UK-based brokerage City Index, now part of publicly listed US company StoneX, is a well-trusted company offering its advanced proprietary trading platform alongside MT4. City Index also delivers high-quality research, including its newly launched SMART Signals service, while beginner traders get an excellent educational platform.
Plus500 established itself as a trusted CFD execution-only brokerage, presenting its proprietary trading platform for manual traders. Plus500 offers traders a well-balanced asset selection and supports more complex trading strategies due to the availability of options trading.
Both brokers maintain a moderately more expensive pricing environment while offering guaranteed stop-loss orders. A premium service is also available at City Index and Plus500 alike for a balance of $10,000 and by invite-only, respectively.
We have conducted an in-depth review of City Index and Plus500 to determine which one presents the better overall choice and which traders will benefit the most at either broker.
- Features and Platforms
- Available Markets
- Typical Spreads and Fees
- Security and Trust
- City Index versus Plus500 - Verdict
 |  | |
Headquarters | Israel | United Kingdom |
Regulators | ASIC, CySEC, FCA, FMA, FSCA, MAS | CySEC, FCA, FSA |
Tier 1 Regulator(s)? | ||
Owned by Public Company? | ||
Year Established | 2008 | 1983 |
Execution Type(s) | Market Maker | ECN/STP |
Minimum Deposit | $100 | None |
Negative Balance Protection | N/A | |
Trading Platform(s) | Proprietary platform, Web-based | MetaTrader 4, Proprietary platform, Web-based |
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD | 1.3 pips | 0.9 pips ($9.00) |
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD | 1.7 pips | 1.5 pips ($15.00) |
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil | - | $0.12 |
Average Trading Cost Gold | - | $0.50 |
Retail Loss Rate | 82.00% | N/A |
Minimum Raw Spreads | Not applicable | N/A |
Minimum Standard Spreads | Not applicable | N/A |
Minimum Commission for Forex | Commission-free | N/A |
Islamic Account | ||
Signals | ||
US Persons Accepted? | ||
Managed Accounts | ||
| Visit Website 82% of retail CFD accounts lose money | Visit Website |
Features and Platforms
| | |
MT4 | ||
MT5 | ||
MT4/MT5 Add-Ons | N/A | |
cTrader | ||
Proprietary Platform | ||
Automated Trading | ||
Social/Copy Trading | N/A | |
DOM? | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ||
Scalping | ||
Hedging | ||
One-Click Trading | ||
OCO Orders | ||
Interest on Margin | ||
| Visit Website 82% of retail CFD accounts lose money | Visit Website |
Available Markets
| | |
Currency Pairs | N/A | |
Cryptocurrencies | N/A | |
Commodities | ||
Crude Oil | ||
Gold | ||
Metals | ||
Equity Indices | ||
Stocks (non-CFDs) | ||
Bonds | N/A | |
ETFs | ||
Options | N/A | |
Futures | ||
Synthetics | ||
| Visit Website 82% of retail CFD accounts lose money | Visit Website |
City Index does not offer cryptocurrencies but maintains an overall well-balanced list of trading instruments, including 4,500+ equity CFDs and 84 currency pairs, part of 12,000+ assets. Plus500 has notably fewer assets but a well-balanced selection suitable for beginner and advanced traders alike. Beginners should use the demo account and the Trading Academy to gain experience before trading with real capital due to the risks involved. It includes options, supporting more complex strategies.
Typical Spreads and Fees
| | |
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD | 1.3 pips | 0.9 pips ($9.00) |
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD | 1.7 pips | 1.5 pips ($15.00) |
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil | - | $0.12 |
Average Trading Cost Gold | - | $0.50 |
Average Trading Cost Bitcoin | - | $60.00 |
Minimum Raw Spreads | Not applicable | N/A |
Minimum Standard Spreads | Not applicable | N/A |
Minimum Commission for Forex | Commission-free | N/A |
Deposit Fee | N/A | |
Withdrawal Fee | N/A | |
Inactivity Fee | $10 monthly after 3 months | N/A |
| Visit Website 82% of retail CFD accounts lose money | Visit Website |
City Index advertises lower minimum fees but has higher average costs, while Plus500 features dynamic spreads dependent on market conditions with no minimums. City Index levies equity CFDs commissions with lower swap rates. The currency conversion cost at City Index is 0.50% versus up to 0.70% at Plus500.
Security and Trust
| | |
Country of the Regulator | United Arab Emirates, Australia, Cyprus, Estonia, Israel, New Zealand, Seychelles, Singapore, United Kingdom, South Africa | Australia, United Kingdom |
Name of the Regulator | ASIC, CySEC, FCA, FMA, FSCA, MAS | CySEC, FCA, FSA |
Regulatory License Number | 509909, 250/14, 417727, 486026, 47546, SD039, 100648-1, NOT AVAILABLE, 4.1-1/18, F005651 | 446717, 345646 |
Regulatory Tier | N/A | 1, 1 |
| Visit Website 82% of retail CFD accounts lose money | Visit Website |
Both brokers segregate client deposits from corporate funds and offer negative balance protection. UK-based traders, and select Plus500 jurisdictions, have an investor compensation fund. City Index owner StoneX is a publicly listed US company which has incurred regulatory fines. Plus500 is a publicly listed company in the UK and a constituent of the FTSE250 with a clean regulatory track record.
City Index vs Plus500 – Verdict
City Index
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Broad-based asset selection with a focus on equity CFDs | No cryptocurrencies |
| Competitive proprietary trading platform with excellent research tools | An above-average cost structure for retail traders |
| Excellent educational resources and quality research | Higher minimum deposit but within a reasonable range |
| Trading with unrealized profits and scaled trading + price improvement technology |
Plus500
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Competitive asset selection of 2,000+ focused on equity and ETF CFDs | No support for algorithmic trading and absence of MT4 |
| Guaranteed stop-loss orders and negative balance protection | Higher minimum deposit but within a reasonable range |
| A publicly listed company, well-capitalized and trusted | |
| Lightweight webtrader ideal for beginner traders |
City Index offers an excellent educational platform and supports algorithmic trading, while Plus500 remains a better choice for manual traders seeking a high-quality execution-only broker. City Index has more assets, but Plus500 offers a more well-balanced selection suitable for most traders.
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FAQs
Is City Index a good broker?
City Index ranks among the leading brokers with a quality trading environment. Beginner traders can benefit from its excellent educational platform.
Can Plus500 be trusted?
Plus500 remains a trustworthy broker with a clean regulatory track record since becoming a publicly listed company in the UK.
Is City Index good for day trading?
City Index offers day traders a competitive trading environment with price improvement technology and deep liquidity.