightyear |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | €2 | $1 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds | Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, Bonds, Funds |
| Regulators | CySEC | Estonian Financial Supervision Authority, Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (EFSA) |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.005%Lower | 0.35% |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | EUR 7 per withdrawal | Free bank transfers in and out |
| Minimum deposit | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | $0.65 | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Freedom24 App, Freedom24 Web | Not confirmed |
| Account types | Not confirmed | Corporate |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 2.42% |
Same on both: Account fee (€0), Inactivity fee (€0), Investor protection (EU ICS up to EUR 20,000).
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Key differences
- Regulators: only Freedom24 offers CySEC.
- Regulators: only Lightyear offers Estonian Financial Supervision Authority, Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (EFSA).
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Freedom24: 0.005% vs 0.35%.
- Markets: only Freedom24 offers Options.
- Markets: only Lightyear offers Crypto, Funds.
- Features: only Freedom24 offers Options, Mobile app.
- Features: only Lightyear offers Crypto, Fractional shares.
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.
Lightyear
Lightyear suits you if you want stocks, ETFs, bonds, funds and crypto in a place with clear upkeep costs and email based help. Your stock trades cost $1, account upkeep sits at €0 and inactivity stays at €0 while cover reaches EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Score breakdown
| Area | Freedom24 | Lightyear |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2HigherCost is middling: account fee €0 and minimum deposit €0 are nil, but €2 per deal is high against the €0 median. | 9.1Upkeep at €0 and inactivity at €0 with trades at $1 |
| Offer | 8.9Higher | 8.8Covers stocks, ETFs and crypto with fractional shares and crypto access for varied plans |
| Trust | 8.7 | 8.7Cover through EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 alongside Estonian supervision for reassurance |
Feature by feature
| Markets | Freedom24 | Lightyear |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | No |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
How they place
| Ranking | Freedom24 | Lightyear |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 161 of 471 | 38 of 471 |
If neither fits
Freestoxx has currency conversion fee at 0%, against 0.005% for Freedom24 and 0.35% for Lightyear.
Freestoxx reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | Freedom24 | Lightyear |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Options, Mobile app | Crypto, Fractional shares |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Low fees |
| Legal entity | Freedom Finance Europe Ltd | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2013 | Not confirmed |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Freedom24 | Lightyear |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum investment | Not confirmed | €1 |
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF, Cash, Crypto |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Freedom24 | Lightyear | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | €0below the median | Not confirmed | €1 |
| Account fee | €0at the median | €0at the median | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | €0below the median | €0below the median | €2.45 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.005%lowest quarter | 0.35%below the median | 0.45% |
| Options contract fee | $0.65above the median | Not confirmed | $0.625 |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 2.42%below the median | 3% |
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.
Lightyear
Pros
- Account upkeep at €0 and inactivity at €0 keep quiet months calm
- You can hold stocks, ETFs and crypto with fractional shares available for smaller positions
- You can begin from €1, below many peers, with cash interest at 2.42%
Cons
- Stock trades at $1 look pricey beside ActivTrades at $0 for frequent equity orders
- Currency conversion at 0.35% adds cost when you trade outside your base currency
- Support runs on email and help centre only, so you use email and help centre without phone or chat
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.
Lightyear
Who it suits
- You want upkeep at €0 and inactivity at €0 and prefer XTB only if ticket fees matter more
- You seek stocks, ETFs and crypto from modest sums starting at €1 rather than eToro style ranged pricing
Who should look elsewhere
- You trade stocks very often and want ticket fees of $0 from ActivTrades rather than fees of $1
- You want phone or chat help rather than help on email and help centre, so XTB may suit you better
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.
Lightyear
What will I pay to trade stocks and keep the account open?+
Stock orders carry fees of $1. Account upkeep sits at €0 and inactivity stays at €0. Currency conversion applies at 0.35% when your trade currency differs from your account currency.
Who regulates Lightyear and where can I check it?+
Lightyear names Estonian Financial Supervision Authority and Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (EFSA) as its supervisors. Oversight sits in Estonia under MiCA CASP 254900BBBJZF2IE8EN54. You can check the licence details on the relevant public register before you fund an account.
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