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City Index vs ThinkMarkets 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of City Index vs ThinkMarkets, 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
ThinkMarkets
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $50 info
  • Trust Score: 92
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 4000

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 and ThinkMarkets are two prominent choices for online brokerage services that cater to different investor needs. Founded in 1983, City Index boasts an impressive ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99, reflecting its status as a highly trusted broker. The company holds seven Tier-1 licenses, indicating a strong regulatory foundation. Although not a bank, City Index is a publicly traded entity, providing an added layer of transparency for its clients.

ThinkMarkets, on the other hand, was established in 2010 and achieves a Trust Score of 92, categorizing it as a trusted broker. The firm holds five Tier-1 licenses, showing a solid regulatory presence, along with two Tier-2 licenses. Unlike City Index, ThinkMarkets is not publicly traded, yet it remains a reliable option for those seeking a trustworthy brokerage without the involvement of banking activities.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ThinkMarkets logoThinkMarkets
Year Founded info 1983 2010
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 5
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 2
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 3

Fees

Comparing commissions and fees, City Index comes out ahead of ThinkMarkets based on independent assessments. City Index is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #15 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees, while ThinkMarkets is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #48 out of 63. City Index’s pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread betting is generally in line with the industry average. ThinkMarkets does not publish average spread data, which makes direct, like-for-like comparisons harder.

City Index lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.74 pips (July 2023), which keeps overall costs competitive even if not the lowest available. You’ll typically find the best pricing when using City Index’s own platforms or MetaTrader. Active traders can apply for the Premium Trader account by depositing more than £10,000, unlocking exclusive pricing, events, content, and dedicated support. There are also volume-based rebates: in the U.K., £4 per million traded from £25M per month up to £7.5 per million above £300M; in Australia, AUD $4.5 per million for tier one up to AUD $14.5 per million for tier three.

For ThinkMarkets, specific average spread figures aren’t available. Its 4 out of 5 star rating and #48 ranking suggest solid, but not leading, pricing compared with peers. If you’re considering ThinkMarkets, check live spreads and any commissions or rebates directly on its platform to see how real-time costs stack up for your trading style.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ThinkMarkets logoThinkMarkets
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $50 info
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.4 info 1.1 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info N/A info
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

For range of investments, City Index offers far more choice than ThinkMarkets. City Index lists about 13,500 tradeable symbols and 66 forex pairs, while ThinkMarkets has roughly 4,000 symbols and 46 pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex either as CFDs or spot contracts. Each supports copy trading and cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither lets you buy actual crypto coins.

If you want to buy real shares (not CFDs), neither broker supports U.S.-listed stocks like Apple directly. ThinkMarkets does offer direct access to some international shares, whereas City Index does not offer direct share dealing on any exchange. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments ratings, City Index scores 5 stars and ranks #8 of 63 brokers, while ThinkMarkets scores 4.5 stars and ranks #24.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ThinkMarkets logoThinkMarkets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 4000
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 46
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes info
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info Yes Yes info
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 vs ThinkMarkets: both brokers offer strong platform coverage for everyday traders. You’ll get a free demo account for practice, in-house proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, and copy trading. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4), and both let you place trades directly from charts—handy for quick entries and exits.

For differences, ThinkMarkets adds MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while City Index does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, City Index earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #11 of 63 for Trading Platforms and Tools, compared with ThinkMarkets at 4/5 stars and #28. If MT5 access matters most, ThinkMarkets has the edge; if you want a higher-rated overall platform experience, City Index is the better pick.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ThinkMarkets logoThinkMarkets
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 info
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

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

Forex trading apps

City Index and ThinkMarkets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saved chart annotations. For charting depth, ThinkMarkets provides 94 technical studies, edging out City Index’s 88. A key difference is watchlist syncing: City Index syncs watchlists with your online account, so changes carry across devices, while ThinkMarkets does not. If you care about seamless watchlist management, City Index has the advantage; if you want a few more built-in indicators, ThinkMarkets takes the lead.

Independent ratings favor City Index overall. City Index scores 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, while ThinkMarkets earns 4 stars and ranks #20. In short, both apps are strong choices for forex and CFD traders on iOS and Android, with City Index standing out for cross-device convenience and ThinkMarkets appealing to traders who prioritize a larger set of technical studies.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ThinkMarkets logoThinkMarkets
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 94
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

City Index and ThinkMarkets both cover the essentials for market research. Each provides daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool showing long/short positioning, and an economic calendar with upcoming events. Neither broker includes Autochartist or TipRanks.

The key differences are in extra tools. City Index includes Trading Central for market ideas, while ThinkMarkets offers Acuity Trading (Signal Centre). For research, ForexBrokers.com rates City Index 4.5/5 stars and ranks it #10 out of 63 brokers, whereas ThinkMarkets earns 3.5/5 stars and ranks #51.

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

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

For beginners comparing online brokers City Index and ThinkMarkets on education, both run monthly client webinars and each offers at least 10 beginner-focused videos, plus advanced video lessons for when you’re ready to level up. That said, it isn’t specified whether either broker provides a minimum of 10 forex- or CFD-specific education pieces (articles, videos, or archived webinars). It’s also not specified if they maintain a searchable archive of past webinars or an investor dictionary with 50+ terms.

Independent ratings favor City Index: it scores 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ThinkMarkets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #52. If you want a broker with better-rated learning support for new traders, City Index is the stronger choice; if you mainly need regular webinars and beginner videos, ThinkMarkets can cover the basics.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ThinkMarkets logoThinkMarkets
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 ThinkMarkets. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27.

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
ThinkMarkets logoThinkMarkets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 92
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with City Index or ThinkMarkets?

Both City Index and ThinkMarkets do not provide options for purchasing actual delivered cryptocurrencies but do offer opportunities to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.

What funding options does each broker offer?

City Index vs ThinkMarkets: City Index supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, and bank wires but not Skrill, while ThinkMarkets supports Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.

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Overall Rating City Index ThinkMarkets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 92
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review
Broker Screenshots City Index ThinkMarkets
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 ThinkMarkets
Trust Score info 99 92
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 5
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 2
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 3
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) City Index ThinkMarkets
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info No Yes
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 Yes
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) City Index ThinkMarkets
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments City Index ThinkMarkets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 4000
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 46
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes info
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info Yes Yes info
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 ThinkMarkets
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.4 info 1.1 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.74 info N/A info
Inactivity Fee info Yes Yes
Order execution: Agency info No Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding City Index ThinkMarkets
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $50 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 ThinkMarkets
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes info
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools City Index ThinkMarkets
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 ThinkMarkets
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 94
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research City Index ThinkMarkets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info Yes No
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education City Index ThinkMarkets
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs City Index ThinkMarkets
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
Overall City Index ThinkMarkets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 92
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review
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