City Index

4.1(800)

FCA

IG Markets

4.6(2500)

BaFin/FCA

City Index vs IG Markets

Head-to-Head Comparison 2026

Our Verdict

IG Markets has a higher rating of 4.6/5 compared to City Index (4.1/5). IG Markets offers 7 instrument types, while City Index offers 6. The minimum deposit is lower at City Index with 150 €. IG Markets is BaFin-regulated, while City Index is supervised by FCA. IG Markets offers options trading, while the other does not.

Comparison Table

Criteria	City Index	IG Markets
Rating	4.1/5 (800 reviews)	4.6/5 (2500 reviews)✓
Regulation	FCA	BaFin/FCA
Fees	Spreads from 0.5 pip on forex, no commission on standard account	Spreads from 0.6 pip on forex, from 0.1% on stock CFDs
Min. Deposit	150 €	300 €
Instruments	CFDs, Forex, Indices, Commodities, Stocks CFDs, Crypto	CFDs, Forex, Options, Indices, Commodities, Stocks CFDs, Crypto
Platforms	City Index Web Trader, MT4, City Index App	IG Platform, MT4, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer
Options Trading	No, CFDs and spread betting	Yes, vanilla options and barriers
Spread (typical)	EUR/USD from 0.5 pip (typical)	EUR/USD from 0.6 pip (typical)
Execution Speed	—	~17 ms
Inactivity Fee	$15/month after 12 months of inactivity	£12/month after 24 months of inactivity
Founded	1983	1974
Headquarters	London	London

Detailed Comparison

Fee Comparison

City Index: Spreads from 0.5 pip on forex, no commission on standard account. Minimum deposit: 150 €. Spread: EUR/USD from 0.5 pip (typical). Inactivity fee: $15/month after 12 months of inactivity.

IG Markets: Spreads from 0.6 pip on forex, from 0.1% on stock CFDs. Minimum deposit: 300 €. Spread: EUR/USD from 0.6 pip (typical). Inactivity fee: £12/month after 24 months of inactivity.

Execution Quality

City Index

No data available

IG Markets

Execution: ~17 ms

Product Range

City Index (6 categories)

CFDsForexIndicesCommoditiesStocks CFDsCrypto

IG Markets (7 categories)

CFDsForexOptionsIndicesCommoditiesStocks CFDsCrypto

Trading Platforms

City Index

City Index Web Trader
MT4
City Index App

IG Markets

IG Platform
MT4
ProRealTime
L2 Dealer

Regulation & Security

City Index is regulated by FCA (HQ: London).

IG Markets is regulated by BaFin/FCA (HQ: London).

Who Is It For?

City Index

Established CFD broker with over 40 years of market presence

✓ Long-standing experience since 1983

✓ Tight spreads from 0.5 pip

✓ FCA-regulated

✗ No BaFin regulation

✗ Minimum deposit €150

IG Markets

World-leading CFD provider with 50 years of experience

✓ Over 17,000 markets available

✓ Vanilla options and barriers available

✓ Very long company history since 1974

✗ Minimum deposit €300

✗ High fees for small accounts

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City Index or IG Markets cheaper?

City Index charges Spreads from 0.5 pip on forex, no commission on standard account. IG Markets charges Spreads from 0.6 pip on forex, from 0.1% on stock CFDs. The minimum deposit is 150 € at City Index and 300 € at IG Markets.

Which broker offers more products: City Index or IG Markets?

City Index offers CFDs, Forex, Indices, Commodities, Stocks CFDs, Crypto. IG Markets offers CFDs, Forex, Options, Indices, Commodities, Stocks CFDs, Crypto.

Which broker is better regulated?

City Index is regulated by FCA. IG Markets is regulated by BaFin/FCA. IG Markets has BaFin regulation, which is particularly advantageous for German investors.

Is City Index or IG Markets better for beginners?

City Index has a minimum deposit of 150 € and offers City Index Web Trader, MT4, City Index App as platforms. IG Markets has a minimum deposit of 300 € and offers IG Platform, MT4, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer. City Index has the lower entry barrier.

City Index vs IG Markets: Which broker is better overall?

The choice between City Index (4.1/5, 800 reviews) and IG Markets (4.6/5, 2500 reviews) depends on your needs. City Index: Established CFD broker with over 40 years of market presence. IG Markets: World-leading CFD provider with 50 years of experience.

How do spreads compare between City Index and IG Markets?

City Index offers typical spreads of EUR/USD from 0.5 pip (typical). IG Markets offers EUR/USD from 0.6 pip (typical). Tighter spreads reduce trading costs especially for active trading.

Do City Index or IG Markets charge an inactivity fee?

City Index: $15/month after 12 months of inactivity. IG Markets: £12/month after 24 months of inactivity.

City Index

Established CFD broker with over 40 years of market presence

Open Account →

From 150 € min. deposit

IG Markets

World-leading CFD provider with 50 years of experience

Open Account →

From 300 € min. deposit

City Index read review →IG Markets read review →