menuclose
Back to Main Menu
ForexBrokers.com is committed to the highest ethical standards and reviews services independently. Learn How We Make Money

City Index vs Tickmill 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

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.

City Index
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £100.00
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 13500
Tickmill
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $100
  • Trust Score: 86
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 637

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, 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 logoCity Index
Tickmill logoTickmill
Year Founded info 1983 2014
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 2
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 1

Fees

City Index and Tickmill both aim to keep trading costs competitive, but they take different paths. Tickmill earns 5 stars (ranked #10 of 63 for Commissions and Fees), while City Index earns 4.5 stars (ranked #16 of 63). The headline takeaway: Tickmill’s Raw account tends to edge out City Index on all-in pricing for popular forex pairs, making it a strong choice for active traders, whereas City Index sits around the industry average but adds value with rebates and premium perks for higher-tier clients.

Tickmill offers two account types. The Classic account is commission-free but has wider spreads (about 1.76 pips on EUR/USD as of August 2023). The Raw account, which replaced the Pro account, charges a $3-per-side commission ($6 per standard lot) and lists a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips (October 2023). That puts the estimated all-in cost around 0.71 pips after the commission increase—still attractive for frequent traders. The Raw account also has a low $100 minimum deposit.

City Index pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread bets is generally in line with the market. The average EUR/USD spread on its CFD account was about 0.74 pips (July 2023), and you’ll get the best pricing on City Index’s proprietary platforms or MetaTrader. High-volume clients can unlock savings: U.K. professional trader rebates start at £4 per million (over £25M traded monthly) and reach £7.5 per million (above £300M), while Australia offers AUD $4.5 to $14.5 per million across tiers. There’s also a Premium Trader account for deposits over £10,000 that adds exclusive pricing and dedicated support.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Tickmill logoTickmill
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $100
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.4 info 1.70 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.9 info 0.70 info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
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

City Index vs Tickmill: both let you trade forex either as a CFD or in the spot market, and both support copy trading. For overall market access, City Index offers far more to choose from with 13,500 tradeable symbols and 66 forex pairs, compared with Tickmill’s 637 symbols and 63 forex pairs. Neither broker offers exchange‑traded U.S. or international stocks, and neither lets you buy actual cryptocurrency. If you want crypto exposure, both provide cryptocurrency CFDs (not the underlying coins).

For Range of Investments, ForexBrokers.com rates City Index at 5 stars and ranks it #8 out of 63 brokers, while Tickmill earns 3.5 stars and ranks #30. In short, City Index suits traders who want the widest selection of markets, whereas Tickmill covers the essentials for forex and CFD traders who also value copy trading.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Tickmill logoTickmill
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 637
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 63
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No No
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) 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 Tickmill both let you practice with a free demo account. Each supports a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform, along with copy trading and the ability to place orders directly from a chart. Both brokers offer MetaTrader 4 (MT4); Tickmill also offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while City Index does not. A key difference is platform choice: City Index provides its own in-house platform in addition to MT4, whereas Tickmill focuses on third-party platforms and does not have a proprietary option.

For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates City Index 4.5 stars (ranked 11th out of 63 brokers) and Tickmill 4 stars (ranked 24th out of 63). In short, City Index suits traders who want a broker-built platform paired with MT4 and chart trading, while Tickmill appeals to those who prefer MT4 plus access to MT5 and copy trading, available on the web and on Windows.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Tickmill logoTickmill
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 91
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

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

Forex trading apps

City Index and Tickmill both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app includes price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines on charts, and auto-saving for your chart markups, so your notes stay put between sessions.

The key differences show up in research and syncing. City Index syncs mobile watchlists with your web account, while Tickmill does not. City Index also includes 88 technical studies for charting, compared with Tickmill’s 30, giving more ways to analyze price moves. Reflecting that, City Index holds a 4.5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, versus Tickmill’s 4 stars and #25 ranking. Choose City Index if you want deeper chart tools and synced watchlists; pick Tickmill if you just need the essentials on the go.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Tickmill logoTickmill
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 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

City Index and Tickmill both check key boxes for market research. Each provides daily market commentary, top‑tier forex news (from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones), a sentiment tool that shows long vs. short positioning, and an economic calendar. Neither broker includes Autochartist or TipRanks. The big difference is tooling: City Index offers Trading Central for technical and fundamental insights, while Tickmill integrates Acuity Trading’s research, including Signal Centre.

For ratings, City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers for Research on ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill scores 4 stars and ranks #19. In short, choose City Index if you value Trading Central’s analysis suite; pick Tickmill if you prefer Acuity Trading and Signal Centre alongside daily commentary and premium news.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Tickmill logoTickmill
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

City Index vs Tickmill: both brokers deliver forex and CFD education that meets the mark for beginners. Each offers at least 10 educational pieces, including a clear path of at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, plus ongoing client webinars at least once a month. That mix gives newcomers step-by-step lessons, deeper strategy content, and live sessions to ask questions and practice what they learn.

In independent testing, City Index scores higher for Education with 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #14. Both are good choices for learning to trade, but if you want the higher-rated education and a stronger category ranking, City Index has the edge; Tickmill is a close alternative.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
Tickmill logoTickmill
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 Tickmill. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23.

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
Tickmill logoTickmill
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 86
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with City Index or Tickmill?

City Index vs Tickmill comparison: neither broker allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.

What funding options does each broker offer?

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.

More Comparisons

City Index vs IC Markets City Index vs Swissquote City Index vs IG City Index vs Spreadex City Index vs IFC Markets City Index vs Trading 212 Tickmill vs Saxo Tickmill vs Interactive Brokers Tickmill vs eToro Tickmill vs Trading 212 Tickmill vs City Index Tickmill vs XTB

Show all



announcementPlease 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.

Select Brokers

↓×
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxActivTrades
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAvaTrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBlackBull Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCharles Schwab
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCity Index
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCMC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxEightcap
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeToro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxExness
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFOREX.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFP Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXCM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFxPro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHFM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHYCM (Henyep Capital Markets)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIFC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIG
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxInteractive Brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIUX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOANDA
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOcta
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPepperstone
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPlus500
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxQuestrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSaxo
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSpreadex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSwissquote
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTickmill
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrading 212
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVantage
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXM Group
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXTB

Compare

0 of 5
× City Index
× Tickmill
Sponsored

+ Add Broker

Close Menu ×

navigate_before navigate_next
Overall Rating City Index Tickmill
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 86
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review Tickmill Review
Broker Screenshots City Index Tickmill
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.
Tickmill MT5 mobile trading app charts Proprietary trading platform, Tickmill Trader Tickmill EU market sentiment data. Tickmill education videos YouTube The T Show playlist.
Regulation City Index Tickmill
Trust Score info 99 86
Year Founded info 1983 2014
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 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 2
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) City Index Tickmill
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (FSA 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 Tickmill
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 Tickmill
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 637
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 63
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No No
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) 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 Tickmill
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.4 info 1.70 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.9 info 0.70 info
Inactivity Fee info Yes No
Order execution: Agency info No Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding City Index Tickmill
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $100
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms City Index Tickmill
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools City Index Tickmill
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 91
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading City Index Tickmill
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 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 Tickmill
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 Tickmill
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs City Index Tickmill
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 Tickmill Review
Overall City Index Tickmill
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 86
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review Tickmill Review
arrow_upward

close
navigate_before navigate_next