Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs eToro, 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 vs eToro: City Index was founded in 1983, while eToro launched in 2007. Both companies are publicly traded and are not banks. When it comes to regulation, City Index holds 7 Tier-1 licenses (the highest level of oversight) and 1 Tier-2 license, compared with eToro’s 4 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license.
ForexBrokers.com rates brokers on a Trust Score out of 99, where 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 not trusted. City Index scores 99, and eToro scores 96—both fall in the highly trusted category, with City Index edging ahead thanks to a higher score and more top-tier licenses.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
City Index and eToro both earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but their pricing styles differ. City Index generally comes in tighter on forex, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.74 pips (July 2023), while eToro lists a typical variable spread of 1 pip on EUR/USD. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees ranking of 63 brokers, City Index is #16 and eToro is #22.
City Index’s pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread betting is in line with the industry average, and you’ll usually get the best rates on its proprietary platforms or MetaTrader. Active traders may qualify for the Premium Trader account by depositing over £10,000, unlocking exclusive pricing and dedicated service. For high-volume professionals, City Index offers rebates: in the U.K., £4 per million traded starting above £25M per month and up to £7.5 per million above £300M; in Australia, AUD $4.5 to $14.5 per million depending on tier.
eToro uses a market-maker model and is known for its social copy trading, not for the lowest spreads, with a typical 1-pip spread on EUR/USD that sits slightly above the industry average. Its VIP Club spans five tiers (Silver to Diamond) for balances of $5,000–$250,000, with perks that can include access to Trading Central, discounted withdrawal and deposit fees, and a dedicated account manager.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $50-$10,000 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| 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 eToro both offer a wide range of investments, but they shine in different ways. City Index lists 13,500 tradeable symbols versus 7,441 at eToro, and provides access to 66 forex pairs compared to eToro’s 55. Both platforms support forex either as CFDs or as spot contracts, and both include copy trading. For crypto, each offers cryptocurrency CFDs, while only eToro lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency. A key difference is stock access: City Index does not offer exchange-traded securities, whereas eToro lets you buy real shares on U.S. and international exchanges.
Both brokers earn 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments. In category rankings out of 63 brokers, City Index is placed #8 and eToro is #11. In practice, City Index suits traders who want a very large selection of markets and forex pairs within CFDs, while eToro appeals to those who want to combine CFDs and copy trading with the ability to buy real stocks and cryptocurrencies.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 7441 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes |
| 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 eToro both make it easy to get started with a free demo account for paper trading. Each broker offers its own proprietary platform, a web-based platform you can use in your browser, copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. Key differences: City Index provides a Windows desktop platform and supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4), while eToro does not offer a Windows download and doesn’t support MT4. Neither broker supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5).
For Trading Platforms and Tools, both City Index and eToro earn 4.5 out of 5 stars. In category rankings from ForexBrokers.com, eToro places #8 out of 63 brokers, while City Index ranks #11. If you want a downloadable Windows platform and MT4 compatibility, City Index is the better fit. If you prefer a streamlined browser experience and strong social-copy features, eToro stands out.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
City Index and eToro both offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts and syncs watchlists across mobile and web, so your symbols stay updated wherever you log in.
For charting, eToro includes 104 technical studies, while City Index offers 88. However, City Index lets you draw trendlines and automatically saves your chart drawings; eToro does not support trendline drawing or auto-save. Both apps earn 4.5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings out of 63 brokers, City Index sits at #9 and eToro at #10. Choose eToro if you want a larger set of indicators, or City Index if you rely on drawing tools and saved annotations.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
City Index vs eToro: both brokers deliver daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and research powered by Trading Central for technical and fundamental insights. Each also provides a sentiment tool showing long/short ratios and an economic calendar. Neither broker integrates Autochartist or Acuity Trading (Signal Centre).
The key difference is that eToro includes TipRanks research, while City Index does not. Both earn 4.5 stars for Research from ForexBrokers.com; however, City Index ranks #10 and eToro ranks #13 out of 63 brokers. Choose eToro if TipRanks is important to your workflow, or pick City Index if you want a slightly higher-ranked research suite with similar news, tools, and calendars.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
City Index and eToro both make it easy for beginners to start learning about forex and CFD trading. Each broker runs live client webinars at least once a month and offers plenty of video lessons, including at least 10 beginner videos to cover the basics and at least 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. That mix of regular webinars and on-demand videos gives new traders clear, step‑by‑step paths to build skills.
In independent ratings, both City Index and eToro score 4.5 out of 5 for Education. However, eToro ranks higher overall for Education (#3 out of 63 brokers) compared with City Index (#9 out of 63). If you want the option with a slight edge in overall learning experience, eToro is the pick; if you choose City Index, you’ll still get a well-rounded lineup of beginner and advanced content plus frequent webinars.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 eToro. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while eToro finished with an overall rank of #9.
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 |
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eToro
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 |
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City Index vs eToro: eToro lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and trade crypto CFDs, while City Index offers crypto CFDs only and does not provide access to actual (delivered) crypto.
City Index vs eToro deposit and withdrawal options: both brokers support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers; eToro additionally supports Skrill while City Index does not; Visa/Mastercard availability for either broker is 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 | eToro | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | eToro Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | eToro | |
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| Regulation | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2007 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| 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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 7441 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $50-$10,000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 106 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | eToro Review |
| Overall | City Index | eToro | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | eToro Review |
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