Written by ForexBrokers.com
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.
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, 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
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2013 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing online brokers City Index and GBE Brokers, City Index offers competitive pricing for trading CFDs, forex, and spread-betting products with fees that match the industry average. For traders seeking specialized options, City Index provides a Premium Trader account. This account, available to those depositing over £10,000, offers exclusive pricing, events, and dedicated customer support. The typical spread for a CFD account on City Index averages 0.74 pips on the EUR/USD as of July 2023, which is competitive but not the lowest in the industry. Furthermore, City Index offers active trader rebates and discounts, with attractive rates for high-volume traders both in the UK and Australia.
On the other hand, GBE Brokers does not provide readily available average spread data, which makes a direct comparison of their pricing less transparent. This can present challenges for traders seeking concrete information on potential costs. However, GBE Brokers still receives a respectable 4-star rating for its commissions and fees, reflecting a level of satisfaction among users regarding its pricing structure, despite the lack of detailed spread data.
When considering both brokers, City Index has a slight edge with a 4.5-star rating in the commissions and fees category and is ranked 14th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, GBE Brokers holds a 4-star rating and ranks 37th. This distinction highlights City Index’s more favorable position for traders prioritizing clarity in fees and potential cost-saving opportunities.
| Feature |
City Index
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $500 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| 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.
When comparing City Index and GBE Brokers for their offerings in online trading, City Index stands out with an impressive 13,500 tradeable symbols compared to GBE Brokers' 500. Both platforms allow forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, though GBE Brokers slightly outpaces City Index with 71 tradeable forex pairs to City Index's 66. Neither broker provides access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, such as Apple or Vodafone shares, and both offer copy trading features as well as cryptocurrency derivatives, though not the actual currencies themselves.
City Index has achieved high praise with a 5-star rating for its range of investments, securing the #8 spot out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, GBE Brokers earned a 3.5-star rating, placing #44 in the same ranking. This indicates that while both brokers provide solid investment options, City Index offers a significantly broader scope of tradable assets, making it a more versatile choice for investors seeking variety in their trading portfolios.
| Feature |
City Index
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 71 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| 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.
When evaluating the trading platforms and tools provided by City Index and GBE Brokers, several differences stand out. Both brokers offer a free virtual demo account, allowing traders to practice without risk. City Index provides a proprietary platform alongside popular options like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) but does not support MetaTrader 5 (MT5). GBE Brokers, in contrast, does offer MT5 but lacks an in-house platform. Both companies support web-based and Windows desktop platforms, making them accessible to a range of users. Additionally, they each support copy trading, although neither offers DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
City Index shines in its offering of 239 drawing tools for charting and permits direct trading from stock charts, along with an extensive catalog of 11 watch list fields. Comparatively, GBE Brokers provides a more modest 15 drawing tools and 7 watch list fields. City Index's comprehensive feature set helps it secure a higher rating of 4.5 stars for its trading platforms and tools, compared to GBE Brokers’ 4-star rating. This disparity is also reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where City Index proudly takes the 11th spot out of 63 brokers, whereas GBE Brokers is ranked at 57th.
| Feature |
City Index
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both City Index and GBE Brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, ensuring easy access for traders on the go. City Index stands out with a more comprehensive set of features. It provides 88 technical studies in its charting tools, significantly more than the 30 offered by GBE Brokers. Both platforms support drawing trendlines and viewing multiple time frames; however, City Index adds value by automatically saving chart drawings for future reference. Additionally, City Index offers watchlist symbol syncing, allowing seamless updates between the mobile app and online account—a feature missing from GBE Brokers.
When it comes to customized alerts, both brokers provide stock or forex price alerts and the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes. City Index shines with a higher user rating of 4.5 stars versus GBE Brokers' 4 stars for their mobile trading apps. Indeed, City Index's superior mobile offering is reflected in its #9 ranking in ForexBrokers.com's Mobile Trading Apps category, while GBE Brokers is placed at #57. These distinctions make City Index a preferred choice for traders looking for enhanced functionality and features on their mobile trading platform.
| Feature |
City Index
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing City Index and GBE brokers for market research offerings, both platforms provide daily market commentary and economic calendars to keep traders informed of key global events. However, City Index shines by delivering forex news sourced from top-tier outlets like Bloomberg and Reuters, a feature GBE brokers lacks. Additionally, City Index outpaces its competitor with advanced analysis tools from Trading Central, providing traders with valuable insights into market trends. Both platforms offer sentiment-based tools that display trader positions, but City Index offers a more comprehensive research experience with its diverse range of tools and sources.
In terms of ratings, City Index achieves a commendable 4.5-star rating for its research capabilities, while GBE brokers receive a modest 3 stars. This difference is further highlighted in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, with City Index securing the 10th spot out of 63 brokers, while GBE lags behind at 62nd. These metrics underscore City Index's superior market research offerings, making it a more attractive option for traders seeking quality insights and information.
| Feature |
City Index
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| 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, City Index shines compared to GBE Brokers. City Index provides a comprehensive suite of educational materials, including over ten articles, videos, and archived webinars focusing on forex and CFDs. Additionally, they host online educational client webinars every month, with recordings available in a searchable archive for convenient access. Beginners can benefit from more than ten videos specifically designed for them, and advanced traders have similar tailored content. Moreover, City Index offers an investor dictionary with definitions of over 50 investing terms. In contrast, GBE Brokers falls short, lacking both the volume and variety of educational resources that City Index offers.
City Index's efforts in education are reflected in their impressive 4.5-star rating and a #9 ranking out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, GBE brokers receive a modest 3-star rating and rank last in the same category. This stark difference highlights City Index's commitment to empowering new traders with the knowledge they need to succeed in the trading world, making them a preferred choice for those starting in forex and CFDs trading.
| Feature |
City Index
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
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 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
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GBE brokers
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 |
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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.
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.
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 | GBE brokers | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review |
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| Regulation | City Index | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2013 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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) | No | No |
| Investments | City Index | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 71 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $500 | |
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | City Index | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | City Index | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | City Index | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review |
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