Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs Tickmill, 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, and Tickmill, established in 2014, provide online trading services with varying levels of regulatory protection and trust. City Index stands as a highly trusted broker, being publicly traded and holding a top-tier Trust Score of 99 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. It boasts seven Tier-1 licenses, indicating strong regulatory oversight, and one Tier-2 license. In contrast, while not publicly traded, Tickmill is still seen as a reliable option with a Trust Score of 86. It holds two Tier-1 and two Tier-2 licenses, reflecting its commitment to a secure trading environment.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing City Index and Tickmill, both online brokers offer distinct advantages concerning their commissions and fees. City Index provides a competitive but average pricing model, particularly when trading CFDs, forex, and spread-betting products using their proprietary platforms or MetaTrader. A notable feature of City Index is their Premium Trader account for those depositing over £10,000, which ensures exclusive perks, though it remains slightly behind the best forex brokers in terms of tight spreads, such as Tickmill. Active traders in the U.K. can benefit from rebates starting at £4 per million, reaching £7.5 per million for high-volume trading, aligning their costs closely with industry standards. With a 4.5-star rating, City Index is ranked #14 out of 63 in the Commissions and Fees category by ForexBrokers.com.
Tickmill, on the other hand, stands out with its Raw account, which offers one of the most enticing pricing structures for active traders. Despite a recent increase in the per trade commission to $3 per side, Tickmill's low spreads make it a strong competitor. Their Raw account, which replaced the Pro account, features a typical spread of 0.11 pips for EUR/USD, with an all-in cost now at 0.71 pips, maintaining its rank among the top brokers. The Classic account offers a commission-free structure but comes with higher spreads. Tickmill is accessible with a minimum deposit of $100 for its Raw account, providing competitive spreads alongside efficient execution policies. With a 5-star rating, Tickmill is ranked impressively at #4 out of 63 on ForexBrokers.com for its competitive commissions and fees.
In summary, while City Index offers solid options with average pricing and attractive rebates for high-volume traders, Tickmill delivers exceptional value especially through its Raw account, which manages to keep spreads low despite increased commissions. Traders choosing between the two will find that Tickmill's fee structure and lower entry point set it apart for those seeking maximum savings and efficiency in their trading endeavors.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 0.51 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | 0.31 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| 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 Tickmill, both online brokers offer forex trading as a contract for difference (CFD) or spot contract, providing a flexible approach to the forex market. However, City Index outshines Tickmill with an impressive 13,500 tradeable symbols, whereas Tickmill offers 725. In terms of forex pairs, City Index slightly edges out with 66 pairs compared to Tickmill's 63. Despite their strengths in forex and CFDs, neither broker provides the option to invest in exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges.
For those interested in cryptocurrency trading, both brokers offer cryptocurrency derivatives but do not allow the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. Additionally, both City Index and Tickmill facilitate copy trading, a feature desirable to many traders. With its extensive range of offerings, City Index earns a 5-star rating for Range of Investments, ranking #8 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill receives a 3.5-star rating, positioned at #42. This places City Index ahead as a more comprehensive choice for diverse investment opportunities.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 725 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 63 |
| 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 comparing the trading platforms and tools of City Index and Tickmill, both brokers offer simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts, providing traders the opportunity to practice without risking real money. City Index features a proprietary platform developed in-house, while Tickmill relies on third-party options. Both brokers offer Windows-based desktop platforms and web-based trading platforms, though City Index stands out by offering a more extensive range of drawing tools for charting with 239 tools compared to Tickmill's 15. City Index also supports trading directly from stock charts, a feature that Tickmill matches.
City Index supports MetaTrader 4 but does not offer MetaTrader 5, whereas Tickmill includes both versions of the popular trading software, providing more options for traders familiar with the MetaTrader environment. Additionally, both brokers facilitate copy trading, though neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. When it comes to watch list customization, City Index offers a more detailed experience with 11 fields versus Tickmill's 7. Overall, City Index has a higher rating of 4.5 stars for its platforms and tools compared to Tickmill’s 4 stars, and it ranks 11th out of 63 brokers in this category, ahead of Tickmill, which is ranked 32nd.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
City Index and Tickmill both provide mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, supporting forex and stock trading. They each allow users to set price alerts, create watchlists with real-time quotes, and draw trendlines on charts. The apps also support viewing multiple time frames to better analyze market movements. However, City Index offers a more extensive charting experience with 88 technical studies compared to Tickmill's 30, and City Index's watchlist symbol syncing feature gives it an edge by allowing changes made on either its mobile app or web platform to sync seamlessly.
In terms of user ratings and rankings, City Index stands out with a 4.5-star rating and holds the 9th position out of 63 brokers for mobile trading apps according to ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, Tickmill has a 4-star rating and ranks 32nd. These differences highlight City Index’s slightly more advanced features and user-friendliness for mobile traders looking for an all-in-one trading solution.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
City Index and Tickmill both provide their clients with daily market commentary and forex news from renowned sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring up-to-date information for traders. While neither broker offers research tools from Autochartist, City Index distinguishes itself by providing tools from Trading Central, which Tickmill does not. Both brokers have sentiment-based trading tools available, showing long and short position ratios across various instruments.
City Index and Tickmill also include economic calendars to keep traders informed of significant global economic events. However, Tickmill offers additional resources from Acuity Trading's Signal Centre, which City Index lacks. Overall, City Index is rated higher for research with 4.5 stars and ranks 10th out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, compared to Tickmill's 4-star rating and 22nd place ranking.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing City Index and Tickmill in terms of educational resources for beginners, both brokerages excel in offering a wealth of information. Each provides over ten educational pieces, such as articles, videos, and archived webinars, all focusing on forex or CFDs. In addition, both brokerages host monthly online educational webinars, which greatly benefit those starting their trading journey. The resources don't stop there; archived webinars are available in a searchable format to ensure learning is accessible whenever needed.
For those just beginning to explore trading, City Index and Tickmill each offer more than ten beginner videos that cover essential topics, coupled with another set of ten advanced videos for seasoned investors looking to deepen their knowledge. Furthermore, both have created an investor dictionary, featuring at least 50 defining terms to help clarify investing terminology. In the realm of educational offerings, City Index slightly outshines Tickmill with a rating of 4.5 stars and a rank of #9 on ForexBrokers.com, compared to Tickmill's 4-star rating and #15 ranking. This indicates that while both brokers are strong choices for educational resources, City Index may offer a slight edge in overall quality and reputation.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
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 Tickmill. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #22.
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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Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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City Index and Tickmill both offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither provides the option to buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency.
City Index offers more diverse deposit and withdrawal options, including ACH or SEPA transfers and PayPal, while Tickmill provides flexibility with Skrill and also supports PayPal, with both brokers accepting Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires for convenient transactions.
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 | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | Tickmill | |
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| Regulation | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 725 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 63 | |
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 0.51 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | 0.31 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $100 | |
| 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 | No |
| Trading Platforms | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill Review |
| Overall | City Index | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Tickmill Review |
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