Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB vs City Index, 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.
When comparing the regulatory strengths of XTB and City Index, both online brokers bring credible trustworthiness to the table. XTB, founded in 2002, is a publicly traded company that secures 2 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, reflecting a high level of trustworthiness. It holds an impressive ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 96 out of 99, suggesting it is highly trusted in the industry. While it is not a bank, its public listing reinforces its accountability.
City Index, established in 1983, also operates as a publicly traded entity. This broker shines particularly in regulatory compliance, possessing 7 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, showcasing its commitment to maintaining high trust standards. With a top-tier ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99, City Index is considered highly trusted by international standards, despite not being a bank. This comparison highlights City Index’s edge in regulatory coverage through its extensive Tier-1 licensing, making it a formidable choice for traders focusing on trust.
| Feature |
XTB
|
City Index
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 1983 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 7 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When evaluating online brokers XTB and City Index for commissions and fees, both stand strong in the competitive landscape. XTB offers two account types for trading: the spread-only Standard account and the commission-based Professional account, although the Pro account is largely unavailable to new clients and primarily serves legacy clients in certain regions. For retail forex traders, XTB's Standard account becomes the preferred choice due in part to its lower starting deposits of £250, €250, or $250. Active traders can benefit from the Lower Spread Group program, which offers a rebate from 5% to 30% based on trading volume, beginning at 20 lots per month. XTB garners a commendable 4.5-star rating for its commissions and fees, ranking 11th out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
City Index presents a similarly attractive pricing structure, notably for those using its proprietary platforms or MetaTrader for trading CFDs, forex, and spread-betting products. The broker’s Premium Trader account, available to those depositing over £10,000, offers exclusive benefits like enhanced pricing and dedicated customer service. For those particularly engaging in forex trades, City Index shows an average spread of 0.74 pips on the EUR/USD. Comparable to the industry average, City Index does offer appealing active trader rebates for professionals based in the U.K., beginning at £4 per million at £25 million monthly volumes, escalating to £7.5 per million for volumes exceeding £300M. Australia's rebates range from AUD $4.5 per million to AUD $14.5 per million across tiers. City Index shares a 4.5-star rating for its overall commissions and fees, ranking 14th among 63 brokers per ForexBrokers.com.
In comparison, both brokers offer unique incentives for active traders, though XTB’s commitment to providing rebates through its Lower Spread Group can appeal more directly to traders seeking volume-based incentives. City Index, on the other hand, brings added value through its Premium Trader accounts and platform choices. With both brokers earning strong 4.5-star ratings and respectable rankings, the choice may ultimately depend on specific trading needs, account type preferences, and which platform’s extra features align best with the trader's goals.
| Feature |
XTB
|
City Index
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | £100.00 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 1.4 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | 0.74 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the investment offerings of XTB and City Index, both platforms present compelling options, particularly in the realm of forex trading. XTB and City Index both provide forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, with XTB offering a slightly higher number of forex pairs at 71 compared to City Index's 66. Additionally, XTB provides clients access to an impressive selection of 7,184 tradeable symbols, while City Index surpasses this with a staggering 13,500 symbols. For those interested in trading securities on U.S. and international exchanges, XTB presents a notable advantage, permitting direct investment in stocks like Apple and Vodafone, an option unavailable through City Index.
For traders intrigued by the prospect of cryptocurrencies, both XTB and City Index offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives but not actual coins. In terms of additional features, City Index supports copy trading, a feature absent from XTB. Despite these differences, both platforms are lauded for their comprehensive investment options, each earning a five-star rating for their range of investments. Notably, City Index ranks slightly higher at #8 compared to XTB's #14, as evaluated by ForexBrokers.com, reflecting City Index's marginal edge in overall investment offerings despite XTB's strengths in specific areas.
| Feature |
XTB
|
City Index
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 13500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 66 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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.
XTB and City Index both offer comprehensive trading platforms tailored for diverse trading needs. Each broker provides a free virtual demo account, allowing traders to practice and develop strategies without financial risk. They both feature proprietary platforms developed in-house, which are available as Windows desktop downloads and accessible via web browsers. However, City Index edges ahead with the ability to support copy trading through their platform, while XTB does not offer this feature. Moreover, for traders interested in using MetaTrader 4, City Index provides this option, whereas XTB does not support MT4 or MT5.
