menuclose
Back to Main Menu
ForexBrokers.com is committed to the highest ethical standards and reviews services independently. Learn How We Make Money

City Index vs Exness 2026

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

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.

City Index
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £100.00
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 13500
Exness
4.0/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $10 info
  • Trust Score: 81
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 209

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.

Regulation

City Index, founded in 1983, stands as a highly trusted online broker, evidenced by its stellar Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. It holds an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses, providing a solid foundation for security and reliability. Additionally, City Index is publicly traded, offering an added layer of transparency and oversight. Despite not being a bank, its long-standing presence in the market and significant regulatory backing make it a prominent choice for traders prioritizing trust.

On the other hand, Exness, established in 2008, maintains a Trust Score of 81, positioning it in the trusted category according to ForexBrokers.com. Exness holds two Tier-1 licenses and further bolsters its credentials with three Tier-2 licenses. While it is not publicly traded, the company has steadily crafted a reputation for trustworthiness over the years. Even though both brokers are not banks, they offer differing levels of regulatory assurance, with City Index leading in terms of regulatory endorsement.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Exness logoExness
Year Founded info 1983 2008
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 3

Fees

Comparing commissions and fees, City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #16 of 63, while Exness scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #31 of 63. City Index generally sits near the industry average for costs and rewards higher-volume traders with meaningful rebates. Exness stands out for its wide range of account types: you can pick commission-free accounts with higher spreads, or pay a commission to access tighter spreads.

City Index pricing is best when using its proprietary platforms or MetaTrader. On a CFD account, the average EUR/USD spread was 0.74 pips as of July 2023—about industry average and not among the very cheapest. Active traders who deposit more than £10,000 may qualify for the Premium Trader account with exclusive pricing and dedicated service. Volume-based rebates can further cut costs: in the U.K., rebates start at £4 per million traded (above £25M/month) and rise to £7.5 per million (above £300M/month); in Australia, tiers range from AUD $4.5 to AUD $14.5 per million.

Exness ties costs to the account you choose. Standard Cent and Standard are commission-free with higher spreads and market execution, while the Pro account tightens spreads and lets you choose instant or market execution. For the lowest spreads, the Zero Spread account charges a per-trade commission of $0.05 with market execution, and the Raw account charges up to $7 per round-turn lot ($3.5 per side). Zero and Raw have no leverage or stop-out restrictions, with margin calls at 30%. Exness also offers Social Standard and Social Pro accounts for copy trading, each with its own pricing terms.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Exness logoExness
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $10 info
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.4 info N/A
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.9 info N/A
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

City Index vs Exness: both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, offer copy trading, and let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs (but not the actual coins). Neither broker provides direct share dealing on U.S. or international stock exchanges. The biggest difference is breadth: City Index lists about 13,500 tradable instruments, while Exness offers 209. When it comes to currency pairs, Exness leads with 96 versus City Index’s 66.

For range of investments, City Index earns 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Exness earns 3.5 stars and ranks #34. Choose City Index if you want far more markets beyond forex; pick Exness if your priority is a larger list of forex pairs with a smaller overall catalog.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Exness logoExness
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 209
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 96
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No No
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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.

Trading platforms and tools

City Index and Exness both offer free demo accounts, proprietary (in-house) platforms, Windows desktop apps, and web-based platforms. Both support copy trading, MetaTrader 4 (MT4), and trading directly from charts. The key difference is MetaTrader 5 (MT5): Exness supports MT5, while City Index does not. The exact counts of technical indicators and watch list columns aren’t specified, but both cover everyday charting and list management needs.

For trading platforms and tools, City Index is rated 4.5/5 and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com; Exness is rated 4/5 and ranks #15. If MT5 access is a must, choose Exness; if top-tier ratings and an all-around toolset are your priority, City Index has a slight edge.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Exness logoExness
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 107
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

Comparing City Index vs Exness for mobile trading, both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps and support price alerts for forex and CFDs. A key difference is watchlist syncing: City Index syncs watchlists across mobile and the web so changes carry over, while Exness does not. If you switch devices often, City Index makes it easier to keep your symbols organized.

