Is Lightspeed better than TD Ameritrade? After testing 15 of the best online brokers over six months, TD Ameritrade (95.41%) is better than Lightspeed (61.3%). TD Ameritrade delivers $0 trades, fantastic trading platforms, excellent market research, industry-leading education for beginners and reliable customer service. This outstanding all-around experience makes TD Ameritrade one of our top overall brokers in 2022.
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TD Ameritrade vs Lightspeed 2022
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Overall Rating
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
| Overall | ||
| Commissions & Fees | ||
| Offering of Investments | ||
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| Mobile Trading Apps | ||
| Research | ||
| Education | ||
| Ease of Use | ||
| TD Ameritrade Review | Lightspeed Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
Trading Fees
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $10,000.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $4.50 |
| ETF Trade Fee | $0.00 | $4.50 |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $74.95 | N/A |
| Options (Base Fee) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.60 |
| Futures (Per Contract) | $2.25 | $1.29 |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $25.00 | $25.00 |
Margin Rates
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
| Under $24,999.99 | 9.50% | 7.50% |
| $25,000.00 to $49,999.99 | 9.00% | 7.50% |
| $50,000.00 to $99,999.99 | 8.00% | 6.50% |
| $100,000.00 to $249,999.99 | 7.75% | 6.50% |
| $250,000.00 to $499,999.99 | 7.50% | 5.75% |
| $500,000.00 to $999,999.99 | N/A | 5.25% |
| Above $1,000,000.00 | N/A | 5.00% |
Account Fees
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $35.00 |
| IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $95.00 |
|
Account Transfer Out (Partial) |
$0.00 | $95.00 |
|
Account Transfer Out (Full) |
$75.00 | $95.00 |
Investment Options
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Stock Trading |
Yes | Yes |
|
Fractional Shares |
No | No |
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OTCBB / Pink Sheets |
Yes | Yes |
|
Options Trading |
Yes | Yes |
|
Complex Options Max Legs |
4 | 4 |
|
Futures Trading |
Yes | Yes |
|
Forex Trading |
Yes | No |
|
Crypto Trading |
No | No |
|
Crypto Trading - Total Coins |
0 | 0 |
|
Mutual Funds (No Load) |
4606 | 0 |
|
Mutual Funds (Total) |
8878 | 0 |
|
Bonds (US Treasury) |
Yes | Yes |
|
Bonds (Corporate) |
Yes | No |
|
Bonds (Municipal) |
Yes | No |
|
Advisor Services |
Yes | No |
|
International Trading |
Yes | No |
Order Types
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Order Type - Market |
Yes | Yes |
|
Order Type - Limit |
Yes | Yes |
|
Order Type - After-Hours |
Yes | Yes |
|
Order Type - Stop |
Yes | Yes |
|
Order Type - Trailing Stop |
Yes | Yes |
|
Order Type - OCO |
Yes | Yes |
|
Order Type - OTO |
Yes | Yes |
|
Order Type - Broker Assisted |
Yes | Yes |
Beginners
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Education (Stocks) |
Yes | Yes |
|
Education (ETFs) |
Yes | No |
|
Education (Options) |
Yes | Yes |
|
Education (Mutual Funds) |
Yes | No |
|
Education (Bonds) |
Yes | No |
|
Education (Retirement) |
Yes | No |
|
Retirement Calculator |
Yes | No |
|
Investor Dictionary |
Yes | Yes |
|
Paper Trading |
Yes | Yes |
|
Videos |
Yes | Yes |
|
Webinars (Monthly Avg) |
500 | 1 |
|
Webinars (Archived) |
Yes | Yes |
|
Progress Tracking |
Yes | No |
|
Interactive Learning - Quizzes |
Yes | No |
Stock Trading Apps
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
iPhone App |
Yes | Yes |
|
Android App |
Yes | Yes |
|
Apple Watch App |
Yes | No |
|
Trading - Stocks |
Yes | Yes |
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Trading - After-Hours |
Yes | No |
|
Trading - Simple Options |
Yes | Yes |
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Trading - Complex Options |
Yes | Yes |
|
Order Ticket RT Quotes |
Yes | Yes |
|
Order Ticket SRT Quotes |
Yes | Yes |
Stock App Features
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) |
Yes | Yes |
|
Stream Live TV |
Yes | No |
|
Videos on Demand |
Yes | No |
|
Stock Alerts |
Yes | Yes |
|
Option Chains Viewable |
Yes | Yes |
|
Watch List (Real-time) |
