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City Index vs BlackBull Markets 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of City Index vs BlackBull Markets, 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
BlackBull Markets
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 78
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 26000

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 BlackBull Markets are popular online brokers, each with distinct regulatory profiles. Founded in 1983, City Index is a publicly traded company known for its strong regulatory standing. It boasts seven Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, contributing to a top Trust Score of 99 out of 99 as per ForexBrokers.com, showcasing a high level of trust and reliability. On the other hand, BlackBull Markets, established in 2014, is not publicly traded but operates under one Tier-1 license. With no Tier-2 licenses, BlackBull Markets has a Trust Score of 78, considered an average risk according to ForexBrokers.com.

Both City Index and BlackBull Markets are not banks, but their regulatory standings offer varying degrees of security for investors. City Index's higher trust ratings stem from its widespread compliance and publicly traded status, making it an appealing choice for those emphasizing regulation. Meanwhile, BlackBull Markets, with its single Tier-1 license, may attract traders comfortable with average risk levels, reflecting its niche in catering to traders who may prioritize other factors such as trading platforms or fees over regulatory reach.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Year Founded info 1983 2014
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 1
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 1

Fees

City Index and BlackBull Markets both offer competitive commissions and fees, reflecting industry averages. City Index provides an average spread of 0.74 pips on the EUR/USD, aligning it with the industry standard, though not as competitive as leading forex brokers like Tickmill. Experienced traders depositing over £10,000 may benefit from City Index's Premium Trader account, gaining access to exclusive pricing and content. Additionally, professional traders in the UK can earn rebates starting at £4 per million, potentially reaching £7.5 per million for higher volumes. City Index earns a 4.5-star rating and ranks #14 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com for its fees and commissions.

BlackBull Markets also maintains average trading costs, offering three account types to cater to varying needs. The Prime account, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.16 and an all-in cost of 0.76 after accounting for a per-side commission, is the most cost-effective option compared to their Standard account. The Standard account features no commission and no minimum deposit, but with slightly higher spreads. Meanwhile, the ECN Institutional account requires a minimum deposit of $20,000 and offers commissions of $2 per side. BlackBull Markets also garners a 4.5-star rating for commissions and fees but is rated #18 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.

In summary, both City Index and BlackBull Markets provide similar competitive commission structures, each with unique advantages. City Index offers premium features for active traders in the UK and Australia, while BlackBull Markets provides multiple account options to suit different trading strategies. Both brokers are favorably rated at 4.5 stars, though City Index holds a slightly higher ranking among its peers.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $0
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.4 info 0.71 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info 0.71 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 and BlackBull Markets both offer commendable investment options, catering to diverse trading preferences. For forex enthusiasts, both platforms provide trading in forex as CFDs or spot contracts, with BlackBull Markets edging out slightly by offering 72 tradeable forex pairs compared to City Index's 66. When it comes to the overall variety of tradeable symbols, BlackBull Markets takes the lead with an impressive 26,000 symbols, overshadowing City Index's 13,500. Additionally, BlackBull Markets offers clients the opportunity to invest in exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, unlike City Index, which does not provide this feature.

Both brokers support cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither allows the purchase of actual, delivered cryptocurrencies. For traders looking to follow successful peers, copy trading is available on both platforms. While City Index and BlackBull Markets both receive a five-star rating for their range of investments, BlackBull Markets stands slightly higher in the rank by ForexBrokers.com, holding the 6th position out of 63 brokers compared to City Index, which is ranked 8th. This positions BlackBull Markets as a slightly more versatile choice for those seeking a broader range of investment opportunities.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 26000
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 72
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No Yes
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

When comparing trading platforms and tools, both City Index and BlackBull Markets offer a variety of features but have distinct differences. City Index stands out with its proprietary platform, catering specifically to its users, and earns a higher rating of 4.5 stars for trading platforms and tools. Both brokers offer popular trading platforms such as MetaTrader 4, but BlackBull Markets takes advantage by also providing MetaTrader 5, which City Index does not. For those interested in simulated trading, both brokers deliver access to a demo account which allows traders to practice without financial risk.

