menuclose
Back to Main Menu
ForexBrokers.com is committed to the highest ethical standards and reviews services independently. Learn How We Make Money

City Index vs ActivTrades 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

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: 81
  • 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

When comparing City Index and ActivTrades, both offer online trading services but differ significantly in their regulatory backing and level of trust. Founded in 1983, City Index is a publicly traded company known for its highly secure offerings, boasting an outstanding Trust Score of 99 as rated by ForexBrokers.com. This high rating is supported by City Index's possession of an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses, which are considered the gold standard in regulatory oversight, alongside one Tier-2 license.

On the other hand, ActivTrades, established in 2001, is not publicly traded and holds a respectable Trust Score of 81. Though not as high as City Index, this score denotes a trusted status with its two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. While neither broker operates as a bank, City Index's edge in regulatory endorsements could provide added peace of mind for traders seeking a more secure platform. Both brokers, however, offer dependable choices for online trading within their respective regulatory frameworks.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Year Founded info 1983 2001
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 7 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 2

Fees

If you’re comparing commissions and fees, City Index and ActivTrades both price near the market average, with some key differences. City Index generally matches typical costs for CFDs, forex, and spread betting, and you’ll usually find its best pricing on the City Index platforms or MetaTrader. ActivTrades is also competitive—often a touch better than average—but it isn’t among the very cheapest brokers.

On forex spreads, City Index reported an average 0.74 pips on EUR/USD (July 2023), which is competitive but still behind the lowest-cost brokers such as Tickmill and FP Markets. ActivTrades reported an average 0.98 pips on EUR/USD for May 2024. As always, spreads can change during the day and may widen around rollover.

For frequent traders, City Index offers more ways to reduce costs. Its Premium Trader account (for deposits above £10,000) unlocks exclusive pricing and dedicated support, and professional clients can earn volume-based rebates that start at £4 per million traded in the U.K. (up to £7.5 per million at the highest tier) and AUD $4.5 to $14.5 per million in Australia. ActivTrades keeps things simple with one main Individual account, plus Professional and Islamic options; spreads are the same across account types, there’s no dedicated high-volume pricing, and actual costs depend on the assets and platform you choose. Bottom line: City Index is rated 4.5/5 stars and ranks #16 of 63 for Commissions and Fees, while ActivTrades is rated 4/5 stars and ranks #21 of 63.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Minimum Deposit info £100.00 $0
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
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


IG
5/5 Stars

Join 239,000+ traders worldwide.

Pepperstone
4.5/5 Stars

Regulated in 7 jurisdictions

Range of investments

For range of investments, City Index offers far more markets to choose from, with 13,500 tradeable instruments compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267. Both support forex trading, but City Index lists 66 currency pairs versus 49 at ActivTrades. Each broker also offers copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, though neither lets you buy actual crypto.

When it comes to exchange-traded securities, neither broker provides direct access to U.S.-listed shares. ActivTrades does offer some directly traded stocks on international exchanges, while City Index does not. Reflecting the broader lineup, City Index is rated 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments by ForexBrokers.com, whereas ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks #25.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
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).

Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.

Trading platforms and tools

City Index and ActivTrades both make it easy to get started with a free demo (paper trading) account. Each online broker offers an in-house platform plus popular options: both support MetaTrader 4 (MT4), while ActivTrades also supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5), which City Index does not. You can trade on a Windows desktop download or directly in your web browser with either broker, place orders straight from the chart, and explore charting with a broad mix of built-in indicators and drawing tools. Copy trading is available on both, and watchlists can be customized to suit your preferences.

For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates City Index at 4.5/5 stars and ActivTrades at 4/5 stars. City Index ranks #11 out of 63 brokers in this category, while ActivTrades ranks #26. In short, City Index is the higher-rated pick for overall platform experience, whereas ActivTrades stands out if you specifically need MT5 alongside MT4 and copy trading.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
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
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 88 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

City Index and ActivTrades both offer well-equipped mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts for stocks and forex, trendline drawing, and auto-saving of chart annotations. City Index stands out for convenience with watchlist syncing between the app and web platform, while ActivTrades lacks this feature. For charting depth, City Index provides 88 technical studies compared to ActivTrades’ 30, giving traders more options for analysis on the go.

Ratings reflect these differences: City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while ActivTrades scores 4 stars and ranks #21. If you value richer charting tools and seamless watchlists across devices, City Index is the stronger pick; if you want the essentials with a simpler toolkit, ActivTrades still gets the job done.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
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

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

City Index and ActivTrades both cover the basics well for market research. Each offers daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool showing long vs. short positioning, and an economic calendar for tracking key events. Neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.

The key difference is that City Index adds Trading Central for technical and fundamental insights, while ActivTrades does not. That extra toolkit helps explain City Index’s higher Research score (4.5/5) and ranking (#10 of 63 at ForexBrokers.com) compared with ActivTrades (4/5, ranked #26). Choose City Index if you want more built-in analysis; choose ActivTrades if you’re satisfied with core research features.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info Yes No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

City Index and ActivTrades both deliver beginner-friendly forex and CFD education. Each broker offers a steady schedule of online client webinars (at least one per month) and large video libraries that include 10+ beginner videos and 10+ advanced videos, meeting the mark for having at least ten educational pieces on core trading topics. Where they differ is in overall quality and recognition: City Index earns 4.5 stars for Education and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds 4 stars and ranks #30.

For new traders who want a clearer learning path and stronger overall program, City Index has the edge. ActivTrades remains a good option if you value frequent webinars and plenty of video content. In short, both brokers can help you get started with forex and CFDs, but City Index’s higher rating and ranking make it the more compelling pick for education-focused beginners.

Feature City Index logoCity Index
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info 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 info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 81
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.

More Comparisons

City Index vs Pepperstone City Index vs AvaTrade City Index vs Saxo City Index vs Vantage City Index vs IUX City Index vs Plus500 ActivTrades vs IC Markets ActivTrades vs Tickmill ActivTrades vs XTB ActivTrades vs HYCM (Henyep Capital Markets) ActivTrades vs OANDA ActivTrades vs Pepperstone

Show all



announcementPlease 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.

Select Brokers

↓×
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxActivTrades
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAvaTrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBlackBull Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCharles Schwab
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCity Index
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCMC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxEightcap
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeToro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxExness
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFOREX.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFP Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXCM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFxPro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHFM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHYCM (Henyep Capital Markets)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIFC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIG
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxInteractive Brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIUX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOANDA
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOcta
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPepperstone
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPlus500
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxQuestrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSaxo
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSpreadex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSwissquote
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTickmill
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrading 212
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVantage
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXM Group
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXTB

Compare

0 of 5
× City Index
× ActivTrades
Sponsored

+ Add Broker

Close Menu ×

navigate_before navigate_next
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 81
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 81
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 SCA 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 81
Winner check_circle
Review City Index Review ActivTrades Review
arrow_upward

close
navigate_before navigate_next