Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Lightyear vs One (One Finance)
Where Lightyear and One (One Finance) differ
| Compare |  Lightyear |  One (One Finance) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum investment | €1 | $1 |
| Regulators | Estonian Financial Supervision Authority, Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (EFSA) | FINRA, SIPC, NMLS |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Account types | Corporate | IRA, Roth IRA |
| Portfolio types | ETF, Cash, CryptoCovers more | ETF, Crypto |
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Key differences
- One (One Finance) scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 8.9.
- Regulators: only Lightyear offers Estonian Financial Supervision Authority, Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (EFSA).
- Regulators: only One (One Finance) offers FINRA, SIPC, NMLS.
- Account types: only Lightyear offers Corporate.
- Account types: only One (One Finance) offers IRA, Roth IRA.
- Portfolio types: only Lightyear offers Cash.
Our verdict on each
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.
One (One Finance)
One Finance offers a US robo portfolio of ETFs and crypto, wrapped in ira and roth ira accounts and backed by SIPC up to USD 500,000. It suits US savers who want automated retirement investing, a small starting amount and help by phone, chat or a help centre.
Score breakdown
| Area | Lightyear | One (One Finance) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Upkeep at €0 and inactivity at €0 with trades at $1 | 9.6HigherEntry amount of $1 sits well under €560.82, the level that three quarters of robo advisors fall below. |
| Offer | 8.8Covers stocks, ETFs and crypto with fractional shares and crypto access for varied plans | 9.1Higher |
| Trust | 8.7Cover through EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 alongside Estonian supervision for reassurance | 9.9Higher |
Pick Lightyear if, pick One (One Finance) if
Pick Lightyear if portfolio types matter most.
Pick One (One Finance) if cost and offer matter most.
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Lightyear | One (One Finance) |
|---|---|---|
| Robo-advisors | 6 of 153 | 11 of 153 |
Feature by feature
| Portfolio types | Lightyear | One (One Finance) |
|---|---|---|
| ETF | Yes | Yes |
| Cash | Yes | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Account types | Lightyear | One (One Finance) |
|---|---|---|
| IRA | No | Yes |
| Roth IRA | No | Yes |
| Corporate | Yes | No |
Sources behind this comparison
Lightyear
- lightyear.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
One (One Finance)
- onepay.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- one.app: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Lightyear | One (One Finance) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | One Finance, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | United States |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Phone, Chat, Help centre |
Pros and cons
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
One (One Finance)
Pros
- Retirement account choice of ira and roth ira for long-term savers.
- Registered with FINRA, SIPC and NMLS and backed by SIPC up to USD 500,000.
- Help on phone, chat and help centre, so a phone call is possible as well as chat.
Cons
- Built for the US market, with the entity based in the United States and accounts limited to ira and roth ira.
- Crypto sits in etf and crypto, which can add sharp swings to a portfolio.
- Across the brands compared here, 70.15% of retail money was lost, so losses should be expected.
Who each suits
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
One (One Finance)
Who it suits
- US savers building a retirement pot rather than trading frequently.
- People happy with an automated etf and crypto portfolio decided for them.
- Anyone who values phone, chat and help centre when they need help.
Who should look elsewhere
- UK and European investors, since Vivid Standard is set up in euro at €2.
- People starting with a much larger sum, who can compare Axos Invest and its $100 entry point.
Country by country
| Country | Lightyear | One (One Finance) |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
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.
One (One Finance)
What is the minimum investment at One?+
You can start from $1. That sits well under €560.82, the point that three quarters of the robo advisors compared here fall below. For anyone building a portfolio in stages, the entry amount is unlikely to be the obstacle.
Which accounts can I open?+
One offers ira and roth ira accounts. That is a retirement focus rather than a spread of general investment accounts, so the service is built around long-term saving in a US wrapper. If you want a taxable general account, this is not the range to look at.