Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs Axi, 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 Axi are both well-known online brokers, but they differ in terms of trust and regulation. Founded in 1983, City Index has a long-standing presence in the industry and is publicly traded, enhancing its credibility. It boasts an impressive Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its reputation as a highly trusted platform. City Index holds 7 Tier-1 licenses, making it a top choice for traders who prioritize security. In addition, it holds 1 Tier-2 license, further emphasizing its commitment to compliance and reliability.
In comparison, Axi was founded in 2007 and is not publicly traded. With a Trust Score of 82, Axi is considered a trusted option among users but falls short of City Index's exemplary standing. Axi possesses 2 Tier-1 licenses, indicating a solid level of trustworthiness, along with 1 Tier-2 license. While Axi is a dependable choice for traders, those seeking the highest regulatory credentials might lean towards City Index, given its extensive licensing and top Trust Score rating.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2007 |
| 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 | 1 |
When evaluating the commission and fee structures for online brokers, City Index and Axi demonstrate differing offerings. City Index provides pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread-betting products that align with the industry average. By utilizing City Index’s proprietary platforms or MetaTrader, traders can access their best rates. Their Premium Trader account, accessible to users depositing over £10,000, offers exclusive pricing and enhanced services. With an average spread of 0.74 pips on the EUR/USD, City Index maintains competitive pricing while offering rebates to active traders. This broker earned a 4.5-star rating and ranks #14 out of 62 brokers for commissions and fees according to ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, Axi's specific average spread data is not readily available, making direct comparisons challenging. However, it remains a respected name in the industry, holding a 4-star rating for commissions and fees. Axi is ranked #44 by ForexBrokers.com out of the same 62 brokers, indicating room for improvement in transparency regarding fee structures and data availability.
In summary, both City Index and Axi have their strengths, but City Index stands out for its potential rebate opportunities and detailed pricing information, making it the more highly rated choice according to ForexBrokers.com. Traders seeking more competitive pricing models may gravitate towards City Index, especially considering its higher ranking and rebate offerings for active traders.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the range of investments offered by City Index and Axi, it's clear that City Index provides a significantly broader selection for traders. City Index boasts an impressive 13,500 tradeable symbols, substantially surpassing Axi's offering of 175 symbols. In terms of forex trading, both brokers are quite similar, with City Index offering 66 tradeable forex pairs and Axi offering 65. Both platforms allow clients to engage in forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, and they also offer the ability to engage in copy trading. However, neither broker provides the option to buy actual or exchange traded securities from U.S. or international exchanges, nor do they offer delivered cryptocurrencies, sticking instead to cryptocurrency derivatives.
City Index shines with a five-star rating for its investment range compared to Axi's 3.5 stars. This distinction is matched by its higher rank on ForexBrokers.com, where City Index is positioned at #8, in contrast to Axi's #55 out of 62 brokers. These differences highlight City Index as a more comprehensive choice for those looking for a wide array of investment opportunities, particularly if you're interested in a vast number of tradeable symbols and forex pairs. In conclusion, whether you're a seasoned trader looking for variety or interested in specific forex trading features, City Index appears to offer a more extensive platform than Axi.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 175 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 65 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
City Index and Axi both provide online traders with simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice their trading strategies without financial risk. While both brokers support trading on MetaTrader 4, City Index distinguishes itself with a proprietary trading platform, supplementing its extensive suite of tools with a Windows-based downloadable platform and a web-based option. Axi does not offer a proprietary platform, yet it compensates with access to ZuluTrade, enhancing copying trading capabilities that are comparable to City Index. However, when it comes to charting tools, City Index stands out with 239 drawing tools, significantly more than the 15 offered by Axi, providing traders with greater flexibility in analysis.
Direct trading from a stock chart is available with both brokers, facilitating a streamlined trading experience. Despite Axi's notable features, City Index shines brighter with more watch list customization, boasting 11 fields compared to Axi’s 7. The nuanced differences extend to the user ratings: City Index earns 4.5 stars for trading platforms and tools, whereas Axi holds 3.5 stars. Reflecting these ratings, City Index is prestigiously ranked 10th among 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in the Trading Platforms and Tools category, with Axi following at 62nd. This comparison indicates that while both brokers offer effective trading solutions, City Index emerges as the preferable choice for those seeking a more comprehensive and customizable trading experience.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of City Index and Axi, both brokers provide support for iPhone and Android devices, allowing users to trade on-the-go seamlessly. Users can benefit from stock and forex price alerts with both apps, ensuring they stay updated with market changes. A key differentiator between the two is that City Index offers watchlist symbol syncing, which allows the watchlists on the mobile app and the client’s online account to stay in sync. Unfortunately, this feature is absent in Axi's offering.
In terms of charting tools, City Index provides a significant edge with 88 technical studies compared to Axi's 30. Both platforms allow users to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts, but only City Index saves chart drawings automatically, which can be a timesaver for busy traders. Both apps support the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes. However, when it comes to user ratings, City Index stands out with a rating of 4.5 stars, ranking 9th among 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, whereas Axi stands at 3.5 stars and is ranked at 59th. This comprehensive suite of features and high user satisfaction makes City Index's mobile app a compelling choice for traders.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research offerings, City Index clearly stands out compared to Axi. City Index provides daily market commentary and delivers forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, ensuring its traders have access to critical, up-to-date information. Additionally, City Index integrates Trading Central’s tools, offering valuable technical analytics, and displays sentiment-based trading insights that show the ratio of long or short positions across various instruments. Axi, while also offering news from top-tier sources, lacks daily market commentary and Trading Central tools, though it does incorporate technical analysis tools from Autochartist and provides sentiment-based trading tools like City Index.
Both City Index and Axi offer economic calendars that keep traders informed about global events, but City Index is rated significantly higher for its research capabilities with a 4.5-star rating out of 5, as opposed to Axi's 3-star rating. In the broader pool of 62 brokers covered by ForexBrokers.com, City Index takes a commendable 10th spot for research, whereas Axi is ranked at 55th, highlighting the substantial difference in the quality and depth of research services provided by each broker.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| 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 it comes to educational resources for beginners, both City Index and Axi provide a solid foundation for those interested in forex and CFDs. Each broker offers a variety of educational pieces, including articles and videos, on forex or CFDs with over ten resources available. Moreover, both City Index and Axi host online educational webinars at least once a month, although only City Index provides access to a searchable archive of these webinars for later viewing. Beginner traders can also access a wide array of beginner-focused trading videos with both brokers, ensuring newcomers have plenty of resources at their fingertips.
For those looking to go beyond the basics, City Index stands out by offering over ten advanced educational videos for experienced traders, a feature that Axi does not currently match. Furthermore, both platforms provide an investor dictionary of over 50 investing terms to support traders in understanding financial jargon. In overall education ratings, City Index has a higher score of 4.5 stars compared to Axi's 3 stars. Additionally, when ranked among 62 brokers, City Index holds the 9th position in the education category, significantly ahead of Axi, which is ranked 26th by ForexBrokers.com. This makes City Index a preferable choice for those seeking a more extensive educational toolkit.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that City Index is better than Axi. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Axi finished with an overall rank of #49.
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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Axi
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 |
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Both City Index and Axi do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but they do provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
City Index provides more flexible payment options compared to Axi, as it supports ACH/SEPA transfers and PayPal for depositing and withdrawing funds, alongside Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, while Axi also accepts Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires but differs by offering Skrill as an option instead of ACH/SEPA transfers and PayPal.
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 | Axi | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | Axi | |
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| Regulation | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2007 | |
| 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 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 175 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | Axi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | City Index Review |
| Overall | City Index | Axi | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review |
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