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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 account info 1.4 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info N/A info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

City Index offers a far bigger selection of markets than Alpari. City Index lists about 13,500 tradable symbols versus Alpari’s 105. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs and on the spot market; City Index offers 66 currency pairs, while Alpari has 46. Both provide cryptocurrency CFDs but do not support buying actual crypto. Copy trading is available at both brokers.

For exchange-traded shares, City Index does not provide access to U.S. or international stocks, whereas Alpari offers international exchange-traded shares (but not U.S. stocks). Reflecting the overall breadth of products, ForexBrokers.com rates City Index 5 stars and ranks it #8 for Range of Investments, while Alpari receives 3 stars and ranks #64.

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. 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 Alpari both make it easy to practice with a free demo account. Each broker provides its own proprietary platform, plus a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform. Copy trading is available on both. They each support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and allow trading directly from charts. The main difference: Alpari also offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while City Index does not.

Both brokers deliver charting with technical indicators, drawing tools, and watch lists, but third-party evaluations lean toward City Index for overall platform quality. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, City Index is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers, while Alpari is rated 4 stars and ranks #56. If MT5 access is essential, Alpari is the better match; if you want higher-rated platform tools, City Index stands out.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Alpari logoAlpari
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

Comparing City Index vs Alpari for mobile trading apps, both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps with price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on stock and forex charts. City Index stands out for convenience with watchlist syncing between the app and your online account, while Alpari lacks this feature. Charting is also deeper on City Index, which provides 88 technical studies compared to Alpari’s 30, and City Index auto-saves your chart drawings; Alpari does not.

In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, City Index earned 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #9 out of 63 for Mobile Trading Apps, while Alpari received 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #57. If you want stronger charting tools and seamless watchlist syncing, City Index is the better fit; if you only need the basics on iPhone or Android, Alpari covers the essentials.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Alpari logoAlpari
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 No

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 (Articles) info Yes No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central info Yes No
Client sentiment data info Yes No
TipRanks info No
Acuity Trading info No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

In a City Index vs Alpari education comparison for beginners, City Index comes out ahead. It offers a forex and CFD education library with at least 10 pieces, holds client webinars at least once a month, and provides 10+ beginner videos along with 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.

Alpari also delivers at least 10 pieces of forex/CFD education and 10+ beginner videos, but it does not run monthly educational webinars and does not meet the 10-video mark for advanced topics. That makes it less suited for traders who want ongoing lessons and a clear path from basics to more complex strategies. Alpari is rated 3 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #48 out of 63. For most beginners, City Index is the stronger choice.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Alpari logoAlpari
Webinars info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No

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?

City Index vs Alpari: neither online broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer trading in cryptocurrency CFDs.

What funding options does each broker offer?

In the City Index vs Alpari comparison of deposit and withdrawal methods, City Index supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, whereas Alpari does not support ACH/SEPA and its availability of PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires is not specified.

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We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.

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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, FSRA, or SCA 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. 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 Alpari
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.4 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info N/A info
Inactivity Fee info Yes No
Order execution: Agency info No Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding City Index Alpari
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $20
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms City Index Alpari
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 Alpari
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 Alpari
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 No
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research City Index Alpari
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central info Yes No
TipRanks info No
Client sentiment data info Yes No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education City Index Alpari
Webinars info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Major Forex Pairs City Index Alpari
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
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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