Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs Exness, 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 in 1983, stands as a highly trusted online broker, evidenced by its stellar Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. It holds an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses, providing a solid foundation for security and reliability. Additionally, City Index is publicly traded, offering an added layer of transparency and oversight. Despite not being a bank, its long-standing presence in the market and significant regulatory backing make it a prominent choice for traders prioritizing trust.
On the other hand, Exness, established in 2008, maintains a Trust Score of 81, positioning it in the trusted category according to ForexBrokers.com. Exness holds two Tier-1 licenses and further bolsters its credentials with three Tier-2 licenses. While it is not publicly traded, the company has steadily crafted a reputation for trustworthiness over the years. Even though both brokers are not banks, they offer differing levels of regulatory assurance, with City Index leading in terms of regulatory endorsement.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of City Index and Exness, both brokers offer competitive pricing structures tailored to different trading needs. City Index provides average pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread-betting products with a rating of 4.5 stars. While pricing aligns with industry standards, some top brokers like Tickmill and FP Markets offer better spreads. Active traders can benefit from the Premium Trader account, which provides exclusive pricing and services for deposits over £10,000. Additionally, rebates for high-volume traders start at £4 per million for U.K.-based professionals and AUD $4.5 in Australia. City Index is ranked #14 out of 62 brokers for commissions and fees by ForexBrokers.com.
Exness presents a variety of account options that cater to different trading strategies, receiving a 4-star rating for its commissions and fees. The two commission-based accounts stand out with lower spreads compared to their commission-free counterparts. The Zero Spread account, for instance, charges a $0.05 per-trade commission, while the Raw account charges up to $7 per round turn lot, offering reduced spreads. Each account type generally employs market execution, although the Pro account provides both instant and market execution methods. Exness holds the #35 rank out of 62 brokers in the commissions and fees category, as noted by ForexBrokers.com.
In essence, City Index is slightly more favorable regarding fees and ranks higher than Exness, making it an attractive choice for traders prioritizing cost-efficiency. However, Exness offers greater flexibility through its varied account types, allowing traders to select the best fit for their strategy. Both brokers meet different needs, ensuring a broad range of options for traders worldwide.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $10 |
| 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 | No |
| 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.
City Index and Exness both offer a range of trading options, but they differ significantly in their offerings. City Index provides access to over 13,500 tradeable symbols, while Exness offers 227. Although both platforms facilitate forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, City Index offers 66 forex pairs compared to Exness's 96 pairs. Notably, neither broker provides the opportunity to purchase exchange-traded securities directly, such as shares from U.S. or international markets. Both brokers, however, support copy trading and offer cryptocurrency derivatives, though not the actual cryptocurrencies.
Despite some similarities, City Index ranks higher than Exness regarding the range of investments. City Index has a 5-star rating and is ranked 8th out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com for this category. In contrast, Exness has a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 55th. This disparity highlights that while both brokers cater to forex and cryptocurrency derivative traders, City Index offers a more extensive selection of tradable assets, making it a preferred choice for many investors.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 227 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 96 |
| 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.
Both City Index and Exness offer a comprehensive suite of trading platforms and tools that cater to both new and experienced traders. Both brokers provide a free virtual demo account for those looking to practice trading without risk. They also each have their own proprietary platforms and support for MetaTrader 4, along with Windows-based desktop and web-based platforms, ensuring trade flexibility across devices. However, Exness goes a step further by also offering MetaTrader 5, expanding its compatibility for users who prefer the latest in MetaTrader technology. While both brokers support copy trading, neither offers DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
City Index stands out with an impressive array of 239 drawing tools for charting, compared to Exness's 87, offering traders greater diversity in chart analysis. Both platforms allow trading directly from stock charts, adding convenience to the trading experience. In terms of watch list features, City Index provides 11 customizable columns, whereas Exness offers seven. When it comes to overall platform quality, City Index receives a slightly higher rating of 4.5 stars as opposed to Exness's 4 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com rankings, City Index is rated #10 out of 62 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, highlighting a stronger competitive edge over Exness, which ranks #26.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 107 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 87 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing mobile trading apps, both City Index and Exness deliver essential features for traders using iPhones and Android devices. Each platform offers price alerts for stock and forex, allowing users to stay informed about market movements. Both also provide the ability to draw trendlines on charts and view multiple time frames, such as daily, weekly, or intraday views. However, City Index stands out with its watchlist symbol syncing feature, ensuring seamless updates between its mobile app and online account, a capability that Exness currently lacks. Additionally, City Index offers an impressive 88 technical studies for charting, more than doubling the 35 provided by Exness.
In terms of saving drawings on charts, City Index distinguishes itself by automatically saving them, whereas Exness does not offer this feature. Both platforms have robust capabilities to create watchlists with real-time quotes, ensuring quick access to vital data. City Index is rated slightly higher than Exness, with a 4.5-star rating compared to Exness's 4-star rating. This higher customer satisfaction is reflected in its ranking at #9 out of 62 brokers for mobile trading apps by ForexBrokers.com, surpassing Exness's position at #26. These differences may make City Index a preferable choice for traders seeking comprehensive and convenient mobile trading options.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 35 |
| 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, both City Index and Exness demonstrate strengths in several areas. They both provide daily market commentary and deliver forex news from reputable sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. Each broker also employs Trading Central's services, supplying traders with essential technical analysis tools. Additionally, they offer sentiment-based trading tools to give insights into market positions and maintain an economic calendar to track global news events.
Despite these similarities, City Index leads with a more favorable research rating of 4.5 stars compared to Exness's 3.5 stars. This reflective difference places City Index at the 10th spot out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, while Exness ranks at 41. Neither platform includes insights from Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Ultimately, traders may find City Index's broader range of features and higher user satisfaction more appealing for research-focused trading.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | 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 City Index and Exness in terms of educational resources for beginner traders, City Index clearly provides a more comprehensive offering. Both platforms extend at least 10 different educational materials focused on forex and CFDs, which include articles, videos, and archived webinars. City Index, however, goes a step further by offering monthly live webinars, allowing beginners to interact and learn in real-time, a benefit that Exness does not provide. For those unable to join live sessions, both City Index and Exness offer a searchable archive of past webinars, ensuring that learners can catch up at their convenience.
Further enhancing their appeal to beginners, City Index offers a wide array of educational videos covering basic trading concepts, while Exness matches this with their own set of beginner-oriented videos. However, when it comes to advanced trading concepts, City Index takes the lead by offering educational videos for experienced traders, an area where Exness falls short. Both brokers offer investor dictionaries with terms defined for trader understanding. As a result of these offerings, City Index ranks higher with a 4.5-star education rating and a commendable 9th place out of 62 brokers. In contrast, Exness holds a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 47th for education by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Exness. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #43.
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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Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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Both City Index and Exness do not provide the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, however, they both offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
City Index supports ACH, SEPA, PayPal, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wire transfers for depositing and withdrawing funds, while Exness offers Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wire transfers, excluding ACH, SEPA, and PayPal options.
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 | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | Exness | |
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| Regulation | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2008 | |
| 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 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | Yes |
| Investments | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 227 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 96 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $10 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 107 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 87 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 35 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
| Overall | City Index | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Exness Review |
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