Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs Swissquote, 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 Swissquote both boast a perfect Trust Score of 99 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, indicating a high level of trustworthiness. City Index, founded in 1983, is a well-established online broker and is publicly traded, although it isn’t a bank. It holds an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses, recognized for their high level of trust. Swissquote, on the other hand, became a player in the financial space in 1996 and serves as both a bank and a publicly traded company. It holds five Tier-1 licenses, making it a trusted option as well. Both companies also hold one Tier-2 license, signifying their consistent adherence to trusted standards.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 1996 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | Yes |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
City Index and Swissquote are two notable online brokers variously recognized for their commissions and fees. City Index generally aligns with industry averages when it comes to trading CFDs, forex, and spread-betting products. Users seeking the best price should opt for City Index’s proprietary platforms or MetaTrader. With an average spread of 0.74 pips on the EUR/USD, City Index maintains a competitive edge, although not necessarily leading the pack. They offer rebates for U.K.-based professionals, initiating at £4 per million for trades exceeding £25 million per month, and rising to £7.5 per million. This is complemented by an array of account options like the Premium Trader account for deposits over £10,000, earning them a 4.5-star rating, and a rank of #14 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
Conversely, Swissquote, known for its Swiss banking pedigree, incurs slightly higher trading costs. Their commissions and spreads vary across their U.K., Swiss, and Luxembourg entities. The U.K. entity typically offers more competitive costs and less stringent deposit requirements. Notably, the Elite account at Swissquote’s UK branch, with a $5 round-turn trade charge, is seen as the optimal pick for active traders depositing at least $10,000. In Switzerland, account options start with spreads at 1.7 pips for the Standard account, and the pricing structure doesn't lead markedly against the competition. Consequently, Swissquote clocks in at a 3.5-star rating for fees and commissions, holding the #52 spot among 62 brokers ranked by ForexBrokers.com.
In comparison, City Index delivers slightly superior value through competitive spreads and a structured rebate system, albeit with room for improvement against the industry's top performers. Meanwhile, Swissquote's pricing, particularly appealing to those valuing brand trust, lacks the aggressive competitive edge needed to attract cost-conscious traders. While City Index provides a broader reach through variable platforms and account options, Swissquote's strength lies in its established banking reputation.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $1000 |
| 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 | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Swissquote both offer a wide variety of investment options, gaining top ratings of five stars for their range of investments. City Index provides access to 13,500 tradeable symbols, a significantly higher figure compared to Swissquote's 472 symbols. Both platforms allow trading in forex pairs as CFDs or spot contracts but differ slightly in their offerings: City Index provides 66 forex pairs, while Swissquote offers a wider selection with 80 pairs. In addition, both brokers offer cryptocurrency derivatives but Swissquote goes a step further by allowing clients to purchase actual cryptocurrencies.
When it comes to exchange-traded securities, City Index does not support direct purchasing on U.S. or international exchanges, limiting transactions to CFDs. On the other hand, Swissquote users can trade in real stocks on both U.S. exchanges, such as buying Apple shares, and international exchanges, like Vodafone shares. Furthermore, City Index and Swissquote both support copy trading, catering to traders interested in mirroring successful strategies. Despite these differences, City Index is ranked #8 while Swissquote is higher at #2 by ForexBrokers.com, underlining Swissquote’s slight edge in the range of investments category.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 472 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 80 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | Yes |
| 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by City Index and Swissquote, both brokers provide substantial options for online traders. Both offer simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, making it easy for beginners to practice without risk. They have proprietary platforms developed in-house and support trading via Windows-based desktop downloads as well as web-based platforms accessible through browsers. Traders using either City Index or Swissquote can also benefit from copy trading features and the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) platform. However, a key difference lies in MetaTrader 5 (MT5) availability—City Index does not offer it, whereas Swissquote does, giving Swissquote an edge for those specifically interested in MT5 functionalities.
