Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com 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.
FOREX.com, established in 1999, is a highly trusted online broker with a Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded company, it offers confidence and transparency to its users. FOREX.com is not a bank but stands out with holding seven Tier-1 licenses, the highest category for trust, and one Tier-2 license. This positions it as a credible option for online trading enthusiasts seeking reliability and strong regulatory backing.
In contrast, HFM, which started operating in 2010, has a Trust Score of 86, placing it in the trusted category. While not publicly traded, HFM holds two Tier-1 and three Tier-2 licenses, reflecting its commitment to maintaining trust despite its non-listing status. As with FOREX.com, HFM is not a bank, but it remains a trusted choice for traders interested in a well-regulated broker within this competitive industry.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of FOREX.com and HFM, it’s clear that both brokers offer distinct advantages and consider different needs. FOREX.com, well-rated with 4.5 stars, provides a range of execution methods and account types, making it a versatile option. However, it tends to be slightly more expensive compared to industry standards, especially in the US, where the average spread for the EUR/USD stands at 1.4. For overseas traders, the RAW Spread account offers lower spreads of 0.13 pips but involves commission fees.
FOREX.com's RAW Spread account, released after the DMA account was discontinued, caters to active traders with competitive pricing. This option, available to clients in Canada, the U.S., and the EU, introduces volume-based rebates, where rebates vary from $2 to $9 per million based on trading volume. While traders in higher volume tiers can benefit from reduced costs, U.S. residents trading less than $50 million a month might find the commission account comparable in cost to the Standard account.
HFM, on the other hand, garners a 4-star rating and has an average spread of 1.2 pips for their standard accounts, slightly above the industry norm. The Zero account offers a reduced effective spread of 0.7 pips post-commission. Ranked #31 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, HFM positions itself as a middle-ground option, making it essential for users to gauge whether their trading volume justifies the spreads versus commission trade-offs.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.7 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to the variety of investments available, both FOREX.com and HFM have unique offerings that cater to diverse trading needs. FOREX.com stands out with a remarkable 5,500 tradeable symbols, giving traders a vast array of options. In contrast, HFM provides 500 tradeable symbols. However, HFM slightly surpasses in the forex arena, offering 102 tradeable forex pairs compared to FOREX.com's 91 pairs. Both brokers enable forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, but neither offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges. Notably, HFM includes copy trading, providing a collaborative experience that FOREX.com does not.
For cryptocurrency enthusiasts, both platforms allow trading cryptocurrency derivatives, yet neither offers actual cryptocurrency purchases. In terms of recognition, FOREX.com achieves a 5-star rating for its investment range, securing 7th place out of 62 brokers ranked by ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, HFM holds a 4-star rating, placing them at the 36th position. These aspects highlight how each platform excels differently, allowing potential traders to align their choices with their specific trading priorities.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 91 | 102 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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.
FOREX.com and HFM both provide strong offerings for traders looking to utilize various platforms and trading tools. Each broker hosts simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts, making it easy for beginners and experienced traders alike to test strategies without financial risk. Both brokers have their own proprietary trading platforms alongside support for the popular MetaTrader 4 and 5. Additionally, FOREX.com and HFM offer accessible trading experiences with both Windows-based desktop and web-based platforms. However, they differ when it comes to copy trading, with only HFM providing such capabilities.
Beyond platform availability, there are notable distinctions in the features and ratings between the two brokers. FOREX.com boasts an impressive 239 drawing tools for charting, compared to HFM's 30, allowing for more detailed technical analysis. Furthermore, FOREX.com's vast 20-column watch list permits more in-depth tracking than HFM's 7-column counterpart. This comprehensive suite of tools earns FOREX.com a perfect 5-star rating, ranking it 7th out of 62 brokers for trading platforms and tools, while HFM, with its simpler offering, receives a 4-star rating and ranks 42nd. These differences highlight FOREX.com's focus on providing a more advanced trading experience.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 20 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both FOREX.com and HFM offer a solid experience for users on the go. Both brokers provide iPhone and Android apps, along with features like price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on their respective platforms. However, FOREX.com stands out with its watchlist symbol syncing feature, allowing users to maintain consistent data between their mobile app and online account, a capability HFM lacks in this regard. Additionally, FOREX.com offers a broader range of technical studies, with 88 available compared to HFM's 30. Both brokers deliver multi-timeframe chart viewing and auto-saving of chart drawings, enhancing their mobile trading tools.
A significant difference is seen in the ratings from ForexBrokers.com, where FOREX.com achieves an impressive 5-star rating, securing the 3rd spot out of 62 brokers. In contrast, HFM receives a 4-star rating, ranking 39th. Both platforms allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, yet FOREX.com’s higher ranking and additional features make it a stronger contender for those prioritizing mobile charting and seamless account management.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 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 comparing the research offerings of online brokers FOREX.com and HFM, both provide daily market commentary and deliver forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. They each offer sentiment-based trading tools, displaying ratios of long or short positions across various instruments. Additionally, both brokers include an economic calendar to highlight global news events. Despite these similarities, FOREX.com distinguishes itself by providing access to Trading Central's technical analytics, whereas HFM supplements its research with tools from Autochartist instead.
In terms of overall research quality, FOREX.com secures a higher rating with 4.5 stars compared to HFM's 4 stars, reflecting a stronger lineup of research tools and insights. This distinction is further amplified in their respective rankings, with FOREX.com placing 9th out of 62 brokers in the research category on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM takes the 20th spot. As such, users seeking comprehensive research could find FOREX.com to be the more compelling choice.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | 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 newcomers in trading, both FOREX.com and HFM provide a strong foundation. Both platforms offer educational material on forex and CFDs, each providing at least 10 articles, videos, or webinars tailored to these topics. Additionally, both brokers host monthly educational webinars that are invaluable for ongoing learning. They have archives of recorded webinars, which allow users to learn at their own pace. For visual learners, both brokers feature a robust collection of beginner videos addressing essential trading concepts. Advanced traders aren't left out either, with both platforms offering 10 or more specialized videos to further hone their skills.
FOREX.com and HFM also cater to traders looking to improve their vocabulary with investor dictionaries containing over 50 terms. However, a closer examination reveals that FOREX.com edges out slightly regarding its educational offerings. With a rating of 4.5 stars for education, FOREX.com ranks 4th out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, displaying its commitment to comprehensive learning tools. Meanwhile, HFM, which holds a 4-star rating, ranks 37th, indicating room for growth, yet still providing a solid educational experience for traders at all levels.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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 FOREX.com is better than HFM. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #5, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #30.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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Both FOREX.com and HFM provide the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither offers the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency.
In comparing online brokers FOREX.com and HFM, FOREX.com supports ACH and SEPA transfers, PayPal, bank wires, and credit cards (Visa or Mastercard) but not Skrill, whereas HFM does not offer ACH, SEPA, or PayPal, yet accepts Skrill, bank wires, and Visa or Mastercard for account 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 | FOREX.com | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | HFM | |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 91 | 102 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.7 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 20 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | 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 | 88 | 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 | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | 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 | FOREX.com | 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 | FOREX.com Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | HFM Review |
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