Yes | Yes |
|
Watch List (Streaming) |
Yes | Yes |
|
Watch Lists - Create & Manage |
Yes | Yes |
|
Watch Lists - Column Customization |
Yes | No |
|
Watch List - Column Filtering |
Yes | Yes |
Stock App Charting
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Charting - After-Hours |
Yes | No |
|
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally |
Yes | Yes |
|
Charting - Multiple Time Frames |
Yes | Yes |
|
Charting - Technical Studies |
406 | 0 |
|
Charting - Study Customizations |
Yes | No |
|
Charting - Stock Comparisons |
Yes | No |
Trading Platforms
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Desktop Trading Platform |
Yes | Yes |
|
Web Trading Platform |
Yes | Yes |
|
Paper Trading |
Yes | Yes |
|
Trade Journal |
Yes | No |
|
Watch Lists - Total Fields |
514 | 141 |
Stock Chart Features
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart |
Yes | Yes |
|
Charting - Indicators / Studies |
489 | 20 |
|
Charting - Drawing Tools |
23 | 8 |
|
Charting - Notes |
Yes | No |
|
Charting - Index Overlays |
Yes | Yes |
|
Charting - Historical Trades |
Yes | Yes |
|
Charting - Corporate Events |
Yes | No |
|
Charting - Custom Date Range |
Yes | No |
|
Charting - Custom Time Bars |
Yes | No |
|
Charting - Automated Analysis |
Yes | No |
|
Charting - Save Profiles |
Yes | Yes |
|
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis |
Yes | No |
|
Charting - Study Customizations |
9 | 4 |
|
Charting - Custom Studies |
Yes | No |
Day Trading
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Streaming Time & Sales |
Yes | Yes |
|
Streaming TV |
Yes | No |
|
Direct Market Routing - Stocks |
Yes | Yes |
|
Ladder Trading |
Yes | No |
|
Trade Hot Keys |
Yes | Yes |
|
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks |
Yes | Yes |
|
Trade Ideas - Backtesting |
Yes | No |
|
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv |
Yes | No |
|
Short Locator |
No | Yes |
|
Order Liquidity Rebates |
No | Yes |
Research Overview
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Research - Stocks |
Yes | Yes |
|
Research - ETFs |
Yes | Yes |
|
Research - Mutual Funds |
Yes | No |
|
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB |
Yes | No |
|
Research - Bonds |
Yes | No |
|
Screener - Stocks |
Yes | Yes |
|
Screener - ETFs |
Yes | No |
|
Screener - Mutual Funds |
Yes | No |
|
Screener - Options |
Yes | No |
|
Screener - Bonds |
Yes | No |
|
Misc - Portfolio Allocation |
Yes | No |
Stock Research
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Stock Research - PDF Reports |
7 | 0 |
|
Stock Research - Earnings |
Yes | No |
|
Stock Research - Insiders |
Yes | Yes |
|
Stock Research - SEC Filings |
Yes | No |
|
Stock Research - Social |
Yes | Yes |
|
Stock Research - Balance Sheet |
Yes | No |
|
Stock Research - Cash Flows |
Yes | No |
|
Stock Research - News |
Yes | Yes |
|
Stock Research - ESG |
No | No |
ETF Research
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
ETFs - Strategy Overview |
Yes | No |
|
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date |
Yes | No |
|
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio |
Yes | No |
|
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets |
Yes | No |
|
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings |
No | No |
|
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings |
Yes | No |
|
ETFs - Performance Analysis |
Yes | No |
|
ETFs - Sector Exposure |
Yes | No |
|
ETFs - Risk Analysis |
Yes | No |
|
ETFs - Ratings |
Yes | No |
|
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap |
Yes | No |
|
ETFs - PDF Reports |
Yes | No |
Mutual Fund Research
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview |
Yes | No |
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Mutual Funds - Performance Chart |
Yes | No |
|
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis |
Yes | No |
|
Mutual Funds - Prospectus |
Yes | No |
|
Mutual Funds - PDF Reports |
Yes | No |
|
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown |
Yes | No |
|
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings |
Yes | No |
|
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation |
Yes | No |
|
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation |
Yes | No |
|
