Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as CFD/FX brokers (leveraged trading on forex, indices, commodities and crypto), using the data of City Index's UK entity and IG Markets' UK entity. Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as stock brokers (real shares and ETFs you own outright), using the data of City Index's UK entity and IG Markets' UK entity.
City Index
Regulated in your country City Index is allowed by FCA to onboard clients residing in the UK.
68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
IG Markets
Regulated in your country IG Markets is allowed by FCA to onboard clients residing in the UK.
70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Best for
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of traders City Index and IG Markets are best suited to, based on what each one actually offers in United Kingdom.IG Markets is better than City Index for day traders, scalpers and futures traders. Professional traders, high-volume traders and swing traders can choose either IG Markets or City Index.
| Overall score | City Index 83 -7 not offered | IG Markets 90 Best 88 |
|---|---|---|
| Day trading i | ||
| Long-term investing i | ||
| Professional traders i | ||
| High-volume traders i | ||
| Scalpers i | ||
| Swing traders i | ||
| News traders i | ||
| Algo traders i | ||
| Stock traders i | ||
| Crypto traders i | ||
| Futures traders i | ||
| Options traders i |
Regulation
What we compare A comparison between the financial authorities that supervise City Index and the ones that supervise IG Markets.City Index and IG Markets are both regulated in the UK, by the FCA.
| Section score | City Index 100 not offered | IG Markets 100 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier-1 regulators | ||
| ESMA (European Union) i | ||
| FCA (United Kingdom) i | ||
| ASIC (Australia) i | ||
| CFTC (United States) i | ||
| NFA (United States) i | ||
| SEC (United States) i | ||
| CIRO (Canada) i | ||
| MAS (Singapore) i | ||
| SFC (Hong Kong) i | ||
| JFSA (Japan) i | ||
| FINMA (Switzerland) i | ||
| Tier-2 regulators | ||
| FMA (New Zealand) i | ||
| CBR (Russia) i | ||
| FSCA (South Africa) i | ||
| DFSA (Dubai) i | ||
| CSRC (China) i | ||
| ISA (Israel) i | ||
| LFSA (Malaysia) i | ||
| JSC (Jordan) i | ||
| CMA (Kenya) i | ||
| Tier-3 regulators | ||
| FSA (Seychelles) i | ||
| MMA (Maldives) i | ||
| SCB (Bahamas) i | ||
| FSC (Mauritius) i | ||
| VFSC (Vanuatu) i | ||
| FSC (Belize) i | ||
| CIMA (Cayman Islands) i | ||
| SV FSA (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) i | ||
| FSRC (St. Kitts & Nevis) i | ||
| BMA (Bermuda) i | ||
| BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands) i | ||
| EDR (External Dispute Resolution) i | ||
Safety
What we compare A comparison of the tools and services that City Index and IG Markets have in place to protect your money in United Kingdom.Both City Index and IG Markets offer segregated client funds and an investor compensation scheme. City Index also offers additional money insurance. IG Markets is also a licensed bank.
| Section score | City Index 95 Best not offered | IG Markets 91 -4 91 |
|---|---|---|
| Company info | ||
| Is it publicly traded i | ||
| Is it a bank i | ||
| Year founded i | 1983 | 1974 |
| Parent company i | StoneX Group Inc | IG Group Holdings plc |
| CEO i | Clive Cooke | Breon Corcoran |
| Money safety | ||
| Segregated client funds i | ||
| Two-factor authentication i | ||
| Investor compensation scheme i | ||
| Additional money insurance i | ||
| Partner bank i | N/A | Barclays|Lloyds |
| Brand power | ||
| Number of customers worldwide i | 235,000 | 820,000 |
| Annual revenue i | USD 124,800,000 | USD 987,300,000 |
| Monthly website search traffic i | 12.1K monthly visits | 97.1K monthly visits |
Costs
What we compare A comparison of what it costs to trade with City Index and with IG Markets in United Kingdom, both on each trade and on holding the account.IG Markets is better than City Index for CFD/FX costs, as IG Markets is cheaper on EUR/USD, at 5.08 USD per lot (against City Index's 8 USD), and does not charge inactivity fees, unlike City Index. Neither City Index nor IG Markets charges account maintenance fees or deposit fees.
