Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs Vantage, 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 Vantage are two online brokers offering different levels of trust and credibility. Established in 1983, City Index is a well-founded choice supported by its public trading status and extensive regulatory oversight, boasting an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses and a perfect Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, Vantage, founded in 2009, is not publicly traded but still maintains a solid reputation with a Trust Score of 90. It holds two Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of trust, and one Tier-2 license, reinforcing its reliability in the eyes of investors.
Neither City Index nor Vantage operates as a bank, but both companies are committed to maintaining a secure trading environment under stringent regulations. While City Index's more extensive regulatory backing may appeal to those prioritizing well-established security, Vantage offers a reputable stance for investors seeking a slightly newer entrant in the financial markets. As each broker offers distinct benefits, evaluating their rating, regulatory status, and trading history can guide your decision to align with your specific trading needs and preferences.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2009 |
| 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 | 3 |
City Index and Vantage both offer competitive pricing for traders, but each has its unique strengths. City Index provides average pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread-betting products, matching the industry's typical rates. For active traders who qualify, the Premium Trader account is an attractive option, offering exclusive pricing, events, and enhanced customer service. With average spreads of 0.74 pips on the EUR/USD, City Index's spreads are reasonable, though not the lowest available. Active traders can benefit from rebates that start at £4 per million for those in the UK and AUD $4.5 per million in Australia. City Index is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #14 out of 62 brokers for commissions and fees.
Vantage offers three account options: Standard STP, RAW ECN, and PRO ECN, each with differing cost structures. The Standard account features spreads averaging 1.30 pips on the EUR/USD, while the Raw account boasts tighter spreads at 0.15 pips, supplemented by a commission of $3 per side. The PRO ECN account provides competitive conditions with a $2 commission per side but requires specific qualifications depending on the regulating entity. For active traders, Vantage provides rebates starting at $2 per standard lot, although this program is limited to its Standard account. With a 4.5-star rating and a position of #19 out of 62 brokers for commissions and fees, Vantage holds its ground solidly within the industry average.
Ultimately, choosing between City Index and Vantage will depend on the individual trader's needs and preferences regarding account options, active trader programs, and spread or commission priorities. Each broker has its advantages, with City Index providing a strong option for those who can benefit from its premium account features, while Vantage offers flexibility across different account types to suit varied trading styles. Both brokers maintain a commendable reputation in the market, providing traders with reliable options for their trading endeavors.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.30 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | 0.75 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| 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 Vantage both offer effective forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, catering to traders interested in foreign exchange. City Index stands out with an impressive offering of 13,500 tradeable symbols and 66 forex pairs, compared to Vantage's 1,000 symbols and 61 forex pairs. Both brokers provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, ensuring opportunities to engage with this volatile market. However, neither City Index nor Vantage allows trading of actual cryptocurrencies or exchange traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges like buying shares in major companies such as Apple or Vodafone.
When evaluating the feature of copy trading, both City Index and Vantage enable traders to mirror strategies from experienced investors. Despite the similarities, City Index is highly rated with five stars for its range of investment options, ranking 8th out of 62 brokers, showcasing its impressive array. Meanwhile, Vantage, with its moderate range of offerings, holds a 3.5-star rating and is positioned at 50th for the same category. The contrasting ratings reflect City Index's broader and more diverse trading opportunities, making it a preferred choice for those seeking wide-ranging investment options.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 61 |
| 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.
When evaluating the trading platforms and tools of City Index and Vantage, both brokers offer various features catering to traders of all levels. City Index and Vantage both provide simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, letting users practice without financial risk. Additionally, each broker has created proprietary platforms in-house and supports a full range of environments, including Windows-based desktop downloads and web-based platforms accessible through any browser. Popular among traders, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) is available with both brokers. However, only Vantage extends its offerings with MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and DupliTrade. Both platforms support trading directly from stock charts and provide copy trading options, though neither supports ZuluTrade.
City Index stands out for its advanced charting with 239 drawing tools and a watch list feature with 11 columns, compared to Vantage's 15 drawing tools and 7 column watch lists. This richness in features is reflected in City Index's superior ratings: 4.5 stars out of five for its trading platforms and tools, compared to Vantage's 4-star rating. ForexBrokers.com ranks City Index as the 10th best out of 62 brokers in the trading platforms and tools category, underscoring its strong reputation. In contrast, Vantage holds the 21st spot, still a respectable ranking but indicative of its different emphasis and capabilities.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| 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 Vantage, both brokers offer apps on iPhone and Android platforms. Each app provides price alerts for stocks and forex, as well as the ability to draw trendlines and view different time frames on charts. However, City Index stands out with its capability to sync watchlists with a client's online account, a feature Vantage does not provide. Enthusiastic traders who rely on technical analysis may prefer City Index, which offers 88 technical studies in its charting tools, in contrast to Vantage's 30.
Users of both City Index and Vantage can create watchlists with real-time quotes, and auto-saving of chart drawings is available on both apps. However, City Index enjoys a higher user rating of 4.5 stars, compared to Vantage's 4-star rating. According to ForexBrokers.com, City Index is ranked 9th out of 62 brokers for mobile trading apps, while Vantage is positioned at 27th. These rankings highlight City Index's competitive edge for those prioritizing mobile trading capabilities.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Vantage both provide extensive market research tools that cater to traders wanting to stay informed on market movements. Both platforms offer daily market commentary and forex news updates from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. They also provide access to technical analytics through Trading Central tools and offer sentiment-based trading tools that show the ratio of long and short positions across various instruments. Additionally, both brokers keep traders informed with economic calendars that display upcoming global news events.
However, Vantage takes the lead with the inclusion of Autochartist, offering an extra layer of technical analysis and fundamental research tools that City Index doesn’t provide. When it comes to ratings, City Index edges ahead with a 4.5-star research rating compared to Vantage’s 4 stars. This slightly higher rating is echoed in their rankings, with City Index holding the 10th spot and Vantage at 21st out of 62 brokers, according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| 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 the educational resources for beginners offered by City Index and Vantage, both brokers provide an impressive array of materials. City Index covers a broad spectrum with over 10 articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on forex and CFDs. Vantage offers a similar range, ensuring newcomers have access to essential trading knowledge. Both platforms host monthly educational client webinars and maintain searchable archives for those who wish to revisit these sessions. Additionally, each offers at least 10 educational videos tailored specifically for beginners, alongside advanced content designed for more experienced traders. Notably, both brokers include investor dictionaries with extensive definitions of at least 50 investing terms, making complex trading jargon more accessible.
Despite the similarities, subtle distinctions lie in their overall rankings and star ratings. City Index shines with a 4.5-star rating for its educational offerings, standing strong at the 9th position out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Vantage holds a respectable 4-star rating but is positioned at the 24th spot in the same category. Both brokers ensure that beginners have a wealth of resources at their disposal, yet City Index holds a slight edge in terms of industry recognition and customer satisfaction in the education domain.
| Feature |
City Index
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Vantage. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while Vantage finished with an overall rank of #26.
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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Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 |
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Both City Index and Vantage do not provide the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and instead offer the capability to buy cryptocurrency derivatives.
In comparing the fund transfer options between online brokers, City Index offers ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires, but does not support Skrill, while Vantage provides PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires, yet lacks the ACH/SEPA transfer option.
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 | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Vantage Review |
| Broker Screenshots | City Index | Vantage | |
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| Regulation | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 2009 | |
| 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 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | No |
| Investments | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 61 | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.30 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | 0.75 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $50 | |
| 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 | No |
| Trading Platforms | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | City Index | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage Review |
| Overall | City Index | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | City Index Review | Vantage Review |
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