Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs Spreadex, 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 vs Spreadex: these online brokers have different histories and trust profiles. City Index was founded in 1983, is publicly traded, and is not a bank; Spreadex was founded in 1999, is not publicly traded, and is not a bank. On ForexBrokers.com’s 99-point Trust Score, City Index scores 99 (highly trusted, 90–99), while Spreadex scores 70 (average risk, 70–79). For context, 80–89 is trusted, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 should not be trusted.
Regulation also sets them apart. City Index holds seven Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and one Tier-2 license (trusted), signaling wider top-tier oversight. Spreadex holds one Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. If regulatory coverage matters to you, City Index’s footprint is larger than Spreadex’s.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
City Index and Spreadex both offer commissions and fees that are generally competitive, but City Index comes out ahead on value. City Index’s pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread betting is around the industry average, and traders can often get the best rates by using its own platforms or MetaTrader. Its average EUR/USD spread was 0.74 pips as of July 2023, which keeps costs close to the market norm, while active traders may also qualify for rebates and the Premium Trader account if they deposit more than £10,000. City Index is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #16 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Spreadex is also priced in a competitive range, but its average costs are slightly higher than City Index’s. In January 2024, Spreadex reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.81 pips, with a minimum spread of 0.6 pips available 60% of the time during the month. That makes it a solid choice for cost-conscious traders, though not quite as strong as City Index in this category. Spreadex is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #26 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
In simple terms, both brokers keep fees near the industry average, but City Index offers the better overall pricing picture thanks to its lower typical forex spread and added discounts for active traders. Spreadex remains a reasonable option, especially for traders who can take advantage of its better-than-average minimum spreads, but City Index is the stronger pick on commissions and fees overall.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 0.81 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
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When it comes to range of investments, City Index and Spreadex both give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, plus cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker lets clients buy actual shares on U.S. or international exchanges, and neither offers delivered cryptocurrency. Both are also rated 5 stars for Range of Investments, so each provides a strong selection overall.
That said, City Index has the edge on choice. It offers 13,500 tradeable symbols and 66 forex pairs, compared with Spreadex’s 10,000 symbols and 52 forex pairs. City Index also supports copy trading, while Spreadex does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings for Range of Investments, City Index places #8 out of 36 brokers, ahead of Spreadex at #13.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 52 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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 has the edge over Spreadex for trading platforms and tools, thanks to a wider range of choices for active traders. Both brokers offer a free demo account, their own in-house platform, and a web-based platform, plus the ability to trade directly from charts. City Index also stands out with a Windows desktop download platform, copy trading, and MetaTrader 4, while Spreadex does not offer those extras. Neither broker supports MetaTrader 5.
In independent ratings, City Index scores 4.5 out of 5 for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks 11th out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Spreadex’s 4-star rating and 35th-place ranking. For traders who want more platform options and stronger overall tools, City Index is the more feature-rich choice, while Spreadex still covers the basics well through its demo account, web platform, and chart-based trading.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 58 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
City Index and Spreadex both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and both support price alerts for stocks or forex, making it easy to track market moves on the go. Each app also lets you draw trendlines on charts. However, City Index goes further with watchlist symbol syncing, so changes you make in the app are reflected in your online account and vice versa, while Spreadex does not offer this feature.
For charting, City Index stands out with 88 technical studies in its mobile app, plus auto-saving for chart drawings, which helps keep your work in place when you return later. Spreadex does not list technical studies for its app and does not auto-save drawings. These differences help explain why City Index is rated higher for mobile trading apps, at 4.5 stars and #9 out of 36 brokers, compared with Spreadex’s 4 stars and #34 ranking.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
City Index and Spreadex both give traders useful market research, including daily market commentary, forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, sentiment tools, and an economic calendar for tracking key global events. Both platforms cover the basics well, so either can help you stay on top of market moves and upcoming news releases.
The main difference is in the extra research tools. City Index offers Trading Central, while Spreadex includes Autochartist instead. City Index also scores higher overall for research, with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #10 out of 36 brokers, compared with Spreadex’s 4 stars and #28 ranking. If you want a slightly stronger research offering overall, City Index has the edge.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, City Index has the clearer edge over Spreadex. City Index offers forex and CFD learning material, runs online educational webinars at least once a month, and provides more than 10 beginner videos as well as more than 10 advanced videos for traders who want to go further. It is also rated 4.5 out of 5 for Education and placed #9 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, which points to a well-developed learning area for new and more experienced traders alike.
Spreadex does offer some useful beginner-focused video content, including at least 10 videos for new traders, but its education offering is more limited overall. It does not run monthly educational webinars, and it lacks the same level of advanced video coverage and forex or CFD-specific education found at City Index. With a 4 out of 5 Education rating and a #34 ranking out of 36 brokers, Spreadex may suit casual learners, but City Index is the stronger choice for beginners who want more structured support and a broader range of learning tools.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
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 Spreadex. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Spreadex finished with an overall rank of #33.
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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Spreadex
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 70 |
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In this comparison of online brokers, City Index and Spreadex do not offer buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide access to cryptocurrency CFD trading.
City Index vs Spreadex: For deposits and withdrawals, City Index supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers and does not support Skrill, while Spreadex supports bank wire transfers and does not support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill; Visa/Mastercard availability is not disclosed for either.
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 | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Spreadex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | Spreadex | |
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| Regulation | City Index | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 70 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | City Index | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | City Index | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 52 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 0.81 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | City Index | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | City Index | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 58 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | City Index | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | City Index | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Spreadex Review |
| Overall | City Index | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Spreadex Review |
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