There is no like-for-like comparison for real stock costs, as City Index is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | City Index 69 -18 not offered | IG Markets 87 Best 75 |
|---|---|---|
| Broker fees | ||
| Deposit fees i | ||
| Withdrawal fees i | ||
| Overnight fees i | ||
| Inactivity fees i | ||
| Currency conversion fees i | ||
| Discounts on volume i | ||
| Real time market data fee i | ||
| Dividend withholding i | ||
| Account opening fees i | ||
| Account maintenance fee i | ||
| Portfolio management fee i | ||
| Fees on CFDs | ||
| Forex commission per lot i | Free | Free |
| EUR/USD average standard spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average raw spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average fixed spread i | ||
| EUR/USD total cost per lot i | USD 8 | USD 5.075 |
| S&P 500 fees (CFD) i | 0.4 points | 0.4 points |
| Gold fees (CFD) i | 0.3 points | 0.3 points |
| Bitcoin fees (CFD) i | USD 36 | |
| US stocks fees (CFD) i | USD 0.018 | USD 0.02 |
| Fees on stocks | ||
| Stock fee type i | Commission, Percentage | Commission |
| US stocks fees (real) i | Free | |
| ETF fees (real) i | Free | |
| Management costs i | ||
| Connection costs i | ||
| Fees on futures | ||
| Futures fees per contract i | USD 2 | |
| Platform fees i | ||
| Fees on options | ||
| Options fees per contract i | USD 2 | |
| Event fees i | ||
| Fees on savings plans | ||
| IRA opening fee i | ||
| IRA maintenance fee i | ||
| 401k opening fee i | ||
| 401k maintenance fee i | ||
Available markets
What we compare A comparison of the markets and products you can trade with City Index and with IG Markets in United Kingdom, and of how many instruments each one gives access to.IG Markets is better than City Index for CFD/FX markets, as IG Markets gives access to 17,000 tradable symbols (against City Index's 13,500), offers futures on indices and commodities, which City Index does not, and offers options on commodities, forex, indices and stocks, which City Index does not. Both City Index and IG Markets offer CFDs on commodities, forex, indices and stocks.
Only IG Markets can be assessed for real stock markets, since City Index is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | City Index 65 -35 not offered | IG Markets 100 Best 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Total tradable symbols i | 13,500 | 17,000 |
| Currency pairs i | ||
| Indices i | ||
| Commodities i | ||
| Stocks i | ||
| ETF i | ||
| Cryptocurrencies i | ||
| Bonds i | ||
| Interest rates i | ||
| Portfolios i | ||
| CFDs i | Commodities, Forex, Indices, Stocks | Commodities, Forex, Indices, Stocks |
| Futures i | Indices, Commodities | |
| Options i | Commodities, Forex, Indices, Stocks | |
| Assets you can own i |
Platform
What we compare A comparison of the trading platforms that City Index and IG Markets make available to their clients in United Kingdom.There is little between City Index and IG Markets on platforms, as both offer a proprietary platform and MetaTrader 4. IG Markets has a slight edge, as it offers MetaTrader 5 and TradingView.
IG Markets and City Index cannot be set side by side for platforms, as City Index is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks, unlike IG Markets.
| Section score | City Index 88 -3 not offered | IG Markets 91 91 |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary platform i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 i | ||
| cTrader i | ||
| Social trading platform i | ||
| Copy trading platform i | ||
| ZuluTrade i | ||
| TradingView i | ||
| Duplitrade i | ||
| Mirror Trader i | ||
| NinjaTrader i | ||
| AutoChartist i | ||
| Real time pricing i | ||
| 5 digit pricing i | ||
| One-click trading i |
Mobile
What we compare A comparison of the mobile apps of City Index and IG Markets in United Kingdom, and of what each one lets you do from your phone.IG Markets is better than City Index for mobile trading, because IG Markets offers the MetaTrader 5 app, mobile charting tools and mobile drawing tools, which City Index does not. City Index and IG Markets both offer a proprietary mobile app and the MetaTrader 4 app.
There is no like-for-like comparison for mobile trading, as City Index is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | City Index 80 -13 not offered | IG Markets 93 Best 93 |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary app i | ||
| Social trading app i | ||
| Copy trading app i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 app i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 app i | ||
| cTrader app i | ||
| Mobile trading signals i | ||
| Mobile alerts i | ||
| Mobile charting tools i | ||
| Mobile drawing tools i | ||
| Mobile watchlist i | ||
| Smartwatch app i |
Trading features
What we compare A comparison of the trading tools and strategies that City Index and IG Markets allow on their platforms in United Kingdom.IG Markets is better than City Index for CFD/FX trading features, given that IG Markets offers guaranteed stop losses and tier-1 liquidity providers, which City Index does not, and allows for scalping. City Index and IG Markets both offer negative balance protection and trailing stops.
IG Markets and City Index cannot be compared for real stock trading features, because IG Markets is a broker offering both CFDs and stocks while City Index is a CFD broker.
| Section score | City Index 79 -10 not offered | IG Markets 89 Best 92 |
|---|---|---|
| Trade execution | ||
| Broker type i | Agency | Agency |
| Average execution time i | 2 ms | 14 ms |
| Slippage occurrence i | 11% | |
| Requotes occurrence i | ||
| Tier-1 liquidity providers i | ||
| PFOF i | ||
| Leverage | ||
| Major FX pairs leverage i | 30:1 | 30:1 |
| Minor/Exotic FX pairs leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Major indices leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Minor indices leverage i | 10:1 | 10:1 |
| Gold leverage i | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Commodities leverage i | 10:1 | 10:1 |
| Equities leverage i | 5:1 | 5:1 |
| Cryptocurrency leverage i | ||
| Risk management | ||
| Stop losses i | ||
| Take profits i | ||
| Limit orders i | ||
| Trailing stop i | ||
| Margin call i | ||
| OCO orders i | ||
| Guaranteed stop loss i | ||
| Negative balance protection i | ||
| Minimum trade size (FX) i | 0.01 lots | 0.01 lots |
| Minimum trade size (stocks) i | USD 0 | USD 0 |
| Fractional stocks i | ||
| Trading compliance | ||
| Scalping strategies allowed i | ||
| Hedging strategies allowed i | ||
| Automated trading strategy allowed i | ||
| EAs use allowed i | ||
| HFT strategy allowed i | ||
| VPS use allowed i | ||
| API use allowed i | ||
| Price scraping allowed i | ||
| FIFO rule applies i | ||
Account types
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of account you can open at City Index and at IG Markets in United Kingdom, and of who each one is meant for.IG Markets is better than City Index for CFD/FX account types, as IG Markets offers a corporate account and a raw spread account, which City Index does not. City Index and IG Markets both offer a demo account and a professional traders account.