For charting, City Index packs 88 technical studies versus 35 at Exness. Both apps let you draw trendlines, but only City Index auto-saves your drawings for later. Reflecting these strengths, City Index earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, while Exness earns 4/5 stars and ranks #18. Traders who want deeper chart tools and seamless syncing may prefer City Index; those who need core features may find Exness sufficient.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Exness logoExness
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 88 35
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

Comparing City Index vs Exness for market research, both brokers cover the essentials. Each offers daily market commentary and forex news from leading sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. You’ll also find Trading Central tools, a sentiment indicator showing long and short positioning, and an economic calendar tracking global events. On the flip side, neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading/Signal Centre.

The key difference is quality and recognition. City Index is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for research and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Exness holds 3.5 stars and ranks #31. If you want higher-rated, more in-depth research, City Index is the stronger choice; if you only need dependable basics, Exness covers the main tools.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Exness logoExness
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info Yes Yes
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

City Index vs Exness education for beginners: both brokers provide forex and CFD education with well over 10 learning pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Each hosts client webinars at least monthly, and both offer 10+ beginner trading videos alongside 10+ advanced videos—so new traders can start with basics and progress to more complex topics at their own pace.

According to ForexBrokers.com, City Index earns a higher education score (4.5/5, ranked #9 of 63) compared with Exness (3.5/5, ranked #21). If you want a more highly rated learning path with frequent webinars and plenty of beginner content, City Index edges ahead. Exness remains a solid choice for beginners who value a large video library and regular educational webinars.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Exness logoExness
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

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.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Exness logoExness
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 81
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with City Index or Exness?

City Index vs Exness: both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFD trading, but neither allows buying or taking delivery of actual cryptocurrencies.

What funding options does each broker offer?

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.

More Comparisons

City Index vs Trading 212 City Index vs Vantage City Index vs Exness City Index vs Charles Schwab City Index vs IUX City Index vs XTB Exness vs OANDA Exness vs IFC Markets Exness vs Saxo Exness vs Plus500 Exness vs FOREX.com Exness vs FxPro

Show all



announcementPlease 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

↓×
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxActivTrades
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAvaTrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBlackBull Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCharles Schwab
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCity Index
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCMC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxEightcap
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeToro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxExness
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFOREX.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFP Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXCM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFxPro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHFM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHYCM (Henyep Capital Markets)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIFC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIG
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxInteractive Brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIUX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOANDA
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOcta
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPepperstone
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPlus500
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxQuestrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSaxo
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSpreadex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSwissquote
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTickmill
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrading 212
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVantage
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXM Group
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXTB

Compare

0 of 5
× City Index
× Exness
Sponsored

+ Add Broker

Close Menu ×

navigate_before navigate_next
Overall Rating City Index Exness
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 81
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review Exness Review
Broker Screenshots City Index Exness
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
City Index MetaTrader 4 mobile trading app City Index web platform trading. City Index web platform research Trading Central City Index educational course advanced.
Exness MetaTrader 5 mobile trading from charts. Exness Terminal web platform. Exness research market news headlines FX Street. Exness Educational articles.
Regulation City Index Exness
Trust Score info 99 81
Year Founded info 1983 2008
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 3
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) City Index Exness
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info No No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) City Index Exness
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info Yes
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info Yes Yes info
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info Yes
Investments City Index Exness
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 209
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 96
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No No
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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 info 1.4 info N/A
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.9 info N/A
Inactivity Fee info Yes No
Order execution: Agency info No Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding City Index Exness
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $10 info
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms City Index Exness
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools City Index Exness
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 107
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading City Index Exness
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 88 35
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes No
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research City Index Exness
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education City Index Exness
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs City Index Exness
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review City Index Review Exness Review
Overall City Index Exness
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 81
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review Exness Review
arrow_upward

close
navigate_before navigate_next