Looking at trading features, both City Index and BlackBull Markets deliver options for desktop and web-based trading platforms, along with supporting copy trading. ZuluTrade is an area where BlackBull Markets edges slightly ahead, as City Index does not offer this feature. Charting tools are comprehensive with City Index offering a notable 239 drawing tools compared to 60 from BlackBull Markets. If you're someone who looks for flexibility and a modern trading experience, City Index provides more options with 11 columns for watch lists compared to BlackBull's 6. Ultimately, each broker has its own strengths, but City Index is ranked higher based on user feedback and expert reviews from ForexBrokers.com.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Platform info Yes No
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 Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 109
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 239 60
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 11 6
Continue Reading

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

Forex trading apps

City Index and BlackBull Markets both provide robust mobile trading apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices, ensuring seamless trading experiences on the go. Both platforms offer essential features like real-time price alerts and the ability to sync watchlists across devices, enhancing user convenience. They also allow traders to draw trendlines and explore various time frames on charts. However, City Index takes the lead in providing more extensive charting capabilities with 88 technical studies compared to BlackBull Markets, which offers 30 studies. This makes City Index a more attractive option for traders seeking in-depth market analysis.

When it comes to user satisfaction, City Index is rated higher with a 4.5-star rating, reflecting its strong performance in mobile trading functionality. It also stands out significantly in industry rankings, placing ninth out of 63 brokers, whereas BlackBull Markets is positioned at 32. Both apps allow for creating watchlists with real-time quotes and automatically save chart drawings, making them practical for active traders. Yet, City Index's higher ranking and positive user feedback give it an edge for those prioritizing top-tier mobile trading features.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes Yes
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 Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

When comparing the market research offerings of City Index and BlackBull Markets, both brokers provide daily market commentary and include an economic calendar to keep traders informed on global news events. City Index sets itself apart with forex news sourced from top-tier suppliers like Bloomberg and Reuters, a sentiment-based trading tool, and the availability of research resources from Trading Central. On the other hand, BlackBull Markets lacks these specific features but does provide valuable technical analysis tools through the popular platform Autochartist, along with a sentiment-based trading tool.

In terms of overall research quality, City Index shines with a 4.5-star rating and a commendable 10th rank out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. BlackBull Markets, while slightly behind, garners a solid 4-star rating and ranks 18th. Overall, City Index holds an edge due to its diverse range of high-quality research features, making it a preferred choice for traders seeking comprehensive insights from premium sources.

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

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

City Index and BlackBull Markets both offer a comprehensive range of educational resources aimed at beginner traders who are keen to learn about forex and CFDs. Both brokers provide more than 10 educational articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on forex and CFDs. Additionally, beginners can benefit from the regular online webinars that both City Index and BlackBull Markets host monthly, helping new traders stay informed about trading techniques and market trends.

Even though both brokers provide a similar array of educational content, City Index gains a slight edge with its higher rating of 4.5 stars out of 5, compared to BlackBull Markets' 4 stars. This is underscored by their ranking on ForexBrokers.com, where City Index is #9 among 63 brokers, whereas BlackBull Markets is placed at #29. Both brokers do offer an investor dictionary with definitions of over 50 terms, and each provides at least ten beginner and advanced-level educational videos. These features make both platforms viable options for educational resources, but City Index scores higher in overall educational quality.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes Yes
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
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 BlackBull Markets. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while BlackBull Markets finished with an overall rank of #24.

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
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 78
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 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 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with City Index or BlackBull Markets?

Both City Index and BlackBull Markets do not provide the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but each offers the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.

What funding options does each broker offer?

When comparing online brokers, City Index stands out for offering ACH, SEPA, PayPal, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wire options for deposits and withdrawals, while BlackBull Markets provides Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wire options, but lacks ACH, SEPA, and PayPal facilities.

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Overall Rating City Index BlackBull Markets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 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 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 78
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review BlackBull Markets Review
Broker Screenshots City Index BlackBull Markets
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.
BlackBull Markets MT5 mobile trading app BlackBull Markets MetaTrader 5 MT5 desktop platform. BlackBull Markets economic calendar. BlackBull Markets Trading Podcasts playlist.
Regulation City Index BlackBull Markets
Trust Score info 99 78
Year Founded info 1983 2014
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 1
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 BlackBull Markets
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 Yes
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info No info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) City Index BlackBull Markets
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 BlackBull Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 26000
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 72
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No Yes
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 BlackBull Markets
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.4 info 0.71 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info 0.71 info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes Yes
Inactivity Fee info Yes No
Execution: Agency Broker info No No
Execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding City Index BlackBull Markets
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $0
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 BlackBull Markets
Proprietary Platform info Yes No
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 Yes
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No Yes
Trading Tools City Index BlackBull Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 11 6
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 109
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 239 60
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading City Index BlackBull Markets
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 Yes
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 Yes
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research City Index BlackBull Markets
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes No
TipRanks info No No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education City Index BlackBull Markets
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes Yes
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs City Index BlackBull Markets
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 BlackBull Markets Review
Overall City Index BlackBull Markets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 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 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 78
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Review City Index Review BlackBull Markets Review
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