Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs easyMarkets, 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 easyMarkets are both notable players in the world of online brokerage, but they differ significantly when it comes to trust and regulatory oversight. Founded in 1983, City Index stands out with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, indicating a high level of trust. The company is publicly traded and holds an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses, known for their stringent regulatory standards. Additionally, City Index has one Tier-2 license, reinforcing its commitment to providing a secure trading environment.
On the other hand, easyMarkets, founded in 2001, holds a lower ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 84, placing it in the "trusted" category but not at the high level of City Index. Unlike its competitor, easyMarkets is not publicly traded yet maintains regulatory credibility with two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. While both brokers are not banks, their differing regulatory track records and business structures might influence traders seeking confidence in their financial activities.
| Feature |
City Index
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
City Index vs easyMarkets on commissions and fees: City Index is the stronger value overall, earning 4.5/5 stars and a #15 ranking out of 63 brokers for the Commissions and Fees category at ForexBrokers.com. easyMarkets scores 3.5/5 stars and ranks #53 out of 63. Both lean on spreads for pricing, but their approaches differ—City Index favors variable spreads with volume-based rebates, while easyMarkets offers fixed spreads on its own platform and variable pricing on MetaTrader.
City Index pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread betting generally tracks the industry average. EUR/USD spreads average about 0.74 pips (July 2023), which is competitive but not among the very lowest. You’ll usually see the best prices on City Index’s proprietary platforms or MetaTrader. High-volume traders can benefit from extras: the Premium Trader account (typically for deposits over £10,000) unlocks exclusive pricing and support, and active-trader rebates can add meaningful savings—U.K. professional tiers start at £4 per million traded (over £25M/month) and rise to £7.5 per million (over £300M/month); in Australia, rebates range from AUD $4.5 to $14.5 per million depending on tier.
easyMarkets keeps things straightforward with fixed EUR/USD spreads of 0.8 pips on its own platform and on TradingView. Pricing on MetaTrader varies: MT4’s Standard account is 1.7 pips for EUR/USD, while the VIP account drops to 0.7 pips; MT5 offers variable spreads starting from 0.7 pips. The fixed-spread model can help with predictability, but City Index’s combination of generally competitive spreads, platform choice, and volume rebates explains its higher 4.5/5 star rating and #15 ranking versus easyMarkets’ 3.5/5 stars and #53 ranking.
| Feature |
City Index
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 0.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
City Index offers a much wider range of investments than easyMarkets. You can trade 13,500 symbols with City Index versus 230 at easyMarkets. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, with City Index listing 66 forex pairs and easyMarkets close behind at 63. Both provide crypto CFDs but do not let you buy actual cryptocurrency. For Range of Investments, City Index is rated 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers, while easyMarkets holds 3.5 stars and ranks #55.
Neither broker offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international stock exchanges (no direct share dealing). Copy trading is available with both. In short, City Index suits traders seeking broad market access, while easyMarkets covers the essentials with a smaller catalog.
| Feature |
City Index
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 230 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 63 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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 and easyMarkets both provide a free demo account for practice. Each offers a proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4), plus a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform. Copy trading is available at both brokers, and you can place trades directly from charts. One key difference: easyMarkets also supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while City Index does not—important if you want MT5’s features.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates City Index at 4.5 stars (ranked 11th of 63) and easyMarkets at 4 stars (ranked 36th of 63). If MT5 access is a must, easyMarkets has the edge; if overall platform quality and tool depth matter more, City Index scores higher. Both brokers cover the essentials with familiar interfaces, a range of technical indicators, and customizable watchlists.
| Feature |
City Index
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
City Index and easyMarkets both offer full-featured iPhone and Android mobile trading apps with watchlist syncing across devices and web. City Index stands out for active chart watchers: it includes 88 technical studies versus 81 at easyMarkets, supports drawing trendlines (as does easyMarkets), and uniquely auto-saves chart drawings. City Index also provides stock and forex price alerts, while easyMarkets does not, which can matter if you rely on notifications to catch moves.
For overall quality, City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com. easyMarkets scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #32. If you want richer charting and built-in alerts, City Index is the stronger pick; if you need the basics with cross-device watchlist sync, easyMarkets gets the job done.
| Feature |
City Index
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 81 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
City Index and easyMarkets both tick the key boxes for market research. Each broker provides daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, Trading Central tools, sentiment indicators that display long/short ratios, and a global economic calendar. Neither platform currently integrates Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
The main difference is quality as measured by independent reviews. City Index holds a 4.5/5 Research rating and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while easyMarkets scores 3.5/5 and ranks #44. In short, both cover the essentials, but City Index is rated higher for research and analysis overall.
| Feature |
City Index
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
City Index vs easyMarkets for beginner education: both brokers make learning simple with at least one client webinar every month and big video libraries. Each provides 10+ beginner videos to cover the basics of trading (including topics such as forex and CFDs), plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. That mix lets new traders start with core lessons and reinforce skills through live sessions.
Independent ratings tilt in City Index’s favor for education: it scores 4.5/5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while easyMarkets earns 3.5/5 stars and ranks #39. If you want a higher-rated education experience, City Index is the stronger choice; if you simply want accessible videos and regular webinars to get started, easyMarkets is a solid option.
| Feature |
City Index
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| 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 easyMarkets. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while easyMarkets finished with an overall rank of #42.
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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easyMarkets
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 84 |
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City Index vs easyMarkets: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing online brokers City Index vs easyMarkets for account funding and withdrawals: City Index supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers but not Skrill (Visa/Mastercard not specified), while easyMarkets supports ACH/SEPA (PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires not specified).
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 | easyMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 84 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | easyMarkets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | easyMarkets | |
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| Regulation | City Index | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 84 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | |||
| 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 | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | City Index | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 230 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 63 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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). |
| Cost | City Index | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 0.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | City Index | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | City Index | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | City Index | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 81 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | City Index | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | City Index Review | easyMarkets Review |
| Overall | City Index | easyMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 84 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | easyMarkets Review |
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