# Trading 212 vs Lightyear

Your future isn’t a bet. Invest with purpose.

When you invest, your capital is at risk.

Wondering if it's time to leave Trading 212 for Lightyear? Compare fees, FX rates and more - so you can decide which is right for your investing and saving needs.

## Key takeaways

Both Lightyear and Trading 212 offer low-cost investment platforms with Stocks & Shares ISAs and Cash ISAs. In comparison, Lightyear comes off cheaper with 0.1% FX, vs Trading 212’s 0.15%. Both platforms offer stocks & ETFs without trading fees.

- Currency conversion (FX)

- Platform fees

- Cash ISA: AER

- Stocks & Shares ISA

- ETFs: per order

- US stocks: per order

- EU stocks: per order

- UK stocks: per order

- Multi-currency

- Business account

Pricing data sourced from [trading212.com](https://www.trading212.com/terms/isa), and correct as of 3rd June 2026.

## Trading 212 vs Lightyear: FAQs

### How does Trading 212 make money?

Trading 212 offers many services for free, including ISAs and stock orders. It costs them money to offer these services, so they subsidise them with other revenue sources.

Currency conversion is one revenue stream, on which Trading 212 charges a low 0.15% fee. Another comes from spreads and overnight interest on CFDs ("Contracts for Difference"). These are complex, high-risk derivatives that let customers speculate on price movements without actually owning the assets. This means high leverage, which can amplify losses and make it possible to lose more than your initial investment. [75% of Trading 212](https://helpcentre.trading212.com/hc/en-us/articles/11574486714397-What-is-CFD)'s retail customers lose money trading CFDs.

Lightyear does not offer CFDs. Instead, we charge simple low fees which reflect what it costs us to offer our services.

### Is Trading 212 FSCS protected?

Yes - both Lightyear and Trading 212 are protected in the UK. If either firm went out of business, and there was a loss in the cash assets returned to you, you may be able to claim up to £85,000 through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Like Trading 212, Lightyear is fully FCA regulated. You can read about how your funds are protected in [our Help Centre](https://lightyear.com/en-gb/help/deposits-conversions-and-withdrawals/how-are-my-assets-protected).

Note that FSCS protection does not cover poor investment performance. You can learn more about the [FSCS here](https://www.fscs.org.uk/).

### Is Trading 212 safe for long term investing?

Trading 212 is FCA regulated and FSCS protected, and they offer a variety of stocks and funds of varying risk levels.

However, if your priority is long-term investing, you should consider whether their focus on short-term, high-risk instruments like CFDs fits with your investment ethos. [75% of Trading 212's customers](https://helpcentre.trading212.com/hc/en-us/articles/11574486714397-What-is-CFD) make losses on these products, and these subsidise the services they offer for free.

Like Trading 212, Lightyear does not charge order fees on stocks or ETFs. If you're a long-term investor rather than a day trader, take a look at Lightyear's [Stocks & Shares ISA](https://lightyear.com/en-gb/stocks-and-shares-isa) or [Cash ISA](https://lightyear.com/en-gb/cash-isa), and the stocks and funds available.

## Other providers to compare with

- Freetrade: Free trades can cost you. Invest wisely.

- Moneybox: Break out of the box. Lightyear offers smarter investing and low fees.

- Hargreaves Lansdown: No-one grieves high fees once they've moved to Lightyear.

- Interactive Investor: Their fees may be flat, but they could also be flattening your returns.

- AJ Bell: AJ Bell rings up the costs. Lightyear keeps them down.

- Revolut: The real revolution is smarter investing.

## Disclaimer

This comparison is for educational purposes only and should in no way be taken as investment advice. When investing, your capital is at risk. Seek guidance if necessary.

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Canonical: https://lightyear.com/en-gb/comparison/trading212-vs-lightyear