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Home ‣ Compare ‣ City Index vs Alpari 2025

City Index vs Alpari 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of City Index vs Alpari, 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
Alpari
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $20
  • Trust Score: 68
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 105

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

City Index and Alpari offer distinct profiles in terms of trust and regulatory backing. Founded in 1983, City Index is a well-established online broker that is publicly traded, giving it an extra layer of transparency. It boasts a top-tier ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, indicating a high level of reliability. This is bolstered by its seven Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, which highlight its trusted regulatory status. Although not a bank, City Index is considered highly secure by industry standards.

In contrast, Alpari, founded in 1998, is not publicly traded, which might be a consideration for some investors seeking more transparency. Its Trust Score is 68 according to ForexBrokers.com, categorizing it as high risk. Alpari holds neither Tier-1 nor Tier-2 licenses, which may raise eyebrows regarding its regulatory oversight compared to City Index. Both brokers are not banks, but the regulatory differences are significant for traders prioritizing safety and trust.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Alpari logoAlpari
Year Founded info 1983 1998
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 0
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 1

Fees

When comparing commissions and fees, City Index stands out for transparency and consistency, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranking #15 of 63 brokers for this category. Alpari earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #42 of 63. City Index’s pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread betting is in line with the industry average, and it publishes spread data, which makes costs easier to assess. In contrast, Alpari does not provide average spread data, making direct price comparisons harder.

City Index reports an average EUR/USD spread of 0.74 pips (July 2023) on its CFD account, with the best pricing typically available on its proprietary platforms or MetaTrader. Active traders may benefit from the Premium Trader account (deposit over £10,000), which unlocks exclusive pricing and dedicated support. Professional traders can also access tiered rebates: in the U.K., £4 per million for monthly volumes above £25 million up to £7.5 per million above £300 million; in Australia, AUD $4.5 to $14.5 per million depending on tier.

Because Alpari’s average spreads are not published, its total trading costs are less predictable from the outset. If clear, published pricing and access to volume-based rebates matter to you, City Index may offer an edge on commissions and fees. Ratings recap: City Index—4.5/5 stars, ranked #15 of 63; Alpari—4/5 stars, ranked #42 of 63.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Alpari logoAlpari
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $20
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.4 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

City Index offers a much wider range of markets, with 13,500 tradable instruments and 66 forex pairs, compared with Alpari’s 105 instruments and 46 pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot, and both offer copy trading. For crypto exposure, each provides cryptocurrency derivatives but neither lets you buy actual coins.

For real shares, neither broker gives access to U.S.-listed stocks like Apple, but Alpari does let you buy exchange-traded shares on select international markets (such as London), whereas City Index does not offer non-CFD shares. Reflecting the difference in overall coverage, ForexBrokers.com rates City Index 5 stars and ranks it 8th for Range of Investments, while Alpari earns 3 stars and ranks 64th. In short, City Index suits traders who want the broadest market selection, while Alpari may appeal if you want a smaller lineup plus access to certain international shares.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Alpari logoAlpari
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 105
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 46
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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 Alpari both make it easy to get started with a free demo account and offer proprietary platforms alongside MetaTrader 4. You can trade on Windows desktop or in your browser with either broker, use copy trading, and place orders directly from charts. Neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. A key difference is MetaTrader 5: Alpari offers MT5, while City Index does not.

For platform tools, City Index stands out with far more drawing tools (239 vs 15) and more watchlist fields (11 vs 7). In independent evaluations, City Index earns 4.5 stars and ranks #11 of 63 for Trading Platforms and Tools, while Alpari scores 4 stars and ranks #56. If you want richer charting tools and deeper watchlists, City Index is the stronger pick; if you need MT5, Alpari has the edge.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Alpari logoAlpari
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 239 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 11 7

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

Forex trading apps

City Index and Alpari both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with handy features like price alerts and real-time quote watchlists. A key difference is watchlist syncing: City Index syncs symbols between the mobile app and your online account, while Alpari does not, which can affect how seamlessly you switch devices.

