Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM vs ActivTrades, 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 ActivTrades, both non-bank entities have been operating since 2010 and 2001 respectively. Neither is publicly traded, pointing to a focus on private ownership. From a regulatory standpoint, both brokers hold two Tier-1 licenses, indicating their operations are considered highly trusted. However, the number of Tier-2 licenses, which denotes a trusted status, differs, with HFM holding three compared to ActivTrades’ one.
In terms of overall trustworthiness, ForexBrokers.com provides a Trust Score to measure risk and reliability. HFM boasts a Trust Score of 86, placing it firmly within the "trusted" category. ActivTrades, while slightly lower, holds a Trust Score of 81, also falling under the "trusted" range. These ratings reflect the brokers' adherence to regulatory standards and their commitment to providing a reliable trading environment.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
HFM vs ActivTrades: commissions and fees. Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for pricing. In our rankings for the Commissions and Fees category (63 brokers), HFM is #32 while ActivTrades is #29. In general, HFM’s trading costs lean slightly above the industry average, whereas ActivTrades’ pricing is slightly better than average—though not among the very lowest-cost forex brokers. As always, spreads can widen during volatile periods and around rollover.
HFM pricing highlights: the company cites a typical spread of 1.2 pips on its Standard account, but no date range is provided, so the true average may be higher. Its Zero account advertises an effective 0.7-pip spread after commission, yet this figure is not an average either. These caveats make HFM’s real-world costs harder to benchmark, supporting its 4/5 star rating and #32/63 ranking for commissions and fees.
ActivTrades pricing highlights: the broker lists target spreads by asset, with real spreads varying by platform, instrument, and time of day. Verified data from the broker shows the EUR/USD averaged 0.98 pips in May 2024. Spreads are the same across its Individual, Professional, and Islamic accounts; there’s no dedicated high-volume plan and no active trader pricing. Given these results, ActivTrades earns 4/5 stars and ranks #29/63 for commissions and fees.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing HFM vs ActivTrades for range of investments: ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable instruments, while HFM offers 500. HFM shines for currency traders with 102 forex pairs compared with ActivTrades’ 49. Both brokers support forex trading (CFDs and spot), copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither offers buying real crypto. Neither broker offers U.S.-listed shares as actual exchange-traded securities; however, ActivTrades does provide access to international exchange-traded securities, which HFM does not.
Both earn 4 stars for Range of Investments. In our rankings of 63 brokers, ActivTrades places #32 and HFM ranks #37. If you want a wider overall market selection and international exchange-traded securities, ActivTrades is the stronger fit. If your focus is a larger list of forex pairs, HFM has the edge.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
HFM and ActivTrades both check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo account for simulated (paper) trading, a proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and both Windows desktop and web-based platforms. Copy trading is available at both brokers, and you can place orders directly from charts, which is handy for timing entries and exits. Details on the number of built-in chart indicators and watch list columns weren’t specified.
In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both HFM and ActivTrades earn 4 out of 5 stars, though ActivTrades ranks higher overall (#32 of 63) than HFM (#43 of 63). If you’re choosing between them, expect similar core platform coverage—demo accounts, proprietary and MetaTrader options, desktop and browser access, and chart trading—with ActivTrades holding a slight edge in the category ranking.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
HFM and ActivTrades both deliver full-featured mobile trading for iPhone and Android. Each app supports stock and forex price alerts, offers 30 technical studies for charting, and lets you draw trendlines with drawings that auto-save. One limitation is the same for both: watchlist symbols do not sync between the mobile app and the online account.
In terms of scores, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. However, ForexBrokers.com ranks ActivTrades higher at #19 out of 63 brokers, compared with HFM at #40 out of 63. If all you need are price alerts, solid chart tools, and trendline drawing, either app will do; if third-party rankings matter to you, ActivTrades holds the edge.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
HFM and ActivTrades both deliver daily market commentary, an economic calendar, and streaming forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. Each broker also includes a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions across instruments. The key difference is research add‑ons: HFM provides Autochartist for pattern recognition and trade idea screening, while ActivTrades does not. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
In our HFM vs. ActivTrades research comparison, both earn 4 out of 5 stars, but HFM ranks higher at #20 of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with ActivTrades at #31. If you want built-in scanning and technical idea generation via Autochartist, HFM has the edge. If those extras aren’t essential, ActivTrades still covers the basics with news, commentary, sentiment data, and an economic calendar.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
HFM and ActivTrades both offer forex and CFD education that meets the 10-piece benchmark, with libraries that include articles, videos, and archived webinars. Beginners can count on ongoing support from each broker with at least one educational webinar every month, along with plenty of beginner videos (10+ each) and advanced videos (10+ each) to help you move from the basics to more complex topics.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Education from ForexBrokers.com. In the Education category, HFM is ranked 37th out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades is 38th. For new traders, the two are closely matched; HFM has a slight edge by rank, but the better choice may be the one whose video lessons and webinars feel clearer and easier for you to follow.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that HFM is better than ActivTrades. HFM finished with an overall rank of #30, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
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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ActivTrades
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 |
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Both HFM and ActivTrades do not offer actual (delivered) cryptocurrency purchases, but each provides cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing online brokers HFM vs ActivTrades: both enable deposits and withdrawals via bank wire and Skrill, but neither supports ACH, SEPA, or PayPal, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | HFM | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | HFM | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | HFM | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | HFM | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | HFM | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | HFM | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | HFM Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | HFM | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | ActivTrades Review |
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