Interactive Brokers and City Index are leading online brokers. Interactive Brokers is the top choice for advanced traders outside the United States. It offers a professional trading platform, learning tools for new traders, and a digital library. We recommend it for advanced traders outside the US.
City Index provides a top copy trading experience and low-cost trading solutions. It has competitive spreads, straightforward platforms, and many research tools. City Index is highly regulated with licenses from the MAS, FCA, and ASIC. We recommend it for traders of all levels of experience who want to improve their skills.
Both brokerage firms have strengths and weaknesses. This article discusses the differences between Interactive Brokers and City Index.
| Broker Name | Interactive Brokers | City Index |
| Year Founded | 1978 | 1983 |
| Regulation | SEC (USA), FCA (UK) | FCA, ASIC, MAS |
| Tradable Assets | Stock, ETF, Forex, Fund, Bond, Options, Futures, CFD, Crypto, Warrants, Structured Products | Forex, CFDs |
| Min Deposit | $0 | £50.00 |
| Min Trade | $0 | |
| Platforms | Traders Workstation (TWS) | Web Trader, AT Pro, Mobile App, MetaTrader4 |
| Deposit | You can open account without deposit | Free of charge |
| Withdrawals | Free of charge for the first withdrawal in calendar month | Free of charge |
Top findings from the Interactive Brokers vs. City Index review:
- Interactive Brokers is a trustworthy online broker in 2021 for professional and new traders based outside the United States.
- City Index is a leading online broker with excellent pricing and valuable learning tools.
- Both brokers offer a demo account, a proprietary platform, and an active trader discount.
Interactive Brokers is a top choice for non-US-based professional traders. City Index is a better choice for investors of all levels of experience as it has beginner-friendly tools.
Overall Rating
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | City Index |
| Overall | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Commissions & Fees | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Offering of Investments | 5 | 5 |
| Platforms & Tools | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Mobile Trading | 4 | 4.5 |
| Research | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Education | 4 | 4.5 |
| Trust Score | 94 | 93 |
| Winner | YES | |
| 66% of retail CFD accounts lose money | 73% of retail CFD accounts lose money |
Level of experience
The best choice for beginners is City Index because of its robust educational offering. It offers high-quality market research and news. City Index has a reliable learning center with webinars, forex education, and beginner trading videos. We recommend it for traders of all levels of experience who want to improve their trading knowledge.
Interactive Brokers has some learning tools and materials. It offers webinars, articles, videos, and platform tutorials. Interactive Brokers is a top choice for experienced traders as it has premium platforms and tools.
Fees
The minimum initial deposit at Interactive Brokers is $0, while at City Index is £50.00. Both brokers follow a transparent fee policy and offer an active trader discount.
Assets
Interactive Brokers has 105 forex currency pairs, while City Index offers 65 pairs. Interactive Brokers provides access to 7400 CFDs, while City Index has 4500 available CFDs.
Trading platform
Interactive Brokers offers excellent trading tools, a massive asset offering, and market research tools. Its desktop, web, and mobile app offer access to professional charting tools. Interactive Brokers is a top choice for professionals.
City Index has two proprietary platforms and access to MetaTrader 4. It provides high-quality market research and news. City Index offers access to an excellent learning center and a user-friendly mobile app. It is a good choice for new traders because of its valuable learning center.
Banking services
Banking services contribute to a good online trading experience. City Index offers many funding options, including bank transfers, PayPal, and credit/debit cards. Interactive Brokers has bank transfers as its funding option.
Final verdict
Interactive Brokers and City Index are leading online brokers with impressive trading experiences. Both have advantages and disadvantages depending on your trading experience. Interactive Brokers is an excellent choice for professionals as it offers premium platforms and tools. City Index is a better choice for new investors because of its learning and research tools.
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Methodology
The mission of Business24-7 is to provide comprehensive, unbiased ratings and reviews of online providers. User experience, the mobile experience, customer service, costs and fees, security, the quality of trade executions, the products available on their platforms are all part of our six-month evaluation of a providers’s platform. The rating scale was based on thousands of data points that have been weighted into the scoring system.
Providers were also required to fill out a multi-point survey regarding every aspect of their platform. In-person demonstrations and evaluations were provided by the majority of the online providers we reviewed.
Stefan Grasic, along with our team of industry experts, conducted our reviews and developed this methodology for ranking what form is used in online investing.
Business24-7 maintains high editorial standards and provides the best advice and recommendations. The products and companies that we review may compensate us when you click on the links on this website. Click below to find out more about our review process and methodology.
Disclosure
All trading involves risk. More than 80% of investors lose in spread bet and CFD trading. As these complex instruments allow for the use of leverage, there is a high risk of losing more money than you have deposited. Before attempting to participate in spread bets and CFDs, consider how well you understand them and if you can afford to lose your money.