There is no like-for-like comparison for real stock account types, as City Index is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | City Index 40 -6 not offered | IG Markets 46 Best 29 |
|---|---|---|
| Demo account i | ||
| Unlimited demo account i | ||
| Standard account i | ||
| Micro account i | ||
| Cent account i | ||
| Nano account i | ||
| Raw spread account i | ||
| ECN account i | ||
| Swap-free account i | ||
| Islamic account i | ||
| Professional traders account i | ||
| Fixed spread account i | ||
| Spread betting account i | ||
| Copy trading account i | ||
| Corporate account i | ||
| Managed account i | ||
| Stock investing account i | ||
| Margin investing account i | ||
| Savings account i | ||
| Retirement account i |
Account opening
What we compare A comparison of what it takes to open and fund an account with City Index and with IG Markets in United Kingdom.City Index and IG Markets are equally good for account opening, as City Index offers 3 account base currencies (against IG Markets' 1), and has no minimum withdrawal (against IG Markets' 100 USD). On the other hand, IG Markets does not require a minimum deposit (against City Index's 50 USD), and credits deposits faster, within the same day (against City Index's 3 days). City Index and IG Markets both offer credit cards and debit cards.
City Index does not offer real stocks, being a CFD broker, so IG Markets and City Index cannot be compared for account opening.
| Section score | City Index 62 not offered | IG Markets 62 62 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit i | USD 50 | USD 0 |
| Minimum withdrawal i | USD 0 | USD 100 |
| Wire transfers i | ||
| Credit cards i | ||
| Debit cards i | ||
| eWallets i | ||
| Local payment methods i | ||
| Account base currencies i | AUD, EUR, USD | GBP |
| Deposit waiting time i | up to 3 business days | Instant |
| Withdrawal waiting time i | up to 3 business days | up to 1 business days |
| Bonus program i |
Customer care
What we compare A comparison of the customer support of City Index and IG Markets in United Kingdom, in how it can be reached and how fast it answers.IG Markets is better than City Index for customer care, given that IG Markets offers customer support in 12 languages (against City Index's 6), and has a website in 12 languages (against City Index's 6). Both City Index and IG Markets offer a dedicated account manager and phone support.
Only IG Markets can be assessed for customer care, since City Index is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | City Index 73 -5 not offered | IG Markets 78 Best 78 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of languages supported i | 6 | 12 |
| Website languages i | Arabic, German, English, Polish, Spanish, Chinese | Arabic, Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish |
| Website available in English i | ||
| Customer support languages i | Arabic, German, English, Polish, Spanish, Chinese | Arabic, Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish |
| Customer support in English i | ||
| Call back request i | ||
| Email support i | ||
| Phone support i | ||
| Live chat i | ||
| Priority customer support i | ||
| Dedicated account manager i | ||
| Cash sweep i | ||
| Stock lending i | ||
| Distributes proceeds i | ||
| Tax withholding agent i | ||
| Tax assistance i |
Learning
What we compare A comparison of the educational material that City Index and IG Markets provide to their clients in United Kingdom.City Index and IG Markets are equally good for learning, as both offer education for advanced traders and webinars.
City Index does not offer real stocks, being a CFD broker, so IG Markets and City Index cannot be compared for learning.
| Section score | City Index 100 not offered | IG Markets 100 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Education | ||
| Education center i | ||
| Education for beginners i | ||
| Education for advanced traders i | ||
| Webinars i | ||
| Tutorials i | ||
| Glossary i | ||
| Research | ||
| Economic calendar i | ||
| Traders' sentiment i | ||
| Daily market commentary i | ||
| Daily trading ideas i | ||
| News via social media i | ||
| Professional reports i | ||
| Watchlist i | ||
City Index vs IG Markets: which one should you choose?
City Index
CFD/FX Choose City Index if you want a CFD and forex broker with fast execution and fixed-spread accounts.
Open Account 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
IG Markets
CFD/FX Choose IG Markets if you want an online CFD broker with a wide choice of markets, low trading costs and no minimum deposit.
Stocks Choose IG Markets if you want a broker for securities investing with commission-free US stocks.
Open Account 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.Other popular comparisons
Below are other head-to-head comparisons that include City Index or IG Markets, each scored with the same data and method as this page.
