Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs Earn, 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 Earn are two online brokers that stand distinct in terms of their trust and regulatory credentials. Founded in 1983, City Index is a publicly traded company, making it subject to enhanced scrutiny and transparency requirements. It boasts an impressive Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, thanks in large part to holding seven Tier-1 licenses, which indicates a high level of trust. In contrast, Earn was established in 1994 and is not publicly traded. While Earn is not listed on a stock exchange, it maintains a Trust Score of 71, placing it at an average risk level, with just one Tier-1 license in its portfolio. Neither broker is a bank.
City Index further enhances its trust profile with an additional Tier-2 license, which is also considered reliable. On the other hand, Earn holds no Tier-2 licenses, which may be a consideration for those seeking greater assurance. Whether you prioritize a history of stringent regulation and a higher trust rating with City Index, or you're evaluating other factors that might make Earn appealing, understanding these key differences can guide you in selecting a broker that aligns with your financial priorities.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 1994 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
City Index offers commission and fee pricing that aligns with the industry average for trading CFDs, forex, and spread-betting products. Users can access the company's most favorable pricing through proprietary platforms or MetaTrader. For those with a Premium Trader account, requiring a deposit over £10,000, City Index provides special pricing, exclusive events, and enhanced customer support. The spread on the EUR/USD is around 0.74 pips, which positions City Index competitively, though not at the very top compared to other market leaders like Tickmill and FP Markets.
Professional traders in the UK and Australia can benefit from City Index's active trader rebates and discounts. In the UK, these rebates begin at £4 per million for trading over £25 million monthly and can escalate to £7.5 per million for exceeding £300 million in monthly trades. Similarly, in Australia, the rebates start at AUD $4.5 per million for tier-one traders and can rise to AUD $14.5 per million for those in tier three. With these favorable offerings, City Index is rated 4.5 stars in the commissions and fees category by ForexBrokers.com and ranks 14th out of 63 brokers.
Comparatively, Earn lacks detailed average spread data, making direct cost comparisons challenging. Despite this limitation, Earn still manages a respectable 4-star rating for commissions and fees and is ranked 45th out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. While City Index may offer more detailed and potentially beneficial pricing options, both brokers have their unique advantages, catering to different trading needs and styles.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the investment options provided by City Index and Earn, City Index clearly stands out with a vast array of 13,500 tradeable symbols, significantly surpassing Earn's 500 options. Both platforms offer forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, but City Index further distinguishes itself by providing access to 66 forex pairs compared to Earn's 61 pairs. In terms of diversification through other investment avenues, both platforms are on an equal footing as neither offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, nor do they provide the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. However, each broker supports cryptocurrency derivatives trading.
When assessing their competitively innovative features, both City Index and Earn offer copy trading capabilities, appealing to traders who wish to replicate the strategies of seasoned investors. Despite similarities in some areas, City Index excels in the range of investments offered, earning a rating of five stars compared to Earn's 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, this translates to City Index being ranked 8th out of 63 brokers, while Earn comes in at 45th place. These distinctions underscore City Index's superior range of investment opportunities available to its clientele.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 61 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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 it comes to trading platforms and tools, City Index and Earn both cater to beginner and experienced traders with their offerings, but there are notable differences between the two. City Index shines with its proprietary platform, developed in-house, providing unique features not found elsewhere, alongside its familiar MetaTrader 4 (MT4) compatibility. Earn, while lacking a proprietary platform, compensates with support for both MT4 and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), ensuring it appeals to users who seek more advanced features. Both brokers offer web-based and downloadable desktop platforms for easy access, and they provide free virtual demo accounts for practice trading, making them accessible for newcomers.
In terms of trading tools, City Index outpaces Earn with a wider array of 239 drawing tools for charting compared to Earn's 15, offering greater flexibility for technical analysis. City Index also allows traders to set up more detailed watch lists, with 11 column options versus Earn’s 7. Both brokers feature the ability to trade directly from stock charts and support copy trading, but when it comes to additional trading capabilities, Earn is unique in offering ZuluTrade. Overall, City Index holds a higher rating with 4.5 stars for trading platforms and tools, ranked 11th by ForexBrokers.com, while Earn is rated with 4 stars and ranked 51st, reflecting City Index's comprehensive offerings and tailored platform experience.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 35 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
City Index and Earn both provide mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, along with handy features like stock or forex price alerts and the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes. However, City Index stands out by offering seamless watchlist symbol syncing across devices, meaning changes made on the app or online account sync automatically. Earn lacks this feature, potentially leaving room for discrepancies between platforms. Additionally, City Index provides a richer charting experience, offering 88 technical studies compared to Earn's 35, giving traders more tools for analysis.
Both apps allow drawing trendlines and viewing different time frames such as daily, weekly, or intraday on charts, with auto-saving of any drawings made. In terms of user satisfaction, City Index's mobile trading app holds a higher rating of 4.5 stars compared to Earn's 4 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, City Index is positioned significantly higher, ranking 9th out of 63 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category, while Earn holds the 27th spot. This indicates a stronger user experience and broader functionality in City Index's mobile offerings.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 35 |
| 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.
City Index and Earn both excel in providing traders with daily market commentary and access to top-tier forex news from reputable sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, when it comes to technical analysis and research tools, the two brokers diverge. City Index surpasses Earn by offering technical analytics from Trading Central and a sentiment-based trading tool that provides insights into market positions. In contrast, Earn does not include these sophisticated features in its offerings.
Both City Index and Earn provide economic calendars to keep traders informed of significant global events that may influence markets. Yet, City Index shines with a superior research rating of 4.5 stars compared to Earn's 3.5 stars. This advantage solidifies City Index's strong standing, ranking 10th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com for its research capabilities, while Earn ranks lower at 38th. This suggests City Index may offer more comprehensive market research tools to enhance your trading experience.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
City Index stands out as a top choice for beginner traders seeking educational resources. With a wide array of educational content, including over ten forex and CFDs articles, videos, and archived webinars, newcomers have ample resources at their fingertips. City Index also hosts monthly online webinars for clients, and all sessions are archived in a searchable database, allowing users to learn at their convenience. For visual learners, City Index offers a comprehensive selection of beginner videos that cover essential trading topics, enhancing the learning experience. An investor dictionary is also available, featuring definitions for over 50 investing terms, which further enriches the educational journey for budding traders.
In contrast, Earn falls short in providing significant educational resources for beginners. The platform does not offer a comparable level of forex or CFDs education, lacking the minimum of ten articles or videos dedicated to these topics. Monthly webinars and archives of recorded sessions are also not available. Furthermore, Earn's educational offering is sparse concerning beginner-focused videos and advanced trading content. The absence of an investor dictionary further limits Earn’s utility for new traders looking to ground themselves in fundamental trading concepts. City Index’s extensive educational commitment is reflected in its higher rating of 4.5 stars, compared to Earn’s 3.5 stars, making City Index a superior choice for those prioritizing educational support. According to ForexBrokers.com, City Index ranks #9 out of 63 brokers in education, far outperforming Earn, which is ranked at #62.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Earn
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
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 Earn. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Earn finished with an overall rank of #50.
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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Earn
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 |
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When comparing online brokers City Index and Earn, neither offers the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both provide the capability to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives.
City Index excels in offering diverse fund transfer options such as ACH, SEPA, PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas Earn provides Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, and bank wires, but lacks PayPal, ACH, and SEPA support.
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 | Earn | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | Earn | |
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| Regulation | City Index | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 1994 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | |
| 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 | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | City Index | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 35 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | City Index | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 35 | |
| 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 | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | Earn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Overall | City Index | Earn | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review |
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