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City Index vs ActivTrades 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of City Index vs ActivTrades, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

City Index
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £100.00
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 13500
ActivTrades
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 81
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1267

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Regulation

When comparing City Index and ActivTrades, both offer online trading services but differ significantly in their regulatory backing and level of trust. Founded in 1983, City Index is a publicly traded company known for its highly secure offerings, boasting an outstanding Trust Score of 99 as rated by ForexBrokers.com. This high rating is supported by City Index's possession of an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses, which are considered the gold standard in regulatory oversight, alongside one Tier-2 license.

On the other hand, ActivTrades, established in 2001, is not publicly traded and holds a respectable Trust Score of 81. Though not as high as City Index, this score denotes a trusted status with its two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. While neither broker operates as a bank, City Index's edge in regulatory endorsements could provide added peace of mind for traders seeking a more secure platform. Both brokers, however, offer dependable choices for online trading within their respective regulatory frameworks.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Year Founded info 1983 2001
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 2

Fees

City Index and ActivTrades both price near the industry average, but their fee structures differ in ways that may matter to you. City Index earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #15 of 63 for Commissions and Fees, while ActivTrades earns 4/5 stars and ranks #29 of 63. Based on recent data, City Index posted a tighter average EUR/USD spread (0.74 pips, July 2023) than ActivTrades (0.98 pips, May 2024). City Index’s pricing is generally in line with peers, and ActivTrades is slightly better than average overall, though neither matches the cheapest specialists.

City Index supports CFDs, forex, and spread betting, and you’ll typically get the best pricing on its proprietary platforms or MetaTrader. Active traders may qualify for the Premium Trader account (deposit over £10,000) for exclusive pricing and dedicated service. For high-volume professionals, City Index offers cash rebates: in the U.K., £4 per million from £25M monthly volume up to £7.5 per million above £300M; in Australia, AUD $4.5 to $14.5 per million across tiers. On EUR/USD, the 0.74-pip average spread keeps costs competitive, though still behind ultra-low-cost brokers like Tickmill and FP Markets.

ActivTrades keeps things simple with one main Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic options (spreads are the same across account types). There’s no separate pricing for high-volume or “active” traders, and fees can vary by asset and platform. The broker lists target spreads, but actual spreads move with market conditions and can widen at rollover; the average EUR/USD spread reported for May 2024 was 0.98 pips. Overall, ActivTrades is straightforward and slightly cheaper than average, but it lacks the volume-based discounts City Index offers.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $0
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.4 info 0.98 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.9 info N/A
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

City Index and ActivTrades both let you trade forex via CFDs or spot contracts, and both support crypto CFDs (but not actual crypto). City Index stands out for sheer choice, with 13,500 tradeable symbols and 66 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 pairs. Both brokers offer copy trading, making it easy to mirror other traders’ strategies.

When it comes to exchange-traded shares, City Index does not offer direct stock dealing on U.S. or international exchanges, while ActivTrades offers international exchange-traded shares (but not U.S. stocks). For range of investments, City Index earns 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers, whereas ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #32. In short, choose City Index for a larger catalog of markets and forex pairs, and consider ActivTrades if you want access to international exchange-traded shares.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 1267
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info Yes Yes
Disclaimers Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).

Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.

Trading platforms and tools

City Index and ActivTrades both cover the essentials for platform features and trading tools. Each broker offers a free demo account for practice, an in-house proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Copy trading is available with both, and traders who prefer MetaTrader 4 will find support at either broker. Chart-focused traders can place orders directly from charts at City Index and ActivTrades, and both provide flexible charting and watchlist tools.

The key platform difference is MetaTrader 5: ActivTrades offers MT5, while City Index does not. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at 4 stars and a #32 ranking. If you need MT5, ActivTrades is the fit; otherwise, City Index edges ahead on overall platform and tool quality.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

City Index and ActivTrades both offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts. Each app lets you draw trendlines on charts, and your drawings auto-save. A key difference is watchlists: City Index syncs watchlists across mobile and web, so changes carry over between devices, while ActivTrades does not offer watchlist syncing.

For charting, City Index stands out with 88 technical studies compared to ActivTrades’ 30. City Index also earns a higher mobile app rating (4.5 stars vs. 4 stars) and a stronger position in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps rankings (#9 vs. #19 out of 63 brokers). If you want deeper charting and cross-device watchlist syncing, City Index is the better fit. ActivTrades remains a good choice for traders who need the essentials on iPhone and Android with alerts and drawing tools.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 88 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

City Index and ActivTrades both deliver daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Each broker offers a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions and an economic calendar covering upcoming events. On the downside, neither platform includes research from Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.

City Index stands out by adding Trading Central tools for technical and fundamental analysis, while ActivTrades does not offer Trading Central. That gap aligns with the ForexBrokers.com scores: City Index earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers, versus ActivTrades at 4/5 stars and #31. If you want deeper built-in research features, City Index has the edge; if you mainly need daily commentary, quality news, sentiment data, and a calendar, both brokers fit the bill.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info Yes No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

City Index vs ActivTrades for beginner education: both brokers host ongoing online webinars (at least one per month) and maintain sizable video libraries, including 10+ beginner videos and 10+ advanced videos to help you grow. Independent ratings favor City Index: it earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers for Education on ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds 4/5 stars and ranks #38. If you’re just starting out, City Index edges ahead for overall quality and depth, while ActivTrades still provides plenty of material to learn the basics.

For newcomers, both brands offer live sessions to ask questions and on-demand video lessons that explain trading foundations, platform how-tos, and risk management, with more advanced topics available as your skills improve. In short, you’ll find strong beginner support at either broker, but City Index’s higher rating and ranking suggest a clearer path for progressing from first steps to more advanced learning.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that City Index is better than ActivTrades. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.

Backed by StoneX Group, City Index is a trusted brand known for its versatile trading platforms, excellent mobile app, diverse market research, and extensive range of tradeable markets.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 81
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with City Index or ActivTrades?

City Index vs ActivTrades: neither broker supports buying actual delivered (spot) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.

What funding options does each broker offer?

City Index vs ActivTrades: For deposit and withdrawal methods, City Index supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, while ActivTrades offers Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.

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Overall Rating City Index ActivTrades
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 81
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review ActivTrades Review
Broker Screenshots City Index ActivTrades
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
City Index MetaTrader 4 mobile trading app City Index web platform trading. City Index web platform research Trading Central City Index educational course advanced.
ActivTrades ActivTrader mobile app watchlist light mode. ActivTrader platform web. ActivTrader research weekly outlook articles. ActivTrades educational articles macro analysis.
Regulation City Index ActivTrades
Trust Score info 99 81
Year Founded info 1983 2001
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 2
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) City Index ActivTrades
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info No
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info No No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) City Index ActivTrades
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info No
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info Yes No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info No
Investments City Index ActivTrades
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 1267
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info Yes Yes
Disclaimers Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).
Cost City Index ActivTrades
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.4 info 0.98 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.9 info N/A
Inactivity Fee info Yes Yes
Order execution: Agency info No No
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding City Index ActivTrades
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $0
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms City Index ActivTrades
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools City Index ActivTrades
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading City Index ActivTrades
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 88 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research City Index ActivTrades
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info Yes No
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education City Index ActivTrades
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs City Index ActivTrades
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review City Index Review ActivTrades Review
Overall City Index ActivTrades
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 81
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review ActivTrades Review
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