Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM vs RoboForex, 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.
When comparing online brokers HFM and RoboForex, both companies have been in operation for over a decade, with HFM founded in 2010 and RoboForex in 2009. Neither of the brokers is listed on a stock exchange, nor do they operate as banks. Regulatory oversight and trust scores form crucial aspects of evaluating online brokers. HFM stands out with two Tier-1 licenses, signaling strong regulatory backing, and a trust score of 86 from ForexBrokers.com, indicating it is a trusted broker. In contrast, RoboForex holds one Tier-1 license and has a trust score of 73, suggesting a moderate level of risk.
Beyond primary licenses, HFM also holds three Tier-2 licenses, providing additional trust and security assurances, whereas RoboForex does not have any Tier-2 licenses. These differences in regulatory status and trust scores help potential investors gauge the risk and reliability of engaging with these brokers in the fast-paced world of online trading.
| Feature |
HFM
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, HFM offers slightly higher trading costs than the industry average. Their standard trading accounts generally feature spreads of around 1.2 pips. Additionally, HFM provides a Zero account option, which boasts effective spreads of 0.7 pips after including commission costs. However, these figures are not averages, which means actual spreads may vary. Overall, HFM receives a 4-star rating from ForexBrokers.com in this category and ranks 31st out of 62 brokers.
In comparison, RoboForex exhibits average spreads of about 1.3 pips for EUR/USD on their Procent and Pro accounts. This is considered relatively high, especially when compared to the offerings of other brokers. As a result, RoboForex receives a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars for their commissions and fees. Within the same ranking by ForexBrokers.com, RoboForex stands at 54th place out of 62 brokers.
In summary, while HFM tends to have slightly above-average trading costs, their better star rating and higher ranking make them a more favorable choice than RoboForex in terms of commissions and fees. On the other hand, those drawn to RoboForex should be aware of potentially higher spreads, as reflected in their slightly lower ranking and rating.
| Feature |
HFM
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| 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 it comes to the variety of investments offered by HFM and RoboForex, both brokers provide appealing options for traders interested in forex. HFM and RoboForex allow forex trading through CFDs, with HFM featuring 102 forex pairs, a significantly larger selection than RoboForex's 28 pairs. However, RoboForex presents a substantial advantage with 8400 tradeable symbols compared to HFM's 500, offering a broader spectrum of trading possibilities for clients looking to diversify.
Despite neither broker supporting direct investments in U.S. or international exchange-traded securities, they both facilitate crypto derivative trading, though not actual cryptocurrencies. Additionally, both platforms cater to traders interested in social trading with available copy trading features. Overall, RoboForex edges out with a 4.5-star rating for its range of investments and ranks 20th out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, surpassing HFM's 4-star rating and 36th place ranking.
| Feature |
HFM
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 8400 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 28 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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 of HFM and RoboForex, both brokers offer free virtual demo accounts, providing traders with the chance to simulate trades without any cost. HFM stands out with its proprietary platform, developed in-house, which RoboForex does not offer. However, both brokers support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 and provide traders with Windows-based desktop downloads and web-based (browser) trading options. When it comes to social trading, both support copy trading but do not offer DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
In terms of technical support for charting, HFM offers 30 drawing tools compared to RoboForex's 15, but detailed information on the number of technical indicators is not provided for either broker. Each broker allows trading directly from a stock chart and offers watch lists with seven fields for customization. Finally, both HFM and RoboForex are rated 4 stars for their trading platforms and tools, with slight differences in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where HFM is ranked #42 and RoboForex #43 out of 62 brokers.
| Feature |
HFM
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
For traders considering the mobile apps of HFM and RoboForex, both brokers provide applications for iPhone and Android devices. Each offers stock and forex price alerts, as well as the ability to draw trendlines and view different time frames on charts. Users can create watchlists with real-time quotes, though neither platform supports syncing these watchlists with their online accounts. Both applications provide 30 technical studies for charting and save drawing annotations automatically.
In terms of user ratings, both HFM and RoboForex are rated four out of five stars for their mobile trading apps. While HFM ranks slightly higher at number 39 out of 62 brokers assessed by ForexBrokers.com, RoboForex follows closely at rank 43. Overall, both apps offer similar features and ease of use, making them strong contenders for traders seeking comprehensive mobile trading solutions.
| Feature |
HFM
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | 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.
Both HFM and RoboForex provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. While both brokers offer economic calendars to track global news events, they differ in technical analysis tools. HFM grants access to Autochartist, known for its predictive chart patterns, while RoboForex provides tools from Trading Central for technical analytics. Notably, HFM offers a sentiment-based trading tool showing position ratios, which RoboForex does not.
Neither broker provides market research from TipRanks; however, RoboForex includes tools from Acuity Trading. Ratings from ForexBrokers.com indicate HFM has a slight edge with a 4-star research rating and ranks 20th out of 62 brokers, compared to RoboForex's 3.5-star rating and 37th place. This suggests HFM may offer a slightly better research experience for traders looking to make informed decisions based on comprehensive market analysis.
| Feature |
HFM
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources available to beginners between HFM and RoboForex, HFM clearly stands out. For those new to forex or CFDs trading, HFM offers a rich array of learning materials, including more than 10 educational pieces such as articles, videos, and archived webinars. They also conduct monthly live webinars and maintain a searchable archive for replay. Additionally, HFM provides a comprehensive suite of video tutorials with at least 10 specifically tailored for beginners and another 10 for more advanced traders. To deepen understanding, HFM offers an investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms, making it easier for newcomers to familiarize themselves with industry jargon.
In contrast, RoboForex does not meet the same educational threshold. The platform lacks the minimum educational content, with fewer than 10 materials dedicated to forex or CFDs education. RoboForex does not host regular online webinars or maintain a searchable archive of past sessions. Furthermore, they do not offer enough beginner or advanced educational videos nor an extensive investor dictionary. As a result, ForexBrokers.com rates HFM's educational offerings at 4 stars, ranking them at #37 out of 62 brokers, whereas RoboForex is rated at 3.5 stars, standing at #56. This makes HFM a more comprehensive choice for beginners seeking substantial and easily accessible learning resources.
| Feature |
HFM
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that HFM is better than RoboForex. HFM finished with an overall rank of #30, while RoboForex finished with an overall rank of #46.
Alongside its enhanced MetaTrader offering and quality research, HFM (HF Markets), previously known as HotForex, offers a proprietary copy trading platform, HFcopy, a proprietary HF mobile app, and a decent selection of over 1,000 CFDs and 47 forex pairs. Still, trading costs at HFM are slightly above the industry average.
| Feature |
HFM
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RoboForex
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 |
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Both HFM and RoboForex do not provide the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they each offer the capability to buy cryptocurrency derivatives instead.
In comparing online brokers HFM and RoboForex, it's notable that while both platforms support Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wire transfers for deposits and withdrawals, RoboForex offers additional flexibility with ACH or SEPA transfers and PayPal, options that are not available with HFM.
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 | HFM | RoboForex | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | RoboForex Review |
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| Regulation | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 8400 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 28 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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 | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | 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 | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | HFM Review | RoboForex Review |
| Overall | HFM | RoboForex | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | RoboForex Review |
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