Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs FP Markets, 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 1983) and FP Markets (founded 2005) are both non-bank online brokers, but they differ in corporate profile and trust ratings. City Index is publicly traded, while FP Markets is not. According to ForexBrokers.com, a Trust Score of 90–99 is considered highly trusted; City Index scores 99 and FP Markets scores 90—placing both in the highly trusted range, with City Index at the very top.
Regulation is another key difference. City Index holds 7 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, while FP Markets holds 2 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2. ForexBrokers.com classifies Tier-1 regulators as highly trusted and Tier-2 as trusted, so City Index’s larger number of Tier-1 approvals points to broader top-tier oversight compared with FP Markets.
| Feature |
City Index
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2005 |
| 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 | 2 |
City Index and FP Markets both earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but FP Markets has the edge on overall value. City Index’s pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread betting is about average for the industry, with its best rates usually available on its own platform or MetaTrader. Its EUR/USD spread averaged 0.74 pips as of July 2023, and active traders may qualify for rebates or the Premium Trader account if they deposit more than £10,000. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category, City Index ranks #16 out of 36 brokers.
FP Markets is the lower-cost choice for most traders, especially on its commission-based Raw ECN account. Its Raw account posted very tight pricing, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.1 pips in October 2023, or about 0.8 pips all-in after commission. The Standard account is more expensive, and the Iress platform options in Australia can add fees unless you meet higher balance or trading requirements. Even so, FP Markets is widely known for its competitive pricing and was named Best in Class for Commissions and Fees in 2024. It ranks #11 out of 36 brokers in this category.
In simple terms, City Index is a solid middle-of-the-road broker for fees, while FP Markets is generally the better pick if keeping trading costs low is your top priority.
| Feature |
City Index
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $100 AUD |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| 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.
Join 239,000+ traders worldwide.
City Index and FP Markets both give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, along with copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker lets you buy actual shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges, and neither offers delivered cryptocurrency purchases. For everyday traders, that means both platforms focus on leveraged trading products rather than direct ownership of stocks or coins.
When it comes to choice, City Index offers a wider overall selection with 13,500 tradeable symbols compared with 10,000 at FP Markets. City Index also lists 66 forex pairs, while FP Markets offers 71. This helps explain why City Index is rated 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranked #8 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared with FP Markets at 4.5 stars and #17 out of 36.
| Feature |
City Index
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 71 |
| 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 FP Markets both give traders a wide set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, a proprietary platform, Windows desktop software, web-based access, copy trading, and MetaTrader 4. Each also lets you trade directly from a chart, which can make placing orders quicker and easier. For traders who want practice first or prefer to use a mix of browser, desktop, and social trading tools, both brokers cover the basics well.
The main difference is that FP Markets also offers MetaTrader 5, while City Index does not. In broker ratings for trading platforms and tools, City Index comes out ahead with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #11 out of 36, compared with FP Markets at 4 stars and #22 out of 36. That makes City Index the stronger pick overall for platform and tools, while FP Markets still stands out for traders who want MT5 support.
| Feature |
City Index
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FP Markets both make it easy to trade on the go, with iPhone and Android apps, plus price alerts for stocks and forex. Both apps also let users draw trendlines on charts and automatically save those drawings, which is helpful for traders who want to keep track of analysis across sessions. In this part of the comparison, the two brokers are evenly matched on core mobile features.
Where City Index stands out is in charting and account syncing. Its mobile app includes 88 technical studies and watchlist syncing, so changes made in the app also appear in the online account. FP Markets supports mobile charting through MetaTrader’s default tools, but it does not offer watchlist symbol syncing. That difference helps explain why City Index earns a higher mobile app rating, at 4.5 out of 5 stars, and places #9 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while FP Markets is rated 4 stars and ranks #20.
| Feature |
City Index
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | MetaTrader (Default) |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
City Index and FP Markets both give traders useful market research, including daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Trading Central tools, sentiment data, and an economic calendar with key global events. That means both brokers cover the basics well for traders who want help following market moves and planning trades. The main difference is that FP Markets also includes Autochartist, while City Index does not, which may appeal to traders looking for extra chart-based ideas.
Overall, City Index has the edge in research. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Research and is ranked #10 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared with FP Markets at 4 stars and #22. For traders who want a slightly stronger research package, City Index stands out, though FP Markets still offers a solid set of tools for everyday market analysis.
| Feature |
City Index
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FP Markets both give beginners plenty of learning material, including more than 10 pieces focused on forex or CFDs, monthly educational webinars, and at least 10 beginner and 10 advanced trading videos. That means both brokers offer a wide range of lessons for new traders who want to learn the basics and move on to more complex topics at their own pace.
That said, City Index has the edge for education overall. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with FP Markets’ 4-star Education rating and #22 ranking. For beginners looking for a broker with stronger educational support, City Index comes out ahead, though FP Markets still provides a solid set of learning tools.
| Feature |
City Index
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FP Markets. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19.
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
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
As online brokers, City Index and FP Markets do not allow buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies; instead, both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
City Index vs FP Markets: for deposits and withdrawals, City Index supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers (no Skrill), while FP Markets offers PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | City Index | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | FP Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | City Index | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2005 | |
| 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 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | City Index | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 71 | |
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.9 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $100 AUD | |
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Tools | City Index | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | MetaTrader (Default) | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | City Index | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FP Markets Review |
| Overall | City Index | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | FP Markets Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
Capital.com
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill