Lightspeed Trading review

Stock dealing costs $4.50, and options are priced separately at $0.60. Since both are dealing charges, the bill moves with how often you trade rather than with a monthly subscription. Anyone running a busy options book should weigh that extra charge first.

Yes. Lightspeed Trading applies an inactivity charge of $25 to accounts that go quiet, so a portfolio you set up and then stop adding to still carries a cost. Read the terms on how the charge is applied before you open an account you plan to leave alone.

The stated minimum deposit is $10,000, and that is the first figure to check before planning any order. It sits well above the typical broker minimum of €2.51, so a small first investment does not suit this broker. Only fund it with money you can leave invested.

Lightspeed Trading is regulated by FINRA in the US and holds licence 104369. Held investments fall under SIPC up to USD 500,000. Across the brokers tracked, 72.03% of retail accounts lose money, and that scheme does not cover trading losses.

The account covers stocks, etfs and options, so shares, exchange traded funds, options and futures all sit in one place. A trader who moves between instruments keeps the same account throughout instead of opening separate ones. That suits an active book rather than a set and forget portfolio.

You get Lightspeed Trader Pro and Web & Mobile, so there is a professional dealing platform as well as web and mobile access. The feature list also includes demo account and mobile app, covering a demo account and the mobile app. A demo account lets you learn the interface with none of your own money committed.

The stated audience is experienced and day traders, which narrows it to traders who already know the platforms they want. A first time investor building a small portfolio gradually is not the target here, because the deposit floor sets a high entry point. A demo account is the sensible place to start if active dealing is new to you.