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City Index vs ActivTrades 2026

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025
  Fact Checked

In this head to head comparison of City Index vs ActivTrades, 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
ActivTrades
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 80
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1267

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 and ActivTrades are established online brokers with different profiles. City Index, founded in 1983, is publicly traded (listed on a stock exchange) and is not a bank. ActivTrades, founded in 2001, is not publicly traded and is also not a bank.

For regulatory strength and trust, City Index holds 7 Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and 1 Tier-2 license (trusted), while ActivTrades holds 2 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 licenses. On the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score scale—90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, under 59 not trusted—City Index scores 99 (highly trusted) and ActivTrades scores 80 (trusted).

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Year Founded 1983 2001
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

Fees

City Index and ActivTrades both keep trading costs around the middle of the market, but City Index comes out slightly ahead on value. City Index’s pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread betting is generally in line with the industry average, with better rates available on its own platform or MetaTrader. It also offers a Premium Trader account for active clients who deposit more than £10,000, plus rebates for high-volume traders in the U.K. and Australia. City Index is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #16 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.

ActivTrades also offers fair pricing, with spreads that are a little better than the industry average, though not as low as the best low-cost forex brokers. Its EUR/USD average spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024. The broker has an Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic Account options, but it does not offer special pricing for high-volume traders. ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #21 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.

In simple terms, City Index is the better pick if you want more pricing perks for active trading, while ActivTrades is still a solid choice for traders who want straightforward spreads and account options. Both are competitive, but City Index has the edge overall on commissions and fees.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Minimum Deposit £100.00 $0
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account 1.4 info 1.08 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active 0.9 info 0.92 info
Non-wire bank transfer Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

City Index offers a wider range of investments than ActivTrades, making it a stronger choice for traders who want more market choice. City Index gives access to 13,500 tradeable symbols and 66 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both also let clients trade cryptocurrency CFDs and use copy trading.

When it comes to shares, neither broker offers exchange traded securities on U.S. exchanges, but ActivTrades does provide access to exchange traded securities on international markets, while City Index does not. Based on ForexBrokers.com, City Index earns 5 stars for range of investments and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades receives 4 stars and ranks #25 out of 36, reflecting City Index’s broader overall selection.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) 13500 1267
Forex Pairs (Total) 66 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) No Yes
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.

Trading platforms and tools

City Index and ActivTrades both give traders a strong set of platform choices, including a free demo account, their own in-house platform, a web-based platform, a Windows desktop download, copy trading, MT4, and the ability to place trades directly from a chart. The main difference is that ActivTrades also supports MT5, while City Index does not, which may matter for traders who want access to more charting and order tools in a newer MetaTrader platform.

For trading platforms and tools, City Index comes out ahead overall with a 4.5-star rating and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #11 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at 4 stars and #26. In simple terms, both brokers cover the basics well, but City Index has the edge in this category, while ActivTrades stands out if MT5 is a must-have.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
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.

Forex trading apps

City Index and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings. Both apps let traders stay on top of the markets while away from their desktop, making either choice workable for everyday mobile trading needs. However, City Index has a clear edge in one key area: its mobile app syncs watchlists with the online account, so updates carry over both ways, while ActivTrades does not offer this feature.

When it comes to charting tools, City Index also gives mobile traders more to work with, offering 88 technical studies compared with 30 at ActivTrades. That stronger feature set is reflected in third-party ratings as well, with City Index scoring 4.5 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranking #9 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks #21. For traders who want more charting options and smoother syncing across devices, City Index is the stronger mobile app choice.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
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.

Market research

City Index and ActivTrades both give traders useful market research tools, including daily market commentary, forex news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar with current and upcoming global events. Neither broker offers Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools.

Where City Index stands out is that it also includes Trading Central research tools, such as Technical Analytics, while ActivTrades does not. That extra feature helps give City Index an edge in research coverage. Reflecting this difference, City Index is rated 4.5 out of 5 for Research and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 and ranks #26.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) Yes Yes
Autochartist No No
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.

Beginners and education

When it comes to beginner-friendly learning, both City Index and ActivTrades give new traders plenty of help. Each broker offers forex and CFDs education with at least 10 learning pieces, plus monthly educational webinars and a solid selection of beginner videos and advanced videos. That means beginners can find the basics, while more experienced traders can still keep learning as they grow.

City Index has the edge overall in education. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared with ActivTrades’ 4 out of 5 stars and #30 ranking. In simple terms, both brokers support learning well, but City Index appears to offer a stronger education experience for traders who want more guidance.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Webinars Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos 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 ActivTrades. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.

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
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Overall Rating 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score 99 80
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 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 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with City Index or ActivTrades?

City Index vs ActivTrades: neither broker supports buying actual delivered (spot) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.

What funding options does each broker offer?

City Index vs ActivTrades: For deposit and withdrawal methods, City Index supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, while ActivTrades offers Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.

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Overall Rating City Index ActivTrades
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 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 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 80
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review ActivTrades Review
Broker Screenshots City Index ActivTrades
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.
ActivTrades ActivTrader mobile app watchlist light mode. ActivTrader platform web. ActivTrader research weekly outlook articles. ActivTrades educational articles macro analysis.
Regulation City Index ActivTrades
Trust Score info 99 80
Year Founded info 1983 2001
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 2
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) City Index ActivTrades
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 No
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
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) City Index ActivTrades
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info No
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) info Yes No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info No
Investments City Index ActivTrades
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 13500 1267
Forex Pairs (Total) info 66 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No Yes
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 ActivTrades
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.4 info 1.08 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.9 info 0.92 info
Inactivity Fee info Yes Yes
Order execution: Agency info No No
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding City Index ActivTrades
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $0
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms City Index ActivTrades
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
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 ActivTrades
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading City Index ActivTrades
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 ActivTrades
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 ActivTrades
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs City Index ActivTrades
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 ActivTrades Review
Overall City Index ActivTrades
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 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 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 80
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review ActivTrades Review
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