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, founded in 1983, and eToro, established in 2007, are both well-regarded online brokers that are publicly traded. Neither of them functions as a bank, which means they focus specifically on providing trading services. When it comes to trust and regulatory oversight, City Index holds the upper hand with a Trust Score of 99 against eToro’s 96, according to ForexBrokers.com. This makes City Index highly trusted, while eToro is also considered highly trusted but scores slightly lower in comparison.
In terms of regulatory licenses, City Index shines with seven Tier-1 licenses, showcasing a high level of trustworthiness in the financial world. In comparison, eToro has three Tier-1 licenses. Both platforms hold one Tier-2 license each, adding to their credibility. Whether you're examining the amount of regulatory licenses or trust ratings, both brokers provide secure trading options, but City Index has a slight edge with its more extensive regulatory backing.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
For everyday trading costs, City Index generally comes in cheaper than eToro. City Index lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.74 pips (as of July 2023), which sits around the industry average, while eToro’s typical EUR/USD spread is 1 pip, slightly above average. In other words, forex spreads tend to be tighter at City Index than at eToro. Both brokers earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees; City Index ranks #15 of 63 in this category at ForexBrokers.com, while eToro ranks #23 of 63.
City Index pricing is most competitive on its proprietary platforms and MetaTrader, and it supports CFDs, forex, and spread betting. High-balance and high-volume customers can unlock more savings: the Premium Trader account (for deposits over £10,000) offers exclusive pricing, special events, educational content, and dedicated support. Active trader rebates for U.K. professional clients start at £4 per million notional for monthly volumes above £25M and rise to £7.5 per million above £300M; in Australia, tiers range from AUD $4.5 to $14.5 per million.
eToro is a market-maker broker best known for social copy trading rather than low spreads, though it does offer a five-tier VIP program (eToro Club) from Silver to Diamond for balances of $5,000–$250,000. Perks can include access to Trading Central, discounted withdrawal and deposit fees, and a dedicated account manager. If your priority is the lowest possible forex spread, City Index usually has the edge; if you value copy trading tools and VIP benefits, eToro may appeal despite its slightly higher typical spread.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $50-$10,000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| 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 eToro both support forex trading via CFDs and/or spot, and both include copy trading. City Index leads on breadth of markets, offering 13,500 tradeable symbols and 66 forex pairs, compared with eToro’s 5,461 symbols and 55 forex pairs. A key difference is access to real shares: eToro lets you buy exchange-traded stocks on U.S. and international exchanges, while City Index does not. For crypto, City Index offers cryptocurrency derivatives but not the actual coins; eToro offers both real crypto and crypto derivatives.
Both brokers earn 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings of 63 brokers for this category, City Index is #8 and eToro is #11. Choose City Index if you want the widest selection of markets and forex pairs within CFD-style trading. Pick eToro if you value buying real stocks and cryptocurrencies alongside forex and copy trading.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 5461 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 55 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | Yes |
| 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.
Comparing City Index and eToro for their trading platforms and tools reveals some distinct features for each. Both brokers offer free virtual demo accounts, allowing traders to practice without risk. They each provide their own in-house developed platform along with web-based trading capabilities. However, City Index offers a Windows-based desktop download option, which eToro lacks. In terms of charting capabilities, City Index provides an impressive 239 drawing tools, compared to eToro's 161. Furthermore, City Index allows traders to execute trades directly from stock charts, a feature not available on eToro. Both brokers support copy trading, enabling users to mimic the trades of seasoned investors. A notable difference lies in the availability of MetaTrader platforms; City Index supports MT4 but not MT5, whereas eToro does not offer either version.
When it comes to watch list customization, City Index offers more flexibility with 11 columns compared to eToro’s 6. Despite these differences, both brokers commendably hold a 4.5-star rating for their trading platforms and tools, as evaluated by ForexBrokers.com. In terms of rankings, eToro is slightly ahead at 8th place, while City Index follows closely behind in 11th place out of 63 brokers reviewed in this category. This detailed comparison should assist traders in choosing the platform that best suits their trading style and needs.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 104 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 161 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 6 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both City Index and eToro offer iPhone and Android apps, making them accessible on the most popular mobile platforms. In both apps, you have the convenience of receiving stock or forex price alerts and syncing your watchlist seamlessly between mobile and online accounts. If you're looking for charting tools, City Index provides 88 technical studies, while eToro offers a slightly higher number at 104. However, City Index has an advantage with its ability to draw trendlines on charts, a feature that eToro lacks. Additionally, City Index automatically saves chart drawings, which eToro does not.
Both brokers allow you to view multiple time frames for stocks or forex, adding flexibility to your analysis. Creating a watchlist with real-time quotes is possible with both apps, ensuring you stay updated on market movements. In terms of user ratings, both City Index and eToro are highly praised, each holding a rating of 4.5 stars. However, in broader rankings by ForexBrokers.com, City Index edges out slightly higher, ranking 9th among 63 brokers, while eToro comes in close at 10th. Ultimately, choosing between the two comes down to specific charting preferences and interface features.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing market research offerings, both City Index and eToro provide daily market commentary to keep traders informed. However, City Index gains an edge by delivering forex news from renowned sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a feature eToro lacks. Both brokers integrate Trading Central's analysis tools to support technical and fundamental analysis, while neither utilizes Autochartist tools. Sentiment-based trading tools are available from both, giving insights into market position ratios.
eToro distinguishes itself by offering market research from TipRanks, a service not available with City Index. Nevertheless, when considering comprehensive market research, City Index and eToro both score 4.5 stars, with City Index ranked slightly higher at #10 compared to eToro's #13 by ForexBrokers.com. Both brokers also provide an economic calendar covering global news impacts, ensuring well-rounded support for trading strategies.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 eToro are well-equipped to support new traders. They each offer more than 10 educational pieces focused on forex and CFDs, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Additionally, if you're looking for live learning opportunities, both platforms host at least one educational webinar every month and maintain a searchable archive of past webinars. This makes it easier for you to access insights and improve your trading skills at your own pace.
If you prefer visual learning, you won't be disappointed with either choice, as both City Index and eToro offer over 10 beginner-friendly videos along with advanced content for experienced traders. For those who need a bit of help with terminology, each broker provides a comprehensive investor dictionary with definitions for at least 50 key trading terms. In terms of rankings, though City Index and eToro both boast an education rating of 4.5 stars, eToro holds a slightly higher rank at #5 compared to City Index's #9 out of 63 brokers, making eToro slightly more prominent in educational offerings according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| 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 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 |
City Index
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
While City Index provides the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives but not actual cryptocurrencies, eToro offers both the ability to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies and trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both City Index and eToro provide versatile funding options, supporting ACH and SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals; however, eToro has the additional option of Skrill, which City Index does not offer.
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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | eToro Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| 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 | 3 | |
| 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 (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 5461 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| 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 | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 6 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 104 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 161 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | eToro Review |
| Overall | City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | eToro Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill