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 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Capital.com edges out City Index for most traders. Capital.com earns 5/5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers for this category, thanks to lower-than-average trading costs. Its EUR/USD spread averaged about 0.6712 pips in April 2024, making it a strong pick for low-cost forex trading. City Index is competitive but more middle-of-the-pack: it earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #16 out of 63. Its EUR/USD spread averaged 0.74 pips as of July 2023, which is in line with the industry average.
City Index’s pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread bets is generally average, and you’ll get the best rates on its own platforms or on MetaTrader. Active traders who deposit more than £10,000 may qualify for the Premium Trader account, which includes access to exclusive pricing, events, content, and dedicated support. For high-volume traders, City Index offers rebates: in the U.K., professional clients can earn £4 per million traded above £25 million per month, up to £7.5 per million above £300 million; in Australia, rebates range from AUD $4.5 to AUD $14.5 per million depending on tier.
Capital.com keeps costs slightly below the market average, highlighted by its tight EUR/USD spreads (around 0.67 pips). A single, easy-to-use account serves most retail traders, while a professional account is available to those who qualify—note that professional clients do not receive the same regulatory protections as retail clients. Overall, for pure pricing on forex spreads, Capital.com is the cheaper option, while City Index offers average costs with potential savings for high-volume or premium-status traders.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $20 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 0.64 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.67 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
City Index and Capital.com both support forex trading (CFDs/spot) and a wide mix of CFDs, but neither broker lets you buy real shares on U.S. or international exchanges. City Index lists 13,500 tradeable symbols, while Capital.com offers 5,585. For cryptocurrencies, both brokers provide access to crypto CFDs but do not support buying actual coins.
If forex variety is your priority, Capital.com offers 125 currency pairs compared with 66 at City Index. If you want sheer market choice and copy trading, City Index stands out; it offers copy trading, while Capital.com does not. For Range of Investments, ForexBrokers.com rates City Index 5 stars and ranks it 8th out of 63 brokers, while Capital.com earns 4.5 stars and ranks 18th.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 5585 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 125 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
City Index vs Capital.com: both online brokers deliver in-house trading platforms alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4), with no support for MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Each offers a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform, lets you place trades directly from charts, and provides a free demo (paper) account for practice. For Trading Platforms and Tools, both earn 4.5 out of 5 stars; in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings of 63 brokers, Capital.com is #10 and City Index is close behind at #11.
The key difference is copy trading: City Index offers it, while Capital.com does not. If you want copy trading plus MT4 and a choice of desktop or browser-based trading, City Index fits the bill. If MT4 and an easy-to-use proprietary platform on desktop and web are your priorities—and copy trading isn’t—Capital.com is a strong alternative.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 97 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
City Index and Capital.com both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto‑saved chart annotations. Each app holds a 4.5 out of 5 rating for Mobile Trading Apps from ForexBrokers.com, making both solid choices for on‑the‑go stock and forex trading.
Where they differ is charting depth and watchlist convenience. City Index includes 88 technical studies compared with Capital.com’s 30, and City Index syncs watchlists between mobile and the web, while Capital.com does not. Reflecting these differences, City Index ranks #9 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps and Capital.com ranks #11. If you want more indicators and seamless watchlist syncing, City Index is the better fit; if you only need core tools, Capital.com remains a strong pick.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | 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 (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing education for beginners at City Index and Capital.com, both brokers deliver a strong learning experience for forex and CFD trading. Each offers at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos that explain key ideas in plain language, from core trading concepts to more advanced strategies. Both are rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education by ForexBrokers.com, with Capital.com ranked #8 and City Index close behind at #9.
City Index stands out for live learning: it hosts client webinars at least once a month, which is helpful if you like real-time instruction and Q&A. Capital.com does not run monthly webinars, but its on-demand library is highly regarded and edged out City Index in the rankings. If you want live classes, pick City Index; if you prefer a highly rated, self-paced library, Capital.com is a great choice.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | 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 #12.
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
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 87 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
City Index vs Capital.com: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency trading via CFDs.
In comparing deposit and withdrawal methods, City Index supports ACH/SEPA and bank wires while Capital.com does not support ACH/SEPA; both brokers accept PayPal and bank wire transfers, only Capital.com offers Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Capital.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill