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City Index vs IronFX 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of City Index vs IronFX, 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
IronFX
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $50
  • Trust Score: 83
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 340

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, established in 1983, is a well-regulated online broker listed on the stock exchange, making it highly trustworthy. It holds an impressive tally of seven Tier-1 licenses, recognized as top-level in terms of trust, and one Tier-2 license, also considered trustworthy. This strong regulatory standing, combined with its Trust Score rating of 99, marks City Index as an exceptionally reliable choice for traders.

In contrast, IronFX, founded in 2010, is not publicly listed but maintains a respectable regulatory framework with three Tier-1 licenses. However, it lacks Tier-2 licenses. With a Trust Score of 83, IronFX is deemed a trusted option but falls short of City Index's peak trustworthiness. Both brokers are not banks, providing a focused service in the trading domain.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
IronFX logoIronFX
Year Founded info 1983 2010
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 3
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 1

Fees

City Index beats IronFX on commissions and fees. City Index is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #15 of 63 for Commissions & Fees, while IronFX holds 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #47 of 63. In plain terms, City Index generally offers lower trading costs, whereas IronFX’s pricing tends to run higher than the industry average.

For City Index, typical CFD forex pricing sits near the market average, with the EUR/USD spread averaging about 0.74 pips (July 2023). You’ll usually get the best pricing on City Index’s own platforms or MetaTrader. Active and high-volume traders can reduce costs further: U.K. professional traders can earn rebates from £4 per million traded (over £25M per month) up to £7.5 per million (over £300M per month), and in Australia rebates range from AUD $4.5 to $14.5 per million by tier. There’s also a Premium Trader account for clients depositing over £10,000, which offers exclusive pricing, events, and dedicated support. City Index also supports spread-betting products for eligible markets.

IronFX’s pricing shows more room for improvement. Its Standard variable account lists a typical spread of 1.8 pips (no date range provided), which is higher than average. The zero fixed-spread account can display 0-pip spreads but charges a $18 per lot commission, and spreads widen to 3 pips overnight. Overall, IronFX’s fees and spreads are less competitive than City Index for most traders.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
IronFX logoIronFX
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $50
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.4 info 1.2
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info N/A
Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) [DELETED] info
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

City Index and IronFX differ notably in their range of investments. City Index lists about 13,500 tradeable symbols, far more than IronFX’s 340. That said, IronFX offers 83 forex pairs versus City Index’s 66, which may appeal to currency-focused traders, while City Index better suits those who want access to many markets beyond forex.

Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, provide copy trading, and offer crypto via derivatives, but neither allows buying actual cryptocurrency or exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international exchanges. According to ForexBrokers.com, City Index earns 5/5 stars and ranks #8 of 63 for Range of Investments, while IronFX earns 3.5/5 stars and ranks #52.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
IronFX logoIronFX
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 340
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 83
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 IronFX both offer free demo accounts for paper trading, plus web and Windows desktop platforms. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and lets you trade directly from charts, and both offer copy trading. A key difference: City Index also provides its own in-house trading platform, while IronFX focuses on third-party options. Neither broker offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5).

For trading platforms and tools, City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. IronFX scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #62 out of 63. If you want a broker with a strong in-house platform alongside MT4, City Index stands out; if you’re set on MT4 with web and desktop access, IronFX covers the basics.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
IronFX logoIronFX
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading 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 No
DupliTrade [DELETED] info
ZuluTrade [DELETED] info
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] info
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] info

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

Forex trading apps

City Index and IronFX both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with essentials like price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, trendline drawing, and auto-saving of chart annotations. That means you can set alerts, track markets, and pick up your chart work later without losing edits on either platform.

Where they differ is depth and convenience. City Index packs in 88 technical studies (vs. IronFX’s 30) and lets your watchlists sync with your online account, so changes carry over across devices—IronFX does not support syncing. In our data, City Index earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com, while IronFX is rated 3.5/5 stars and ranks #63. For traders who value richer chart tools and synced watchlists, City Index stands out; IronFX covers the basics if you only need core features.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
IronFX logoIronFX
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts 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
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

City Index and IronFX both deliver daily market commentary and stream forex headlines from leading sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. Each broker offers Trading Central tools and an economic calendar, and neither includes Autochartist. One key difference is sentiment data: City Index provides a tool showing the ratio of long and short positions, while IronFX does not. City Index does not offer TipRanks or Acuity Trading integrations; for IronFX, these were not specified.

For research quality, City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10 of 63 brokers, while IronFX scores 4 stars and ranks #29. If you want sentiment insights alongside strong news and analysis, City Index is the better fit. If your needs are limited to daily commentary, premium news, Trading Central, and an economic calendar, IronFX covers the essentials. If TipRanks or Acuity Trading matter to you, check availability with IronFX before opening an account.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
IronFX logoIronFX
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
Client sentiment data info Yes No
TipRanks info No
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) info No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

For beginner education in forex and CFD trading, both City Index and IronFX offer at least 10 beginner-focused videos, making it easy to learn the basics. City Index goes further with at least 10 advanced videos to help you level up, and it hosts educational client webinars at least once a month. IronFX does not run monthly educational webinars and does not match City Index on advanced video volume.

Independent ratings back this up: City Index scores 4.5/5 stars for Education and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IronFX earns 4/5 stars and ranks 44th. Details weren’t provided about broader forex/CFD article libraries, a searchable archive of past webinars, or an investor dictionary for either broker. If you want regular live learning and a clearer path from beginner to advanced, City Index is the stronger choice; if you only need starter videos, both can help you get going.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
IronFX logoIronFX
Education (Forex or CFDs) info
Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] info
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] info

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 IronFX. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while IronFX finished with an overall rank of #48.

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
IronFX logoIronFX
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 83
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 3.5/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with City Index or IronFX?

Neither City Index nor IronFX offers the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both provide options to purchase cryptocurrency derivatives.

What funding options does each broker offer?

City Index vs IronFX: Among online brokers’ deposit and withdrawal options, City Index supports ACH/SEPA transfers and PayPal but not Skrill, IronFX supports Skrill but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal, both accept bank wire transfers, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.

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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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Overall Rating City Index IronFX
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 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 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 83
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review
Broker Screenshots City Index IronFX
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.
Regulation City Index IronFX
Trust Score info 99 83
Year Founded info 1983 2010
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 3
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 IronFX
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes Yes
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 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 IronFX
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 IronFX
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 340
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 83
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 IronFX
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.4 info 1.2
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info N/A
Inactivity Fee info Yes No
Execution: Agency Broker info No Yes
Execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding City Index IronFX
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $50
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 IronFX
Proprietary Desktop Trading 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 No
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools City Index IronFX
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading City Index IronFX
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts 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 - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research City Index IronFX
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No
Client sentiment data info Yes No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education City Index IronFX
Webinars info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Major Forex Pairs City Index IronFX
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 IronFX
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 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 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 83
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review
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