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 and ActivTrades both earn 4 stars for commissions and fees, but ActivTrades ranks higher (#21 of 63) than HFM (#28 of 63) on ForexBrokers.com. In plain terms, ActivTrades’ pricing tends to be slightly better than the industry average, while HFM’s costs are slightly above average.
At HFM, the company cites a typical 1.2-pip spread on its Standard account, but no date range is provided, so the true average could be higher. Its Zero account advertises an effective 0.7 pips after commission, yet this figure is not an average either. As with any broker, actual spreads can shift with market conditions, so your real costs may differ from the stated figures.
ActivTrades lists target spreads by asset and reports an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips for May 2024. Spreads are the same across its Individual, Professional, and Islamic accounts, and there’s no special pricing for high-volume traders. Costs vary by asset and platform, and spreads can widen during quiet or rollover periods. Overall, ActivTrades generally offers lower everyday spreads than HFM, but neither broker is the absolute cheapest on the market.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.8 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | 0.92 |
| 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.
HFM and ActivTrades both support forex trading (CFD/spot), offer copy trading, and provide cryptocurrency CFDs (but not actual crypto purchases). ActivTrades lists far more tradable symbols overall (1,267 vs. HFM’s 500), while HFM offers more forex pairs (102 vs. ActivTrades’ 49). Neither broker offers U.S. exchange-traded shares, and only ActivTrades provides access to international exchange-traded securities (non-CFD), such as certain London-listed stocks.
If you primarily trade currencies, HFM’s deeper selection of forex pairs may appeal. If you want the widest overall instrument list and the ability to buy some international exchange-traded shares, ActivTrades stands out. Both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments from ForexBrokers.com; ActivTrades ranks #25 of 63, while HFM ranks #28.
| 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.
Comparing HFM vs ActivTrades on trading platforms and tools, both brokers check the same key boxes: free demo (paper) trading, in-house proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, web-based platforms, copy trading, and support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Each also lets you place trades directly from charts, making it easier to act on technical setups. This lineup suits beginners testing the waters with a demo and experienced traders who prefer the flexibility of MT4/MT5 alongside a proprietary platform.
While specific counts for technical indicators and watchlist fields weren’t provided, both brokers earned 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. According to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades ranks #26 out of 63 brokers in this category, ahead of HFM at #33—suggesting ActivTrades holds a slight edge overall. If you’re undecided, try their free demo accounts to compare platform feel, chart trading, and copy trading features side by side.
| 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 vs ActivTrades: both brokers offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, 30 built-in technical studies, trendline drawing, and auto-saving of chart annotations—handy for analyzing forex and other markets on the go. One limitation is the same for both: watchlists created in the mobile app do not sync with your online account.
In terms of quality, both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars. However, in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category (out of 63 brokers), ActivTrades ranks higher at #21, while HFM is #32. If identical charting tools and alerts are your priority, either app will do; if independent rankings influence your choice, ActivTrades holds a slight 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 and stream forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Each broker includes an economic calendar to track key events and a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long and short positions across markets. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools.
The key difference is that HFM provides Autochartist for technical analysis, while ActivTrades does not. Both are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Research, but HFM ranks higher overall (#18 of 63) compared with ActivTrades (#26 of 63) on ForexBrokers.com. If Autochartist and a higher research ranking matter to you, HFM has a slight edge; otherwise, both platforms cover the essentials for market research.
| 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 deliver strong forex and CFD education for beginners. Each broker offers a sizable library with well over 10 learning pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on trading. You’ll find regular client webinars at least once a month, plus at least 10 beginner videos to help you learn the basics and at least 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. Whether you prefer watching lessons or attending live sessions, both platforms make it easy to build skills step by step.
In terms of quality, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Education. According to ForexBrokers.com’s 2024 rankings, HFM is placed 29th out of 63 brokers for Education, while ActivTrades is close behind at 30th. If you want a slight edge in ranking, HFM has it; if you’re considering ActivTrades, you’ll still get a similarly rich learning experience with webinars and video courses for every level.
| 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 #27, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
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 (FSA 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 | 1.8 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | 0.92 | |
| 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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