Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs Exness, 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 Exness: City Index was founded in 1983 and is publicly traded, while Exness started in 2008 and is privately held; neither firm is a bank. On ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score, City Index earns 99/99 (highly trusted) and Exness scores 80/99 (trusted). For context, the scale is 90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 not trusted.
Regulation sets them apart: City Index holds 7 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, whereas Exness holds 2 Tier-1 and 3 Tier-2 licenses. If top-tier licensing and a stock market listing are priorities, City Index has the edge; if you prefer a trusted broker with multiple Tier-2 approvals, Exness is also a solid choice.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
City Index and Exness both offer pricing that can work well for different types of traders, but City Index has the edge on overall commissions and fees. City Index is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #16 out of 36 brokers for the Commissions and Fees category. Its pricing on CFDs, forex, and spread betting is about average overall, with tighter pricing often available on its own platforms or MetaTrader. Active traders may also qualify for rebates, and larger accounts can unlock Premium Trader benefits if they deposit more than £10,000.
Exness is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #31 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. It offers several account types, which makes it easier to choose between lower spreads or commission-free trading. The commission-based Zero Spread and Raw accounts can be cheaper for some traders, while the standard accounts usually have higher spreads but no per-trade commission. This gives Exness flexibility, but its overall fees score trails City Index.
In simple terms, City Index is the stronger pick if you want a better all-around value on trading costs, especially for forex and CFDs. Exness may appeal if you want more account choices and are willing to compare spreads and commissions carefully. For commissions and fees alone, City Index comes out ahead based on its higher star rating and better ranking.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $100 |
| 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 | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, City Index offers a much wider choice than Exness. City Index lists 13,500 tradeable symbols and 66 forex pairs, while Exness has 239 tradeable symbols and 78 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy real, delivered crypto or exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges.
City Index also stands out for copy trading, which Exness does not offer. That broader product lineup is reflected in independent ratings and rankings: City Index is rated 5 out of 5 stars for range of investments and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers, while Exness scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #34. For traders who want more markets to choose from, City Index has the clear edge.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 239 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 78 |
| 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 and Exness both give traders a strong range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, in-house platforms, desktop downloads for Windows, web-based trading, MetaTrader 4, and the ability to trade straight from charts. Both brokers also support chart-based trading tools, making it easier for users to place trades and manage positions while watching market moves. In terms of overall platform quality, City Index scores 4.5 out of 5 and ranks #11 out of 36 on ForexBrokers.com, while Exness scores 4 out of 5 and ranks #15.
The main difference is that City Index offers copy trading, while Exness does not. Exness does, however, support MetaTrader 5, which City Index does not. For traders who want more social trading features, City Index has the edge; for those who prefer MT5 alongside the other standard platform options, Exness may be the better fit. Overall, both brokers offer easy-to-use trading tools, but City Index has a slight lead in this category.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 Exness both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts, watchlist syncing, and trendline drawing on charts. That means traders can monitor markets, manage watchlists, and analyze price moves from either phone with similar core tools.
Where they differ is in chart features and overall app quality. Exness gives traders more technical studies in its mobile charting, with 100 compared with City Index’s 88, but City Index has the edge in app experience thanks to auto-saving chart drawings, a higher mobile app rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, and a better ForexBrokers.com ranking at #9 out of 36 brokers versus Exness at #18.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
City Index and Exness both give traders useful market research tools, including daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, Trading Central research, and an economic calendar for tracking key global events. Neither broker offers Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
The main difference is that City Index also includes a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning across instruments, while Exness does not. This extra feature, along with City Index’s higher research rating of 4.5 out of 5 and its #10 ranking out of 36 brokers, helps it edge ahead of Exness, which is rated 3.5 out of 5 and ranked #31 for research.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to learn the basics, City Index and Exness both provide a strong range of educational materials. Each broker offers forex and CFD education, regular online webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos as well as 10 advanced videos, so new traders can find content whether they are just starting out or want to build on what they already know. Both also run at least one educational webinar each month, which adds a live learning option for clients.
That said, City Index comes out ahead on overall education quality. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #21. In simple terms, both brokers give beginners plenty of learning tools, but City Index appears to offer a more helpful and better-rated education experience overall.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Exness. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #31.
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.
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Exness
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 |
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City Index vs Exness: both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFD trading, but neither allows buying or taking delivery of actual cryptocurrencies.
Online broker City Index supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals (but not Skrill), whereas Exness supports Skrill and bank wire transfers, but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal.
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 | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Exness Review |
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| Regulation | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2008 | |
| 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 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 239 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 78 | |
| 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). |
| Cost | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 100 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
| Overall | City Index | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Exness Review |
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