Lime Financial Review

Active traders seeking low-cost DMA

FINRA SEC NFA SIPC

Founded 2010 · United States

Why investors choose this broker

Commission-free stock and ETF trading via market maker venues
Low DMA rate of $0.005 per share for direct routing
Low options commission of $0.50 per contract
Multiple platform choices including Lime Trader, Sterling, CQG, and Bookmap

Review summary

Lime Financial is a US agency broker offering commission-free stock and ETF trading, low-latency DMA, options, and futures via proprietary and third-party platforms.

Pros

Commission-free stock and ETF trading via market maker venues
Low DMA rate of $0.005 per share for direct routing
Low options commission of $0.50 per contract
Multiple platform choices including Lime Trader, Sterling, CQG, and Bookmap
IRA and multiple account types supported
Agency-only broker model with no proprietary trading conflicts
SIPC membership protects accounts up to $500,000

Cons

No demo or paper trading account available
Inactivity fee of $15 per quarter for low-activity accounts
Minimum account balance of $1,000 for cash accounts, $2,000 for margin
No OTC stock trading
No GTC (Good-Till-Canceled) orders supported
Wire transfer fees for deposits and withdrawals
No fractional shares
Platform depth may overwhelm beginner traders

Company background

Lime Financial traces its origins to WhoTrades, Inc., a trader-focused platform founded in New York in 2010. The business evolved through several phases: acquiring the Just2Trade and LowTrades brands in 2015, consolidating under the Score Priority name in 2020, and rebranding as Lime Financial in March 2022. The firm operates through Lime Trading Corp., an SEC-registered broker-dealer, headquartered at 450 7th Avenue, New York. Lime Financial positions itself as an agency-only broker targeting active and sophisticated retail traders who need low-latency market access at competitive pricing.

Fees and pricing

Lime Financial charges zero commission on stock and ETF trades routed via market maker venues for domestic US accounts. DMA routing costs $0.005 per share, and extended-hours trading carries an additional $0.003 per share surcharge. Options are $0.50 per contract; exercise or assignment transactions cost $20 each. An inactivity fee of $15 per quarter applies to accounts placing fewer than five trades and carrying a balance below $25,000. ACH deposits and withdrawals are free, while domestic wire transfers cost $35 and international wires cost $75-$80. Account minimums are $1,000 for cash accounts and $2,000 for margin. Margin rates are tiered starting at approximately 11.50%-12.50% for debit balances below $10,000, with lower rates at higher balance tiers.

Regulation and safety

Lime Trading Corp. is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA (CRD 11826) and SIPC. It is also a registered futures commission merchant and NFA member. SIPC membership protects client securities and cash up to $500,000 per account, including up to $250,000 for cash claims. As an agency-only broker, the firm does not take proprietary positions against client orders.

Platform experience

Lime Trader Web is the flagship browser-based platform, supporting stocks, ETFs, options, and futures. It includes multi-leg options strategies with streaming Greeks, color-coded option chains, over 90 technical analysis studies, and direct chart-based order entry. Lime Trader Mobile for iOS and Android synchronises watchlists with the web platform. Third-party platforms including Bookmap, TakeProfit, Sterling, and CQG are supported. Lime Direct provides a tiered DMA suite for higher-volume traders. No demo or paper trading account is available.

Pros and cons

Lime Financial's main strengths are commission-free stock and ETF trading, competitive DMA and options rates, an agency-only execution model, and a wide choice of supported platforms. The main drawbacks include no demo account, a quarterly inactivity fee, wire transfer costs, no GTC orders, no OTC equity trading, and no fractional shares.

Ready to open an account at Lime Financial?

Open an account directly with the broker. Confirm current fees and account eligibility on the broker's website before depositing.

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Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Trading fees & commissions

Stocks and ETFs trade commission-free via market maker venues for domestic accounts, while DMA routing costs $0.005 per share. Options are $0.50 per contract, and an inactivity fee of $15 per quarter applies unless 5 or more trades are placed or the account balance exceeds $25,000.

Fees

Item	Fee
Margin	Tiered margin rates starting at approximately 11.50%-12.50% for debit balances under $10,000; lower rates apply at higher balance tiers
Account	No monthly account fee
Deposit	ACH deposit: Free; domestic wire: $35; international wire: $75-$80
Futures	Custom pricing; contact Lime for rates
Options	$0.50 per contract; exercise or assignment: $20 per transaction
Inactivity	$15 per quarter; waived with 5 or more trades or account balance of $25,000 or more
Withdrawal	ACH withdrawal: Free; domestic wire: $35; international wire: $75-$80

Trading platform & features

Platforms

Lime Trader Web
Lime Trader Mobile
iOS app
Android app
TakeProfit
Bookmap
Sterling
CQG

Regulation and investor protection

Lime Trading Corp. is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC, and a registered futures commission merchant and NFA member. Client securities accounts are protected by SIPC up to $500,000 per account.

Broker FAQs

Is Lime Financial safe?

Lime Trading Corp. is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. SIPC membership protects client securities and cash up to $500,000 per account, including up to $250,000 for cash claims.

Is Lime Financial a scam?

No. Lime Trading Corp. is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC, operating under US securities law since its predecessor firm was established.

Is Lime Financial regulated and by whom?

Yes. Lime Trading Corp. is regulated by the SEC and is a member of FINRA (CRD 11826) and SIPC. It is also a registered futures commission merchant and NFA member.

Does Lime Financial keep client funds in segregated accounts?

As a FINRA member broker-dealer, Lime Trading Corp. is required to comply with SEC and FINRA rules on the segregation of client funds and securities from firm assets.

What happens to my money if Lime Financial goes bankrupt?

Lime Financial is a SIPC member. If the firm were to fail, SIPC can protect client accounts up to $500,000 per account, including up to $250,000 in cash claims. SIPC does not protect against investment losses.

What products does Lime Financial offer?

Lime Financial offers US-listed stocks, ETFs, options (including multi-leg strategies), futures, and margin accounts. OTC equity trading is not available.

Does Lime Financial offer stocks and ETFs?

Yes. Lime Financial offers trading in US-listed stocks and ETFs with zero commission via market maker venues for domestic US accounts.

Does Lime Financial offer options trading?

Yes. Lime Financial supports options trading including multi-leg strategies, at $0.50 per contract. Options exercise or assignment costs $20 per transaction.

Does Lime Financial offer futures trading?

Yes. Lime Financial supports futures trading through Lime Trader and compatible third-party platforms. Contact Lime for current futures pricing.

Does Lime Financial offer fractional shares?

No. Lime Financial does not currently list fractional share trading as an available product.

What does Lime Financial charge for stock and ETF trades?

$0 commission for trades routed via market maker venues on domestic accounts. DMA-routed orders cost $0.005 per share. Extended-hours trading carries an additional $0.003 per share surcharge.

What does Lime Financial charge for options trades?

Lime Financial charges $0.50 per contract for options trades. Exercise or assignment transactions cost $20 per transaction. A regulatory fee (ORF) of approximately $0.02295 per contract also applies.

Is there a withdrawal fee at Lime Financial?

ACH withdrawals are free. Domestic wire withdrawals cost $35 and international wire withdrawals cost $75-$80.

Does Lime Financial charge an inactivity fee?

Yes. A $15 per quarter inactivity fee applies to accounts that place fewer than five trades in the quarter and maintain an account balance below $25,000.

Does Lime Financial have a demo account?

No. Lime Financial does not currently offer a demo or paper trading account. An API demo environment is available for developers testing the trading API.

Does Lime Financial have a mobile app?

Yes. Lime Trader Mobile is available for iOS and Android. Watchlists sync between the mobile app and the Lime Trader Web platform.

Is Lime Financial good for beginners?

Lime Financial is primarily designed for active and sophisticated traders. The absence of a demo account, the inactivity fee for low-volume users, and the platform's focus on direct market access and multi-leg options make it less suited to beginners.

Is Lime Financial good for long-term investing?

Lime Financial supports IRA accounts and offers commission-free stock and ETF trading, which can suit long-term investors. However, the inactivity fee and lack of fractional shares and investment plan tools mean it is primarily optimised for active traders rather than passive long-term investors.

Bottom line

Lime Financial suits users who want commission-free stock and ETF trading, low-cost DMA access, competitive options commissions, and a choice of professional-grade platforms including Lime Trader, Sterling, CQG, and Bookmap. It may not suit users who want a demo account, fractional shares, GTC orders, or a platform designed for beginner investors.

Lime Financial

Active traders seeking low-cost DMA

Open Account

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.