Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of BlackBull Markets vs HFM, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
BlackBull Markets and HFM are both online brokers catering to traders seeking diverse investment opportunities. Founded in 2014, BlackBull Markets operates with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 78, placing it in the average risk category. It holds one Tier-1 license, which indicates a higher level of regulation, ensuring some safety for traders. Despite not being publicly traded or a bank, BlackBull Markets has been growing since its inception in 2014 and remains a noteworthy option for traders.
On the other hand, HFM, established in 2010, carries a Trust Score of 86, marking it as a trusted broker. With two Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, HFM demonstrates a more substantial regulatory standing compared to BlackBull Markets. Like BlackBull Markets, HFM is not publicly traded, nor is it a bank. This regulatory depth and experience within the industry may provide traders with a more secure trading environment, reflecting its higher trust rating.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
BlackBull Markets and HFM are two online brokers that have different approaches to commissions and fees. BlackBull Markets offers traders various account types that influence trading costs. With the Prime account at BlackBull Markets, spreads on the EUR/USD pair average 0.16, and when accounting for a per-side commission of 0.3 pips or $6 per 10,000 traded, it results in an all-in cost of 0.76. This account is favored due to its balance of low spreads and commission compared to their Standard option, which has no minimum deposit but higher spreads. The ECN Institutional account caters to more active traders with a $20,000 deposit requirement and offers the lowest commissions at $2 per side.
In contrast, HFM's trading costs sit slightly above the industry average. Their standard accounts typically exhibit spreads of around 1.2 pips without specific date-based averages being available. The Zero account offers a more competitive spread of 0.7 pips after commission, though this figure isn't presented as an average, possibly indicating variability in actual trading costs. This might affect predictability in trading expenses compared to BlackBull Markets.
Both brokers are rated on their commission and fee structures, with BlackBull Markets scoring 4.5 stars and ranking 19th out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, HFM receives a slightly lower rating of 4 stars and ranks 31st in the same category. This comparison highlights BlackBull Markets as a potentially more cost-effective option among these two brokers based on current ratings and rankings.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.76 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.76 | 0.7 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the range of investments offered by BlackBull Markets and HFM, it becomes clear that each broker brings distinct features to the table. BlackBull Markets excels in offering a wide selection of 26,000 tradeable symbols, which includes exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, allowing clients to buy shares like Apple or Vodafone. This broad availability is coupled with the option to trade 72 different forex pairs and engage in copy trading. Though they do not provide actual cryptocurrency trading, BlackBull Markets offers cryptocurrency derivatives, providing traders with additional flexibility.
In contrast, HFM offers a comprehensive selection of 500 tradeable symbols and stands out with its broader array of 102 forex pairs, appealing to clients focused primarily on currency trading. Like BlackBull Markets, HFM supports both CFD forex trading and copy trading, alongside cryptocurrency derivatives, allowing traders to explore various strategies. However, HFM does not provide access to exchange traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges. When it comes to ratings, BlackBull Markets earns a superior five-star rating and ranks sixth in the range of investments category according to ForexBrokers.com, while HFM holds a four-star rating and is placed 36th, reflecting their differences in investment offerings.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 102 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by BlackBull Markets and HFM, both brokers provide traders with a broad range of features. Both firms offer simulated trading opportunities through free virtual demo accounts, allowing traders to refine their skills in a risk-free environment. While both provide MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), HFM stands out with its proprietary platform developed in-house, giving it a unique edge. Both firms have Windows-based desktop and web-based trading platforms, ensuring flexibility in trading. Traders looking for copy trading opportunities will find this option available with both brokers, although only BlackBull Markets supports ZuluTrade for social trading experiences.
When it comes to charting tools, BlackBull Markets offers a notable advantage with 60 drawing tools available compared to HFM's 30. Additionally, BlackBull Markets provides users the ability to trade directly from a stock chart, a feature shared with HFM. The brokers also offer fields for watch lists, with HFM providing one more column option than BlackBull Markets. Despite these differences, both are rated 4 stars for their trading platforms and tools. However, BlackBull Markets is ranked higher than HFM according to ForexBrokers.com, slotting in at #28 out of 62 brokers, compared to HFM's #42 position, suggesting a slight preference for BlackBull Markets in this category among industry evaluators.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | No | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 109 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 60 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both BlackBull Markets and HFM offer iPhone and Android apps, allowing traders to manage their investments on the go. Users can receive stock and forex price alerts directly on their mobile devices with both apps. A unique feature of BlackBull Markets is its synchronizing capability, which harmonizes watchlist symbols between the mobile app and the client's online account, a feature not available in HFM's app. Both platforms provide a comprehensive charting experience with 30 technical studies and the ability to draw trendlines, as well as view multiple time frames like daily, weekly, and intraday options.
BlackBull Markets and HFM apps both allow for creating watchlists with real-time quotes and auto-save feature for drawings on charts, offering a user-friendly trading experience. In terms of user ratings, both apps enjoy a solid 4-star rating for mobile trading. However, when ranked by ForexBrokers.com, BlackBull Markets stands ahead at 30th position, while HFM is placed 39th among 62 brokers. This could suggest that BlackBull Markets might offer a slight edge in overall mobile app performance, despite both brokers providing a range of valuable features for mobile traders.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, both BlackBull Markets and HFM offer daily market commentary, helping traders stay informed on market movements and trends. However, HFM goes a step further by providing forex news from well-regarded sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, a feature not available with BlackBull Markets. Both brokers offer technical analysis tools from Autochartist, allowing traders to analyze chart patterns and market trends. Neither broker provides tools from Trading Central or offers research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading. Additionally, both offer sentiment-based trading tools to assess long or short positions, along with comprehensive economic calendars to help their clients prepare for global economic events.
In terms of research ratings, both BlackBull Markets and HFM receive a solid 4 out of 5 stars, reflecting their competitive offerings in the market. According to ForexBrokers.com, BlackBull Markets holds a slightly higher ranking at 18th place compared to HFM's 20th among 62 brokers. This positions both brokers as reliable options for traders focused on research capabilities, with each offering unique strengths to cater to varying trading needs.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both BlackBull Markets and HFM are solid choices for aspiring traders looking to learn about forex and CFDs. Each broker provides a wealth of at least 10 educational pieces like articles, videos, and webinars that focus on these financial instruments. Furthermore, they offer monthly online educational webinars and maintain searchable archives of past webinars for budding traders to learn at their own pace. Even beginners can access over 10 instructional videos covering essential trading topics at both platforms, giving them a strong foundation.
Beyond the basics, both BlackBull Markets and HFM also cater to more experienced traders with over 10 advanced educational videos, ensuring continuous learning opportunities. Notably, both brokers offer a comprehensive investor dictionary featuring definitions for at least 50 investing terms, aiding users in understanding complex financial jargon. In terms of educational quality, BlackBull Markets and HFM both receive a 4-star rating for education. However, BlackBull Markets holds an edge, being ranked #29 by ForexBrokers.com in the Education category, while HFM comes in at #37.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that BlackBull Markets is better than HFM. BlackBull Markets finished with an overall rank of #24, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #30.
BlackBull Markets is a plain-vanilla MetaTrader broker with a growing range of products and support for a handful of third-party social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 78 | 86 |
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Neither BlackBull Markets nor HFM offers the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both BlackBull Markets and HFM allow fund deposits and withdrawals via Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but neither supports ACH, SEPA, or PayPal transactions.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 78 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
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| Regulation | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 78 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 102 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.76 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.76 | 0.7 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | No | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | Yes | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 109 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 60 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | BlackBull Markets | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 78 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | HFM Review |
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