City Index and Exness face off on regulation, costs, and platforms. The axis of tension centers on trust, pricing, and execution quality.
Find out which broker best suits your trader profile.
Choose if…
Choose City Index if you want a $0 minimum deposit and a proprietary trading platform.
Choose if…
Choose Exness if you want high leverage up to 2000:1 and 24/7 instant withdrawals.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
| Editorial score | 4.2/ 5 | 4.4/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.6 / 5▲ | 4.3 / 5 |
Pros
FCA-regulated since 1983, backed by Nasdaq-listed StoneX Group
13,500+ markets including UK spread betting
TradingView integration for chart-based order execution
EUR/USD from 0.5 pips, competitive for a spread-only desk
FSCS protection up to GBP 85,000 for UK clients
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | City Index | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Pass | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Pass | Pass |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS) | Pass | Pass |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Fail | Pass |
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Fail | Pass |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Pass |
| Proprietary platform | Pass | Fail |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Pass |
| Multilingual support | Fail | Pass |
The scores are close: City Index rates 4.2/5 and Exness rates 4.4/5. Exness has a marginal edge in our scoring, but the difference is small enough that your specific priorities — fees, platforms, or regulatory jurisdiction — should guide the final choice.
Exness starts from 0.3 pips, tighter than City Index's 0.5 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
City Index has no minimum deposit, while Exness requires at least $1. This makes City Index more accessible for traders with limited starting capital.
Both City Index and Exness hold licences from top-tier regulators, indicating a high standard of regulatory oversight. Check each broker's specific regulatory bodies to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.
For beginners, two factors stand out: City Index has no minimum deposit, removing the capital barrier entirely, and both brokers provide negative balance protection. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
City Index lists maximum leverage of 30:1, while Exness lists up to 2000:1. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
Exness charges $3.5 per lot on commission-based accounts. Commission details for City Index are not currently available. Check their website for up-to-date pricing.
City Index supports Proprietary Web/Mobile, TradingView, MetaTrader 4, while Exness supports MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5. Both provide MetaTrader 4. City Index has exclusive access to Proprietary Web/Mobile and TradingView. Exness has exclusive access to MetaTrader 5.
Exness offers tighter spreads from 0.30 pips vs 0.50 pips for City Index, reducing trading costs.
Equally matched.
Exness offers up to 2000:1 leverage and instant withdrawals.
Exness is better suited for scalpers: raw/ECN spreads available, tighter spreads from 0.30 pips.
City Index offers a proprietary platform in addition to MT4/MT5.
City Index provides far more instruments than Exness.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.3 / 5 | 4.6 / 5▲ |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.2 / 5 | 4.4 / 5▲ |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.1 / 5 | 4.3 / 5▲ |
|---|
| Founded | 1983 | 2008 |
|---|
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom | Limassol, Cyprus |
|---|
| Min Deposit | No minimum▼ lower | $1 |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.5 pips | 0.3 pips▼ lower |
|---|
| Commission / lot | N/A | $3.5/lot |
|---|
| N/A | 0.65 pips |
| Max Leverage | 30:1▲ higher | 2,000:1 |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | $12/month (after 12 months) | None |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardPayPal | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerPerfect MoneyCryptoP2P |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit card | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNetellerPerfect MoneyCrypto |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | ASIC FCA MAS | CySEC FCA FSCA OJK |
|---|
| Platforms | Proprietary Web/Mobile TradingView MetaTrader 4 | MetaTrader 4 MetaTrader 5 |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Proprietary trading platform available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Pros
Near-unlimited leverage on offshore entity
Extremely low $1 minimum deposit on Standard account
Instant withdrawals available 24/7 including weekends
One of the world's highest-volume retail FX brokers
Regulated by top-tier authorities (FCA, ASIC, CySEC)
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Cons
Inactivity fee after 12 months of no trading
Not available to US residents
Proprietary platform visual design lags behind IG and Saxo
Research depth weaker than IG's Reuters/Morningstar environment
No raw spread account option
Support available in limited languages
Cons
Not available to US residents
EU clients face significant leverage restrictions
Unlimited leverage carries extreme risk for inexperienced traders
No proprietary platform
Exness edges City Index on the editorial score (4.4 vs 4.2) and stronger Fees & Spreads (4.6 vs 4.3), making it the overall winner.
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4.2 / 5
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