In terms of charting tools, City Index offers a significant advantage with 239 drawing tools compared to XTB's 32. Both brokers allow traders to execute trades directly from their stock charts, enhancing efficiency. When it comes to organizing watchlists, City Index again provides greater flexibility with 11 columns as opposed to XTB's 8. Despite these differences, both brokers receive a solid 4.5-star rating for their trading platforms and tools, reflecting their strong offerings. According to ForexBrokers.com, XTB is ranked slightly higher at number 9, while City Index is placed at number 11 out of 63 brokers, indicating their excellent reputation in the industry.
| Feature |
XTB
|
City Index
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 88 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 32 | 239 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 8 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of XTB and City Index, both brokers offer solid options for both iPhone and Android users. Each app provides stock and forex price alerts along with the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Traders can view multiple time frames—daily, weekly, or intraday—on both platforms, and enjoy the feature of auto-saving chart drawings. Creating a watchlist with real-time quotes is also supported in both apps. Despite these similarities, there are some differences worth noting. While City Index offers watchlist symbol syncing, allowing changes to be updated across devices, XTB does not offer this feature.
When it comes to technical studies in charting, City Index offers a more extensive selection with 88 studies compared to XTB's 39. Both apps, however, enjoy a 4.5-star rating for their mobile trading experiences, indicating strong user satisfaction. As for their standings, XTB ranks slightly higher at #8 compared to City Index's #9 in the category of Mobile Trading Apps according to ForexBrokers.com. These aspects make both platforms compelling choices, though traders may prefer one over the other depending on their specific needs for watchlist synchronization and technical analysis tools.
| Feature |
XTB
|
City Index
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 88 |
| 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.
When comparing XTB and City Index for market research, both brokers excel in delivering essential insights and tools for traders. XTB and City Index equally provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders are well-informed. Additionally, both offer sentiment-based trading tools that reveal long or short position ratios across various instruments, alongside comprehensive economic calendars that highlight global news events. However, a key distinction arises with City Index offering tools from Trading Central, enhancing technical analysis resources, a feature absent in XTB's suite.
Both platforms share some research tool limitations, as neither provides resources from companies like Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Despite these similarities, XTB is distinguished with a slightly higher research rating of 5 stars compared to City Index's 4.5 stars, according to ForexBrokers.com. Additionally, XTB is ranked #7 out of 63 brokers for the Research category, surpassing City Index, which is ranked #10. This showcases XTB's competitive edge in delivering quality research materials that could benefit traders seeking comprehensive market insights.
| Feature |
XTB
|
City Index
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources provided by online brokers XTB and City Index for beginners, both platforms stand out in various ways. XTB and City Index each offer an extensive collection of over 10 educational pieces dedicated to forex and CFDs. This includes articles, videos, and archived webinars, ensuring that beginners have ample resources to kickstart their learning journey. Both brokers also hold monthly online educational webinars and have searchable archives of these sessions for convenient access. Additionally, they each provide a substantial selection of beginner-focused videos, encompassing key trading concepts to help new traders grasp the essentials.
However, there are notable differences. XTB receives a slightly higher education rating of 5 stars, compared to City Index's 4.5 stars. Conversely, City Index might gain a slight edge with its investor dictionary, offering definitions for over 50 investing terms, a feature not available with XTB. As for rankings, City Index is ranked marginally better for education at #9 by ForexBrokers.com, while XTB is positioned at #11 out of 63 brokers. Ultimately, both platforms deliver comprehensive educational support, but they diverge in certain areas, making it important for beginners to consider which features align more with their learning preferences.
| Feature |
XTB
|
City Index
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that XTB is better than City Index. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while City Index finished with an overall rank of #8.
As a trusted multi-asset broker, XTB offers outstanding customer service, a wide variety of forex and CFDs, and an excellent overall trading experience. Its xStation 5 trading platform is well-designed and packed with innovative features, and XTB’s offers comprehensive educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XTB
|
City Index
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 99 |
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Both XTB and City Index do not offer the ability to buy actual cryptocurrencies, but they do provide options to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives.
While both XTB and City Index support Visa/Mastercard, bank wires, and PayPal for deposits and withdrawals, City Index uniquely offers ACH or SEPA transfers, whereas XTB provides Skrill, offering different advantages depending on your payment preferences.
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 | XTB | City Index | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | City Index Review |
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| Regulation | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 1983 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 7 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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) | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 13500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 66 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 1.4 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | 0.74 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | £100.00 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 8 | 11 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 88 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 32 | 239 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 88 | |
| 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 | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XTB | City Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XTB Review | City Index Review |
| Overall | XTB | City Index | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | City Index Review |
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