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

City Index vs GBE brokers 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of City Index vs GBE brokers, 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
GBE brokers
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $1000
  • Trust Score: 71
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 500

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 out as a highly trusted online broker with a perfect Trust Score of 99, according to ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded company, City Index holds seven Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, reflecting its strong regulatory standing and reliability for investors. Although it is not a bank, its longstanding presence in the market and commitment to regulatory compliance make it a top choice for traders seeking stability and trustworthiness in their online brokerage.

On the other hand, GBE brokers, established in 2013, has a Trust Score of 71, indicating an average risk level. Unlike City Index, GBE brokers is not publicly traded and holds just one Tier-1 license, with no Tier-2 licenses. While it maintains a certain level of trust, GBE brokers' younger age and smaller regulatory footprint suggest that potential investors may need to weigh the potential risks and rewards more carefully when choosing this brokerage for their trading activities.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
GBE brokers logoGBE brokers
Year Founded info 1983 2013
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 1
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 1

Fees

If you’re comparing commissions and fees, City Index holds a clear edge over GBE brokers. City Index is rated 4.5/5 stars and ranks #15 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees at ForexBrokers.com, while GBE brokers is rated 4/5 stars and ranks #38 out of 63. City Index publishes detailed pricing and offers extras for active traders, whereas GBE brokers does not provide average spread data, making direct cost comparisons tougher.

City Index’s pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread betting sits around the industry average. Its EUR/USD average spread was 0.74 pips as of July 2023, and you’ll typically get the best pricing on City Index’s own platforms or MetaTrader. High-volume traders can benefit from the Premium Trader account (available to clients who deposit more than £10,000), which includes access to exclusive pricing, events, content, and dedicated support. There are also volume-based rebates: in the U.K., professional traders can earn £4 per million when trading more than £25M per month, rising to £7.5 per million above £300M; in Australia, rebates range from AUD $4.5 to AUD $14.5 per million across tiers.

For GBE brokers, average spread figures are not available, so estimating typical trading costs is less straightforward. Its 4/5 star rating and #38/63 ranking suggest it trails City Index in this category. If transparent, published pricing and volume rebates matter to you, City Index is the more informative choice; if you prioritize other factors, GBE brokers may still be worth considering.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
GBE brokers logoGBE brokers
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $1000
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.4 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes Yes
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

City Index vs GBE brokers: both let you trade forex via CFDs or spot, support copy trading, and offer cryptocurrency derivatives. Neither provides access to real (delivered) crypto or exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges. The big difference is breadth: City Index lists about 13,500 tradeable symbols, while GBE brokers offers around 500. For forex pairs specifically, City Index has 66, whereas GBE brokers edges it with 71.

If you want the widest variety of markets, City Index delivers far more overall choice; if your focus is strictly on currency pairs, GBE brokers offers a few more. Independent ratings reflect this gap in coverage: City Index earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #8 of 63 for Range of Investments at ForexBrokers.com, while GBE brokers scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #45.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
GBE brokers logoGBE brokers
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 500
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 71
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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 GBE Brokers both offer free demo accounts for paper trading, along with web-based platforms and Windows desktop downloads. City Index adds its own proprietary platform, while GBE Brokers relies on third-party software. Both support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and copy trading; only GBE Brokers also offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Neither broker integrates ZuluTrade or DupliTrade. Both let you place trades directly from a chart.

When it comes to tools, City Index stands out with 239 drawing tools versus 15 at GBE Brokers, and 11 watchlist columns compared with 7. For Trading Platforms and Tools, City Index is rated 4.5/5 and ranked #11 out of 63 brokers, while GBE Brokers is rated 4/5 and ranked #58. If you want the widest in-house platform features, City Index has the edge; if MT5 access is a must, GBE Brokers is the pick.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
GBE brokers logoGBE brokers
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 239 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 11 7

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

Forex trading apps

City Index and GBE brokers both provide mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, multiple chart time frames, trendline drawing, and auto-saving of chart annotations—covering the essentials for trading on the go.