For charting, City Index stands out with 88 technical studies versus Alpari’s 30. Both apps support drawing trendlines and switching among multiple time frames, but only City Index auto-saves your chart drawings. Reflecting these differences, City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers for mobile trading apps, while Alpari scores 4 stars and ranks 57th. If you want deeper chart tools and synced watchlists, City Index is the stronger pick; if you just need the basics, Alpari gets the job done.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Alpari logoAlpari
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 88 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info Yes No
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

City Index vs Alpari for market research: City Index delivers daily market commentary plus forex news from leading sources, while Alpari provides top-tier news but no daily commentary. For tools, City Index includes Trading Central analysis and a sentiment gauge showing long/short positioning, along with an economic calendar. Alpari counters with Autochartist for pattern recognition and also offers an economic calendar, but lacks Trading Central and a sentiment tool. Availability of TipRanks or Acuity Trading at Alpari wasn’t specified.

Overall, City Index offers a more complete research suite for most traders, earning 4.5/5 stars and ranking #10 out of 63 brokers for Research at ForexBrokers.com. Alpari covers key basics but trails for depth and variety, rated 3/5 stars and ranked #58 out of 63. Choose City Index if you want frequent commentary, Trading Central insights, and sentiment data; choose Alpari if Autochartist pattern scanning is your priority.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Alpari logoAlpari
Daily Market Commentary info Yes No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes No
TipRanks info No
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) info No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

City Index and Alpari both provide a variety of educational resources for beginner traders looking to learn about forex and CFDs. City Index stands out with its comprehensive offerings; it not only provides over ten educational pieces, such as articles and videos, but also hosts online client webinars each month, with a searchable archive of past sessions. Additionally, they offer a rich selection of videos tailored for both beginners and more advanced traders. Furthermore, City Index includes an investor dictionary, which helps users familiarize themselves with investment terminology. As a result, City Index earns a 4.5-star education rating and holds the impressive rank of 9th out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.

On the other hand, Alpari offers a more limited suite of educational tools. While it does provide beginners with more than ten educational pieces and videos, it lacks monthly educational webinars and a searchable archive of these sessions. The content available tends to focus more on introductory trading concepts, without progressing significantly into advanced topics. Nonetheless, Alpari does offer an investor dictionary similar to City Index, which aids in understanding trading terms. Given these limitations, Alpari is rated with 3 stars for its educational offerings and is ranked 48th among 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Alpari logoAlpari
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) 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 Alpari. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #58.

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
Alpari logoAlpari
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 68
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 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 Alpari?

Both City Index and Alpari provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither offers the ability to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency.

What funding options does each broker offer?

When comparing online brokers City Index and Alpari, City Index offers more diverse funding options, with support for ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, while Alpari supports funding via Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires but lacks support for ACH or SEPA transfers and PayPal.

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Overall Rating City Index Alpari
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 68
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review
Broker Screenshots City Index Alpari
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.
Regulation City Index Alpari
Trust Score info 99 68
Year Founded info 1983 1998
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info No info
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 0
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) City Index Alpari
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes No
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 No info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) City Index Alpari
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No No
UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) info Yes No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments City Index Alpari
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 105
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 46
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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 Alpari
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.4 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes Yes
Inactivity Fee info Yes No
Execution: Agency Broker info No Yes
Execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding City Index Alpari
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $20
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
Trading Platforms City Index Alpari
Proprietary Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Trading Tools City Index Alpari
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 11 7
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 239 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading City Index Alpari
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 88 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info Yes No
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research City Index Alpari
Daily Market Commentary info Yes No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes No
TipRanks info No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education City Index Alpari
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs City Index Alpari
GBP/USD info Yes Yes
USD/JPY info Yes Yes
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF info Yes Yes
USD/CAD info Yes Yes
NZD/USD info Yes Yes
AUD/USD info Yes Yes
Review City Index Review
Overall City Index Alpari
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 68
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review
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