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation |
No | No |
|
Mutual Funds - StyleMap |
Yes | No |
|
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings |
Yes | No |
Options Trading
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Option Chains - Basic View |
Yes | Yes |
|
Option Chains - Strategy View |
Yes | No |
|
Option Chains - Streaming |
Yes | Yes |
|
Option Chains - Total Columns |
35 | 60 |
|
Option Chains - Greeks |
5 | 5 |
|
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming |
Yes | Yes |
|
Option Chains - Quick Analysis |
Yes | Yes |
|
Option Analysis - P&L Charts |
Yes | Yes |
|
Option Probability Analysis |
Yes | No |
|
Option Probability Analysis Adv |
Yes | No |
|
Option Positions - Greeks |
Yes | Yes |
|
Option Positions - Adv Analysis |
Yes | No |
|
Option Positions - Rolling |
Yes | Yes |
|
Option Positions - Grouping |
Yes | Yes |
Banking
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Bank (Member FDIC) |
No | No |
|
Checking Accounts |
Yes | No |
|
Savings Accounts |
No | No |
|
Credit Cards |
Yes | No |
|
Debit Cards |
Yes | No |
|
Mortgage Loans |
No | No |
Customer Service
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) |
Yes | Yes |
|
Phone Support (Current Customers) |
Yes | Yes |
|
Email Support |
Yes | Yes |
|
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) |
Yes | No |
|
Live Chat (Current Customers) |
Yes | No |
|
24/7 Support |
Yes | No |
Overall
| Feature | TD Ameritrade | Lightspeed |
| Overall | ||
| Commissions & Fees | ||
| Offering of Investments | ||
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| Mobile Trading Apps | ||
| Research | ||
| Education | ||
| Ease of Use | ||
| TD Ameritrade Review | Lightspeed Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
Comparing brokers side by side is no easy task. For our 2022 annual broker review, we spent hundreds of hours assessing 15 brokerages to find the best online broker. Let's compare Lightspeed vs TD Ameritrade.
Is Lightspeed or TD Ameritrade better for beginners?
TD Ameritrade is better for beginner investors than Lightspeed. TD Ameritrade offers investors access to Paper Trading, Videos, Education (Stocks), Education (ETFs), Education (Options), Education (Mutual Funds), Education (Bonds) and Education (Retirement).
What about Lightspeed vs TD Ameritrade pricing?
Lightspeed charges more than TD Ameritrade for placing regular stock trades ($4.50 and $0, respectively). Looking at options, the base fees charged are the same for both brokers, $0. Option contracts are pricier at TD Ameritrade, costing $0.65 versus $0.60 at Lightspeed. For a complete commissions summary, see our best discount brokers guide.
Does Lightspeed or TD Ameritrade offer a wider range of investment options?
TD Ameritrade offers a more diverse selection of investment options than Lightspeed. TD Ameritrade offers investors access to Stock Trading, OTCBB / Pink Sheets, Options Trading, Mutual Funds, Futures Trading, Forex Trading, Advisor Services and International Trading. Looking at Mutual Funds, TD Ameritrade boasts an offering of 8878 mutual funds compared to Lightspeed's 0 available funds.
Which trading platform is better: Lightspeed or TD Ameritrade?
To compare the trading platforms of both Lightspeed and TD Ameritrade, we tested each broker's trading tools, research capabilities, and mobile apps. For trading tools, TD Ameritrade offers a better experience. With research, TD Ameritrade offers superior market research. Finally, we found TD Ameritrade to provide better mobile trading apps.
Does either broker offer banking?
Online banking can be a benefit for investors, and some brokerages do provide banking services to customers. Checking Accounts, Debit Cards and Credit Cards are available to clients of TD Ameritrade while Lightspeed offers customers none of these.
Overall winner: TD Ameritrade
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All pricing data was obtained from a published web site as of 01/10/2022 and is believed to be accurate, but is not guaranteed. For stock trade rates, advertised pricing is for a standard order size of 500 shares of stock priced at $30 per share. For options orders, an options regulatory fee per contract may apply.
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