Where they differ is in charting depth and syncing. City Index offers 88 technical studies compared to 30 with GBE brokers, and City Index syncs watchlists between mobile and web, while GBE brokers does not. Ratings mirror this edge: City Index scores 4.5/5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, whereas GBE brokers earns 4/5 stars and ranks #58. Choose City Index if you want more tools and seamless cross-device syncing; pick GBE brokers if you’re comfortable with the basics.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
GBE brokers logoGBE brokers
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 88 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

City Index and GBE brokers both publish daily market commentary and provide an economic calendar. Each also offers a sentiment tool showing the share of long vs. short positions. From there, City Index pulls ahead for market research: it streams forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones and includes Trading Central analytics, while GBE brokers lacks both of those. Neither broker integrates Autochartist. City Index does not feature TipRanks or Acuity Trading; for GBE brokers, the availability of TipRanks or Acuity Trading is not specified.

Bottom line: City Index earns 4.5/5 stars for Research and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, making it a stronger pick if you want built-in news and third‑party analysis. GBE brokers holds 3/5 stars and ranks #63 of 63, fitting traders who just need the basics like commentary, a calendar, and sentiment data.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
GBE brokers logoGBE brokers
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) info No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

City Index vs. GBE brokers for beginner education: City Index clearly leads. It offers at least ten forex and CFD lessons, live client webinars every month, and a searchable archive of past webinars. Beginners get ten-plus starter video lessons, more than ten advanced videos for later growth, and an investor dictionary with 50+ definitions. These resources contribute to a 4.5/5 Education rating and a #9 rank out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com.

GBE brokers does not match this support. It does not provide a minimum of ten forex/CFD lessons, runs no monthly client webinars, has no searchable webinar archive, and lacks sets of ten beginner or advanced videos, as well as an investor dictionary with 50+ terms. Its Education rating is 3/5 stars and it is ranked #64 by ForexBrokers.com. For new traders who want structured learning and ongoing webinars, City Index is the more beginner-friendly choice.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
GBE brokers logoGBE brokers
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes No
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes No
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes No

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 GBE brokers. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while GBE brokers finished with an overall rank of #57.

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
GBE brokers logoGBE brokers
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 71
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with City Index or GBE brokers?

City Index and GBE Brokers both do not provide the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.

What funding options does each broker offer?

Both City Index and GBE Brokers offer versatile deposit and withdrawal options, including ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, but only GBE Brokers supports transactions via Skrill.




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_boxACY Securities
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAdmirals
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAlpari
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxATFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAvaTrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAxi
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBDSwiss
  • 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_boxDooPrime
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxEarn
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeasyMarkets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxEightcap
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeToro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxExness
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFineco
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFOREX.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFP Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXCM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXGT.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXOpen
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXPrimus
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFxPro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxGBE brokers
  • 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_boxiFOREX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIG
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxInteractive Brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIronFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIUX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxLegacyFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxLibertex (Forex Club)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMarkets.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMarkets4you
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMoneta Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMultiBank
  • 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_boxRoboForex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSaxo
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSpreadex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSwissquote
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxThinkMarkets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTickmill
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTMGM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTopFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrade Nation
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrading 212
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVantage
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVT Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXM Group
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXTB
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXtrade

Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating City Index GBE brokers
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 71
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review
Broker Screenshots City Index GBE brokers
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
Regulation City Index GBE brokers
Trust Score info 99 71
Year Founded info 1983 2013
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 1
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) City Index GBE brokers
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes No
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 GBE brokers
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info Yes No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments City Index GBE brokers
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 500
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 71
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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 GBE brokers
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.4 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
Inactivity Fee info Yes No
Execution: Agency Broker info No No
Execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding City Index GBE brokers
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $1000
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes Yes
Trading Platforms City Index GBE brokers
Proprietary Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Trading Tools City Index GBE brokers
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 11 7
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 239 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading City Index GBE brokers
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 88 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research City Index GBE brokers
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes No
TipRanks info No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education City Index GBE brokers
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes No
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes No
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes No
Major Forex Pairs City Index GBE brokers
GBP/USD info Yes Yes
USD/JPY info Yes Yes
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF info Yes Yes
USD/CAD info Yes Yes
NZD/USD info Yes Yes
AUD/USD info Yes Yes
Review City Index Review
Overall City Index GBE brokers
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 71
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review
arrow_upward

close