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City Index vs HFM : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

City Index

City Index

VS
HFM

HFM

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Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

Market maker

Market maker broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1983

2010

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1M + active customers

2500000 clients


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

CIRO, CySEC, NFA, CFTC, CIMA, FCA, SFC, FSA, MAS, ASIC

FSC, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, ISA, FSCA, MAS, CMA, FMA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best trading app, Best CFD provider, Forex broker.com No.1- Performance Analytics new tool, Best in Class overall

Best Global Affliiate Programs 2024, Best Trading Accounts Global, Best Stock Broker 2023, Best Trading Platform Broker

Security Measures

FSCS

Civil Liability insurance program with a limit of €5,000,000

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

13,500+ assets types including Shares

Over 500 markets including energies

Currency Pairs

Yes

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Yes

Indices

Yes

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

No

Yes

CFDs

Yes

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

No

Yes

Options

Yes

No

Futures

No

No

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

No

No

Fractional Shares

Yes

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

Yes

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

Yes

Yes

MT5

No

Yes

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

Yes

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

City Index mobile trading app

HFM Platform, Web trading, Mobile trading

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

Standard, MT4, Corporate account

Cent, Zero, Pro , Premium, Corporate, Joint account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Minimum Deposit

€100

$0

Leverage Available

30:1

1:1000- 1:2000

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on the assets class

60/ 200 Standard lots per position depends on account types

Commission (per account type)

€0

$0

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginner to experienced

Beginners to experienced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Bank transfer, credit card, debit card, e-wallets

Bank Transfers, Wire transfers, Credit/Debit cards,Crypto, e-Wallets

Withdrawal Methods

Bank transfer, credit card, debit card, e-wallets

Bank Transfers, Wire transfers, Credit/Debit cards,Crypto, e-Wallets

Other E-Wallets Supported

Paypal

FasaPay, Neteller


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Reuters Insider, News and analysis, Trading tools, Advanced trading view Charts

Webinars, eBooks and Guides, Video Tutorials


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

UK Shares: 0.10% (min. €8 commission)US Shares: 1.5 cents per share (min. €8 commission)

Spread: starts from 0.0- 1.2 pips, commissions: $0.03 per 1k lot, Commission for Forex: $0.03 - $3, gold: $7- $14

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Fixed and variable spreads

Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

NA

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

$0

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

$0

NA

Maximum Leverage

30:1

34:20:00


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$15 monthly fee after 24 months of inactivity

$10 inactive for 90 days

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

$0

Advisory Fees

NA

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

$0

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

NA

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

NA

$0

Deposit Fee

Credit/ debit card- 2%, others - €0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

Varies by instrument

$0

Withdrawal Fee

Bank fees may apply

$0


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Varies by instrument

Varies by instrument


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Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

24/5

24/5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Email: [email protected], Phone: 0800 060 8609, Live chat

Live support: Available 24/5, Email : [email protected], Phone: +44-203 097 85 71

Support Languages

6

27+


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

1st Floor, Moor House, 120 London Wall, London, EC2Y 5ET

financial hub of Limassol, Cyprus

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.
While City Index maintains low trading fees with no minimum deposit, HFM includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making City Index the better option for budget-focused traders.
City Index makes starting out easy with a simple application, especially for retail clients. HFM platform, while requiring more effort to join, allows experienced traders to customize their accounts from the start.
If you're trading on-the-go, City Index mobile platform is fluid and intuitive. HFM desktop and web apps are more robust, making them suitable for in-depth trading sessions.
City Index strength lies in high-performance trading, while HFM provides a more accessible route for everyday investors.

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