FOREX.com vs City Index 2025
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com vs City Index, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com vs City Index, 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.
FOREX.com and City Index are both esteemed online brokers with long-standing market presence, established in 1999 and 1983 respectively. Both are publicly traded and not banks, enhancing transparency for traders. Each broker holds seven Tier-1 licenses, a reflection of their strong regulatory standing and adherence to high trust standards as per ForexBrokers.com. Moreover, each holds one Tier-2 license, contributing further to their trusted status.
In terms of overall trust, FOREX.com and City Index both achieve the maximum ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99, indicating a highly trusted reputation in the online trading industry. Their equivalent trust ratings and regulatory credentials make them reliable choices for traders seeking secure and reputable platforms.
Feature |
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Year Founded | 1999 | 1983 |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
Bank | No | No |
Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 7 |
Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
FOREX.com and City Index both score 4.5/5 stars for commissions and fees. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, FOREX.com places #14 out of 63 brokers, while City Index is close behind at #15. City Index’s pricing generally sits at the industry average, whereas FOREX.com can be slightly pricier for U.S. traders unless you use its commission-based RAW pricing or qualify for higher-volume rebates.
FOREX.com’s Standard account shows typical EUR/USD spreads of 1.4 pips in the U.S. (July 2023). Outside the U.S., its time-weighted EUR/USD spread averaged 0.74 pips (July 2023). The RAW Spread account targets active traders with typical EUR/USD spreads of 0.13 pips (Feb 2024) plus a $7 per standard lot round-turn commission at the base tier. Volume rebates range from $2 to $9 per million, but unless you trade more than $50 million per month, the all-in cost for the Commission/RAW setup tends to resemble the Standard account for U.S. residents.
City Index posts an average EUR/USD spread of 0.74 pips (July 2023), aligning with the industry average; you’ll usually get the best pricing on its proprietary platforms or MetaTrader. The Premium Trader account (typically for deposits over £10,000) offers exclusive pricing and service. For frequent traders, rebates start at £4 per million and reach £7.5 per million in the U.K., and range from AUD $4.5 to $14.5 per million in Australia. In short: City Index delivers straightforward, average-cost spread pricing, while FOREX.com can be more cost-effective for high-volume traders using RAW pricing and eligible rebates.
Feature |
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Minimum Deposit | $100 | £100.00 |
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.4 |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.74 |
Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the investment options at FOREX.com and City Index, both platforms offer forex trading in the forms of CFD (Contract for Difference) and spot contract. However, City Index stands out by providing a more extensive selection of tradeable symbols, boasting 13,500 compared to FOREX.com's 5,500. On the other hand, FOREX.com offers a slightly broader range of tradeable forex pairs, with 80 pairs available compared to City Index's 66. Despite these differences, neither platform allows trading in exchange-traded securities from U.S. or international exchanges. Additionally, while both brokers offer cryptocurrency derivatives, neither supports purchasing actual cryptocurrencies directly.
For those interested in copy trading, City Index provides this feature, unlike FOREX.com. Both platforms receive high praise for their range of investments, each earning a five-star rating in this category. In terms of rankings by ForexBrokers.com, FOREX.com holds the #7 spot, just ahead of City Index at #8, when judged among 63 brokers. Overall, traders looking for a wide spectrum of investment avenues will find compelling options with both platforms, but specific preferences might sway some toward City Index for its higher number of tradeable symbols and copy trading capabilities.
Feature |
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Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 13500 |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 66 |
U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
Copy Trading | No | 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.
FOREX.com and City Index both check key boxes for traders who want flexible platforms and helpful tools. Each broker offers a free demo account for paper trading, a proprietary in-house platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. You can trade directly from charts with either brand, and both support MetaTrader 4 (MT4). The main differences: FOREX.com also supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while City Index does not. On the other hand, City Index offers copy trading, while FOREX.com does not.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, ForexBrokers.com rates FOREX.com at 5 stars (ranked #7 out of 63) and City Index at 4.5 stars (ranked #11 out of 63). In simple terms: choose FOREX.com if MT5 matters to you; choose City Index if you want built-in copy trading. Both are solid picks if you’re looking for a demo account, MT4 access, and the ability to place trades right from your charts.
