Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs Capital.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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.
City Index and Capital.com are prominent online brokers that cater to a wide audience seeking forex and CFD trading opportunities. Established in 1983, City Index boasts a strong reputation with a remarkable Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, indicating it is highly trusted. This is supported by its seven Tier-1 licenses, demonstrating a high level of regulatory oversight and trust. Although City Index is not a bank, it is publicly traded, adding a layer of transparency to its operations.
In contrast, Capital.com, founded in 2016, holds a Trust Score of 87, suggesting it is a trusted, reliable broker. It holds three Tier-1 licenses, ensuring significant regulatory compliance, alongside one Tier-2 license. Unlike City Index, Capital.com is not publicly traded, but like its counterpart, it operates as a non-banking financial institution. Both brokers offer secure environments for traders, but City Index stands out with its higher Trust Score and public trading status.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2016 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
City Index and Capital.com both offer competitive pricing structures in the world of online trading, particularly for CFDs and forex. City Index, holding a commendable 4.5-star rating, ranks at #14 out of 63 brokers for commissions and fees according to ForexBrokers.com. Its average spread for EUR/USD stands at 0.74 pips as of July 2023, aligning with the industry standard. The broker offers a Premium Trader account for those depositing over £10,000, providing access to exclusive pricing, events, and dedicated customer service.
For active traders, City Index provides rebates, starting at £4 per million for U.K. traders with volumes over £25 million per month, climbing to £7.5 per million beyond £300 million. Australian traders receive rebates starting from AUD $4.5 per million. These features position City Index well within the realm of cost-effective options despite not leading the pack.
On the other hand, Capital.com is noted for slightly better pricing than the industry average, earning a top-tier 5-star rating and securing the #3 spot in the rankings. Capital.com offers an impressive average spread of 0.67 pips for the EUR/USD, as recorded in April 2024, making it a strong contender for low-cost forex trading. Retail traders and elective professionals can benefit from Capital.com’s single account structure, although it’s important to note that professional clients may receive fewer regulatory protections.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 0.67 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | 0.67 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
City Index and Capital.com both provide a vibrant array of investment options for online traders. City Index stands out as it features an impressive 13,500 tradeable symbols, overshadowing Capital.com's offering of 5,585 symbols. However, when it comes to forex trading, Capital.com takes the lead with 125 tradeable forex pairs compared to City Index’s 66 pairs. Both platforms allow forex trading as a CFD or spot contract and offer cryptocurrency derivatives, yet neither allows for the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies or exchange-traded securities.
The investment experience on City Index is further enriched by its copy trading feature, something Capital.com currently does not provide. Editorial ratings underscore these differences, with City Index earning a near-perfect score of 5 stars for its range of investments, while Capital.com slightly trails at 4.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, this breadth of offerings places City Index at the 8th spot among 63 brokers, whereas Capital.com ranks 22nd. While both platforms offer a wealth of opportunities, City Index seems to cater to a broader range of investment interests.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 5585 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 125 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
When comparing City Index to Capital.com for trading platforms and tools, both brokers offer a similar suite of features, making them suitable for a variety of traders. City Index and Capital.com both provide simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, along with proprietary platforms developed in-house. They cater to different user needs with options for Windows-based desktop downloads and web-based platforms through browsers. Traders looking for copy trading will find this feature only with City Index, as Capital.com does not offer copy trading options. Both platforms support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) but do not offer MetaTrader 5 (MT5), DupliTrade, or ZuluTrade.
For charting enthusiasts, City Index offers a broader choice with 239 drawing tools compared to Capital.com’s 60. However, both brokers allow trading directly from stock charts, enhancing the decision-making process during trading. Each offers 11 fields for watch lists, providing users ample customization for tracking their preferred securities. In terms of ratings, City Index and Capital.com are neck and neck with a stellar 4.5 stars out of five. Despite similar ratings, Capital.com edges out slightly in ForexBrokers.com rankings, claiming the #10 spot out of 63 brokers, while City Index comes in at #11.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 97 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 60 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
City Index and Capital.com both offer their users mobile trading apps that are compatible with iPhone and Android devices. When it comes to receiving stock or forex price alerts, both platforms deliver this feature. However, City Index has the edge with its watchlist symbol syncing capability, allowing for seamless transition and updates between the mobile app and the client’s online account, a feature not currently available with Capital.com. For traders who rely heavily on technical analysis, City Index outshines with 88 technical studies available in its app, compared to the 30 offered by Capital.com. Both apps allow for essential charting functions, such as drawing trendlines and viewing various time frames on stock or forex charts, along with auto-saving any chart drawings.
Each platform offers the ability to create a watchlist with real-time quotes, making it easier for traders to keep track of their investments on the go. Both City Index and Capital.com are well-regarded for their mobile trading apps, each earning a rating of 4.5 stars. However, City Index holds a slightly higher ranking of #9 compared to Capital.com's #11 in the Mobile Trading Apps category according to ForexBrokers.com, reflecting a marginal preference for City Index among the 63 brokers evaluated.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing City Index and Capital.com, both online brokers provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from prestigious sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. City Index stands out by offering technical analysis tools from Trading Central, whereas Capital.com does not provide these particular tools. However, Capital.com has a unique edge by offering research tools from TipRanks, which City Index lacks. Both platforms offer sentiment-based trading tools that display a ratio of long or short positions and feature economic calendars that help traders keep track of global events.
In terms of research quality, both City Index and Capital.com have earned a 4.5-star rating. However, City Index ranks slightly higher, securing the 10th spot among 63 brokers, while Capital.com is positioned at 14th. Both brokers serve traders well with quality research offerings, but each has its own unique strengths that may appeal differently depending on the trader's needs and preferences.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both City Index and Capital.com are top contenders with meaningful offerings. Each platform provides a minimum of 10 educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Beginner traders who are eager to learn will find at least 10 specially created beginner videos on both platforms. For those ready to advance their skills, each broker also offers at least 10 advanced videos. Moreover, both City Index and Capital.com feature an investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms, helpful for newcomers trying to navigate industry jargon.
However, City Index sets itself apart with monthly online educational webinars, something Capital.com does not provide. Both platforms maintain a searchable archive of previously recorded webinars, allowing users to revisit past sessions. Despite these differences, both brokers receive an impressive 4.5-star rating for their educational offerings, with City Index ranked #9 and Capital.com ranked #8 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. This makes either platform a solid choice for beginners looking to deepen their trading knowledge.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that City Index is better than Capital.com. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Capital.com finished with an overall rank of #10.
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
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Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 87 |
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Both City Index and Capital.com do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they both provide options for purchasing cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers, City Index supports ACH and SEPA transfers while Capital.com does not, both platforms accept PayPal and Visa/Mastercard for transactions, City Index does not support Skrill but Capital.com does, and both brokers facilitate bank wire deposits and withdrawals, offering a variety of options for managing account funds.
Please note:
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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0 of 5| Overall Rating | City Index | Capital.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
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| Review | City Index Review | Capital.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | Capital.com | |
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| Regulation | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2016 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 5585 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 125 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 0.67 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | 0.67 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 11 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 97 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 60 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | City Index Review | Capital.com Review |
| Overall | City Index | Capital.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Capital.com Review |
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