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 |
Comparing commissions and fees, City Index sits near the industry average, while Tickmill is priced more aggressively for active forex and CFD traders. City Index earns 4.5/5 stars for Commissions & Fees and is ranked #15 out of 63 brokers. Tickmill earns 5/5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63, reflecting its lower all-in trading costs—especially on its Raw account—even after a recent commission increase.
City Index’s best pricing is available on its proprietary platforms and MetaTrader. Its CFD account averaged a 0.74‑pip spread on EUR/USD (July 2023), which keeps overall costs in line with the market but behind the cheapest brokers. High-volume traders can benefit from the Premium Trader account (for deposits over £10,000) and from rebates: in the U.K., £4 per million traded from £25M/month up to £7.5 per million above £300M; in Australia, AUD $4.5 to $14.5 per million depending on tier.
Tickmill offers two account types. The Classic account is commission-free but carries higher average spreads (1.76 pips on EUR/USD as of August 2023). The Raw account—Tickmill’s flagship for low costs—now charges a $3 per side commission ($6 per standard lot) with a typical EUR/USD spread listed at 0.11 pips (October 2023). Factoring in the new commission, the estimated all-in cost on EUR/USD comes to about 0.71 pips. The Raw account keeps the minimum deposit low at $100, helping cost-focused and frequent traders access Tickmill’s sharper pricing.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 1.70 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.70 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
City Index offers a far wider range of investments than Tickmill, with 13,500 tradeable symbols versus Tickmill’s 637. Both brokers support forex trading (CFD/spot) and include copy trading. City Index lists 66 forex pairs, narrowly topping Tickmill’s 63. Neither broker lets you buy exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international exchanges, and neither offers actual crypto purchases; however, both provide cryptocurrency CFDs for trading exposure without owning the coins.
For range of investments, City Index earns 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill scores 3.5 stars and ranks #43. If you value a larger selection of markets alongside forex and crypto CFDs with copy trading options, City Index is the more versatile pick; Tickmill suits traders who are comfortable with a more focused lineup.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 637 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 63 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
City Index and Tickmill both make it easy to get started with a free demo (paper) trading account, and each offers web-based and Windows desktop platforms. You can trade from charts and use copy trading on both brokers, and MetaTrader 4 (MT4) is available at each. The key differences: City Index provides its own in-house trading platform in addition to MT4, while Tickmill does not have a proprietary platform but does support MetaTrader 5 (MT5).
When it comes to platform quality and tools, City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill scores 4 stars and ranks #30. Both brokers include charting with technical indicators and direct-from-chart order placement. Choose City Index if you want an extra, broker-built platform alongside MT4; pick Tickmill if MT5 access is a priority.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 91 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
City Index and Tickmill both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. You can set stock and forex price alerts on both. They each let you draw trendlines on charts, and those drawings auto-save. For charting tools, City Index offers 88 technical studies, while Tickmill provides 30. City Index also syncs watchlists between the app and your online account; Tickmill does not offer watchlist syncing.
In independent testing, City Index’s mobile app earned 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #9 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com. Tickmill’s app received 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #30 out of 63. If you want deeper charting and seamless watchlist sync, City Index is the stronger pick. If you prefer a simpler toolkit that covers the basics, Tickmill’s mobile app fits the bill.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing City Index and Tickmill for market research offerings, both brokers provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, City Index stands out with its inclusion of Trading Central’s technical analysis tools, providing traders with advanced insights not available through Tickmill. On the flip side, Tickmill offers research tools from Acuity Trading, enhancing traders’ market perspectives, which City Index does not provide. Both platforms offer sentiment-based trading tools and comprehensive economic calendars to keep users informed of global economic events.
In terms of research ratings, City Index is rated slightly higher at 4.5 stars, compared to Tickmill’s 4 stars. This reflects its broader range of tools and high ranking of #10 out of 63 brokers in the Research category, compared to Tickmill’s position at #21. These rankings underscore City Index's strength in providing a more comprehensive suite of analytics for traders, while Tickmill offers a distinct advantage through Acuity Trading tools, catering to different trading strategies and preferences.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
City Index vs Tickmill for beginners: both brokers provide forex and CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Each also runs client webinars at least once a month. For structured learning, both offer at least 10 beginner videos as well as 10 advanced videos, helping new traders build a foundation and then progress to more complex topics.
The main difference shows up in third-party scores. City Index earns a 4.5/5 Education rating and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Education category, while Tickmill scores 4/5 and ranks #15. If you want the higher-rated education experience, City Index has the edge; Tickmill remains a solid pick for accessible beginner and advanced lessons.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | 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
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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City Index vs Tickmill comparison: neither broker allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
City Index vs Tickmill: For deposit and withdrawal methods, City Index supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers (no Skrill), while Tickmill supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers (no ACH/SEPA); Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 637 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 63 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 account | 1.4 | 1.70 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.70 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 91 | |
| 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 Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| 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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