Feature |
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Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
Copy Trading | No | Yes |
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 88 |
Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FOREX.com and City Index both check the key boxes for a modern mobile trading app. Each offers iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, and watchlists that sync between mobile and your online account. For charting, the two are evenly matched: both apps include 88 built-in technical indicators, let you draw trendlines, and automatically save your chart drawings so your work carries over the next time you open the app. If you’re comparing FOREX.com vs City Index for everyday trading tasks—tracking forex prices, managing watchlists, and analyzing charts—both deliver similar core tools.
Where they differ is in third-party evaluations. According to ForexBrokers.com, FOREX.com’s mobile trading app earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers, while City Index earns 4.5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63. In short, both apps are strong picks, but FOREX.com edges ahead on ratings and overall standing.
Feature |
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Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 88 |
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When looking into daily market commentary and forex news from reputable sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, both FOREX.com and City Index provide solid offerings. They cater to traders who appreciate a sentimental trading tool, as both platforms supply this feature, which showcases the ratio of long or short positions across various currency pairs. In terms of research tools, both brokers integrate services from Trading Central, enhancing their technical analytics capabilities, although neither employs tools from Autochartist or market research from TipRanks. Despite the lack of Acuity Trading resources, each broker delivers an economic calendar to keep traders aware of significant global events.
In terms of market research, FOREX.com and City Index earn matching research ratings, both receiving 4.5 stars. Their close proximity in rankings, with FOREX.com at 9th place and City Index at 10th among 63 brokers surveyed by ForexBrokers.com, highlights their competitive standing in this arena. This comparison underscores the strong research offerings both brokers bring to the table, equipping traders with vital insights to make informed decisions.
Feature |
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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.
FOREX.com vs City Index for beginner education: both brokers make it easy to start learning forex and CFD trading. Each runs live client webinars at least once per month and offers plenty of video lessons for all skill levels—specifically, both provide at least 10 beginner-focused videos and at least 10 advanced videos. These webinar programs and video libraries give new traders practical, step-by-step guidance to build skills over time.
When it comes to third-party recognition, both brokers earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education from ForexBrokers.com. That said, FOREX.com holds the higher placement in the Education category, ranking 4th out of 63 brokers, while City Index ranks 9th. If you want frequent webinars and a large set of beginner and advanced trading videos, you’ll find strong education at either broker; if rankings matter to you, FOREX.com has the edge.
Feature |
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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 FOREX.com is better than City Index. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #5, while City Index finished with an overall rank of #8.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
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Overall Rating |
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Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
Range of Investments |
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Commissions & Fees |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Research |
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Mobile Trading |
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Education |
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Both FOREX.com and City Index do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
FOREX.com vs City Index: both brokers support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, but only FOREX.com offers Skrill (City Index does not), with Visa/Mastercard availability 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 5Overall Rating | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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Mobile Trading |
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Research |
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Education |
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Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | FOREX.com Review | City Index Review |
Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Regulation | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
Year Founded | 1999 | 1983 | |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
Bank | No | No | |
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 7 | |
Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
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) | No |
Investments | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 13500 | |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 66 | |
U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
Copy Trading | No | 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 | FOREX.com | City Index | |
---|---|---|---|
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.4 | |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.74 | |
Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
Funding | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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Minimum Deposit | $100 | £100.00 | |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
Trading Platforms | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
cTrader | No | No |
Trading Tools | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 88 | |
Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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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 | 88 | |
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Research | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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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 | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Major Forex Pairs | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
Review | FOREX.com Review | City Index Review |
Overall | FOREX.com | City Index | |
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Overall Rating |
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Commissions & Fees |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading |
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Research |
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Education |
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Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | FOREX.com Review | City Index Review |