Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs Vantage, 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 and Vantage are two online brokers offering different levels of trust and credibility. Established in 1983, City Index is a well-founded choice supported by its public trading status and extensive regulatory oversight, boasting an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses and a perfect Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, Vantage, founded in 2009, is not publicly traded but still maintains a solid reputation with a Trust Score of 90. It holds two Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of trust, and one Tier-2 license, reinforcing its reliability in the eyes of investors.
Neither City Index nor Vantage operates as a bank, but both companies are committed to maintaining a secure trading environment under stringent regulations. While City Index's more extensive regulatory backing may appeal to those prioritizing well-established security, Vantage offers a reputable stance for investors seeking a slightly newer entrant in the financial markets. As each broker offers distinct benefits, evaluating their rating, regulatory status, and trading history can guide your decision to align with your specific trading needs and preferences.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
City Index and Vantage both deliver commissions and fees that sit near the industry average, each earning 4.5/5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees rankings, Vantage places #12 of 63, while City Index ranks #16 of 63. City Index’s best pricing is available on its own platforms or MetaTrader, and while it’s competitive, it trails top pricing specialists. Vantage’s costs vary by account type and entity, and also generally can’t match the lowest-cost leaders.
On common forex pairs like EUR/USD, City Index lists an average spread of 0.74 pips (July 2023). Vantage’s Standard STP account shows typical spreads of 1.30 pips (March 2023). Its RAW ECN account averages 0.15 pips plus a $3 commission per side ($6 round turn), working out to about 0.75 pips total. The PRO ECN account is Vantage’s sharpest option at $2 per side ($4 round turn), but it has eligibility rules (for example, wholesale status in Australia or a $10,000 minimum via its Cayman entity). City Index’s Premium Trader account requires a £10,000+ deposit and adds exclusive pricing and dedicated service.
For active traders, City Index offers rebates for qualified professionals in the U.K. starting at £4 per million traded (over £25M/month), rising to £7.5 per million above £300M/month; in Australia, rebates range from AUD 4.5 to AUD 14.5 per million. Vantage’s active trader program pays $2 to $8 per standard lot based on balance and monthly volume, but it applies only to the higher-spread Standard account. In short, City Index may appeal if you can unlock Premium or pro-level rebates, while Vantage is most attractive if you qualify for its lower-commission PRO ECN tier.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 1.32 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.72 |
| 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 much wider range of investments than Vantage, with 13,500 tradeable instruments compared to Vantage’s 1,000. Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs or spot, with City Index listing 66 currency pairs and Vantage listing 61. You can use copy trading with either broker, and both allow trading crypto via CFDs, but neither supports buying real (delivered) cryptocurrency. Likewise, neither broker offers direct share dealing on U.S. or international exchanges.
For market breadth, City Index is the stronger pick: it earns 5 stars and ranks 8th out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments. Vantage sits at 3.5 stars and ranks 32nd. If you want access to a large selection of markets and more forex pairs, City Index stands out; if you’re comfortable with a leaner lineup and still want forex, copy trading, and crypto CFDs, Vantage can work.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 61 |
| 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 Vantage both make it easy to get started with a free demo account and each offers a proprietary trading platform alongside MetaTrader 4. You can trade on Windows desktop software or in a web browser with either broker, and both support copy trading and placing orders directly from a chart. If you need MetaTrader 5, note that Vantage offers MT5 while City Index does not. Each broker also includes watchlists and everyday charting tools for analysis.
In platform and tools testing by ForexBrokers.com, City Index earned 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranked 11th out of 63 brokers, while Vantage received 4 stars and ranked 20th. Choose City Index if higher platform ratings matter most; choose Vantage if MetaTrader 5 compatibility is a must.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
City Index and Vantage both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each supports stock and forex price alerts. A key difference is watchlists: City Index syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while Vantage does not offer cross-device watchlist syncing.
For charting, City Index provides 88 technical studies compared with Vantage’s 30. Both apps let you draw trendlines and automatically save your chart annotations. Independent ratings reflect the gap in features: City Index earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, while Vantage scores 4/5 stars and ranks 24th. If you want more built-in indicators and seamless watchlist sync, City Index is the stronger pick, while Vantage still covers the essentials.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
City Index and Vantage both deliver daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Each broker offers Trading Central tools, trader sentiment gauges, and an easy-to-read economic calendar for upcoming events. Neither includes TipRanks or Acuity Trading. The main difference is Autochartist: Vantage provides Autochartist pattern scanning, while City Index does not, which may appeal if you like automated chart setup ideas.
In independent ratings, City Index scores 4.5 out of 5 stars for research and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers, while Vantage scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #20. If you want higher-rated, wide-ranging research, City Index has the edge; if Autochartist is on your wish list, Vantage is the better fit.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
City Index and Vantage both make it easy for beginners to learn. Each runs monthly client webinars and offers at least ten beginner videos, plus ten or more advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. Their education spans trading topics used in forex and CFDs, giving newcomers multiple ways to learn at their own pace.
Where they differ is quality and recognition: City Index earns 4.5/5 stars for Education and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Vantage scores 4/5 stars and ranks 23rd. If you want the stronger, more polished learning experience, City Index gets the edge; if you simply want frequent webinars and plenty of beginner videos, Vantage still delivers solid value.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Vantage. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Vantage finished with an overall rank of #24.
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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Vantage
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 |
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City Index vs Vantage: neither online broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFDs for trading.
City Index vs Vantage: For deposits and withdrawals, City Index supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers (no Skrill), while Vantage offers PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA; Visa/Mastercard availability is unspecified for both brokers.
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 | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Vantage Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | Vantage | |
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| Regulation | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 61 | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 1.32 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.72 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $50 | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage Review |
| Overall | City Index | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Vantage Review |
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