In terms of charting tools, City Index stands out by offering 239 drawing tools compared to Swissquote's 75, allowing for more in-depth market analysis. Both brokers allow trading directly from stock charts and provide comprehensive watch lists with 11 fields, catering to a wide range of monitoring needs. Despite these differences, both City Index and Swissquote are rated highly at 4.5 stars out of five for their trading platforms and tools. Also, in ForexBrokers.com rankings, City Index is slightly ahead, ranked 10th out of 62 brokers compared to Swissquote's 11th position. Overall, both brokers deliver strong trading platforms, making them excellent choices depending on individual trading needs and platform preferences.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 86 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 75 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of City Index and Swissquote, both offer user-friendly platforms available on iPhone and Android devices. Both apps provide essential features like price alerts and the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes, ensuring traders stay informed on stock and forex fluctuations. City Index stands out with its watchlist symbol syncing, allowing traders to maintain consistent track of their investments across both mobile and online platforms—a feature Swissquote lacks. Additionally, City Index offers an impressive 88 technical studies for charting, compared to Swissquote's 30, providing more diverse analysis tools for technical traders.
Both platforms allow users to draw trend lines and view multiple time frames on their stock or forex charts. Auto-saving drawings ensure that traders don't lose their chart annotations on both apps. While both City Index and Swissquote achieve a noteworthy 4.5-star rating for their mobile trading apps, City Index edges out in rank, coming in at 9th place compared to Swissquote's 10th, according to ForexBrokers.com out of 62 brokers. All things considered, traders looking for more advanced charting features and seamless syncing might find City Index more suitable for their needs. However, both platforms remain strong choices for mobile trading.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
City Index and Swissquote both provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders can stay informed with the latest financial updates. However, City Index stands out with its sentiment-based trading tools, which offer insights into market positions across various currency pairs. Additionally, City Index provides technical analysis through Trading Central, giving traders an edge with sophisticated analytics, while Swissquote benefits from tools provided by Autochartist. Both brokers offer economic calendars to keep traders aware of important global economic events.
Despite some differences in their research tools, both brokers score highly for their research capabilities, with City Index earning a 4.5-star rating compared to Swissquote’s 4-star rating. In terms of rankings, City Index holds the #10 spot, while Swissquote places at #16 among 62 brokers in the Research category, according to ForexBrokers.com. These rankings reflect City Index's slightly superior position in providing comprehensive research tools for traders.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
City Index and Swissquote both provide a wealth of educational resources aimed at Forex and CFD traders, making them excellent choices for beginners eager to enhance their financial knowledge. Each platform offers a minimum of 10 educational materials, such as articles, videos, and archived webinars, focused on these trading areas. They further support learning by offering online educational webinars monthly, with each hosting an accessible archive of previously recorded sessions. This means that whether you prefer learning through reading or watching, both brokers have you covered.
City Index and Swissquote each present over 10 beginner-focused educational videos, as well as advanced content for more experienced traders. Moreover, they provide investor dictionaries with definitions of at least 50 investing terms, which can be particularly beneficial for those new to trading jargon. In terms of rankings by ForexBrokers.com, City Index stands out since it's rated 4.5 stars and ranks 9th in the education category among 62 brokers, whereas Swissquote is rated 4 stars and ranks 21st. Ultimately, both platforms are dedicated to educational excellence, with City Index holding a slightly higher educational rating and rank.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Swissquote. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11.
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
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
| Range of Investments |
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While both City Index and Swissquote offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, only Swissquote provides the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies.
Both City Index and Swissquote offer ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, and Visa or Mastercard as options for depositing or withdrawing account funds, while City Index does not support Skrill, which is available with Swissquote; additionally, both platforms facilitate bank wire transactions.
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 | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Swissquote Review |
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| Regulation | City Index | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 1996 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 5 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 472 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 80 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $1000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | City Index | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 11 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 86 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 75 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | City Index | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | City Index | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | City Index | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote Review |
| Overall | City Index | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Swissquote Review |
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