Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Admirals 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.
When comparing Admirals and HFM, both online brokers present trustworthy profiles for traders. Admirals, established in 2001, holds a commendable Trust Score of 93 out of 99 by ForexBrokers.com, which categorizes it as highly trusted. This reliability is backed by four Tier-1 licenses, the highest level of regulatory approval. HFM, founded in 2010, carries a Trust Score of 86, classifying it as trusted, with two Tier-1 licenses supporting its credibility. Both brokers are privately held and not connected to any banking institutions, ensuring independent operations to focus on trading services.
In addition to their Tier-1 licenses, both Admirals and HFM hold three Tier-2 licenses, reinforcing their trusted status with an additional layer of regulatory oversight. While neither broker is listed on a stock exchange, these multiple licenses indicate their compliance with at least moderate regulatory standards across different jurisdictions. Admirals, with its longer industry presence and higher count of top-tier licenses, offers a slight edge in perceived safety and trustworthiness, appealing to cautious investors seeking higher assurance in regulatory safeguards. Conversely, HFM remains a solid choice for those comfortable with a well-rated, yet slightly less established, trading platform.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When considering online brokers, Admirals stands out for its competitive pricing, offering typical spreads of 0.8 pips on its Trade account. Admirals also maintains similar pricing on its Zero account type, making it an attractive choice for cost-conscious traders. Admirals has earned a commendable rating of 4.5 stars for its commissions and fees, ranking #17 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
In comparison, HFM's trading costs are slightly above the industry average. Their standard trading accounts typically feature spreads of 1.2 pips, though the lack of a specific date range for this data suggests that the average spread might be less favorable. On their Zero account, the effective spread is 0.7 pips after commission, but again, this is not an average benchmark. HFM has been rated 4 stars out of 5 for commissions and fees, positioning it at #31 in the rankings by ForexBrokers.com.
Overall, both Admirals and HFM bring varied pricing structures to the table, with Admirals offering more competitive rates that earn it a higher ranking and better star rating compared to HFM. Traders seeking cost efficiency may find Admirals' competitive spreads more appealing, though both brokers provide distinct options depending on specific trading needs.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | 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 it comes to the available range of investments, Admirals and HFM both offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, but their offerings diverge in several key areas. Admirals excels with an impressive catalog of 8,702 tradeable symbols compared to HFM's 500, providing significantly more options for traders seeking variety. While Admirals has fewer forex pairs (82 compared to HFM's 102), it compensates by offering exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, allowing clients to invest directly in companies like Apple and Vodafone. In contrast, HFM does not offer direct access to exchange-traded securities, focusing primarily on CFD trading.
Both brokers provide the option for copy trading and offer cryptocurrency derivatives, yet neither enables the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. Admirals takes the lead with a 4.5-star rating for its range of investments, standing strong as the 19th-ranked broker on ForexBrokers.com for this category. On the other hand, HFM holds a slightly lower rating of 4 stars and ranks 36th. This comparison highlights Admirals as a more comprehensive choice for those looking for a broader array of investment opportunities.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 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 of Admirals and HFM, both online brokers offer an array of features designed to accommodate traders of all levels. Admirals and HFM both provide free virtual demo accounts, enabling users to practice without financial risk. Each broker has developed its own proprietary platform to cater to specific trading needs, and they also support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Whether you prefer a Windows desktop download or a web-based trading experience, both Admirals and HFM have options available. They also facilitate advanced capabilities such as copy trading and allow trading directly from stock charts, providing users with flexibility in their trading strategies.
In terms of charting tools, Admirals edges out HFM with a higher number of drawing tools, totaling 106 compared to HFM's 30, although both brokers maintain seven columns for watch lists. Despite these differences, Admirals and HFM each receive a 4-star rating for their trading platforms and tools. However, Admirals holds a higher ranking, placed 19th out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category, whereas HFM is ranked at 42nd. Neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, suggesting similar limitations in certain automated trading functionalities.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | 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 | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 106 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading experiences offered by Admirals and HFM, both platforms provide robust options for traders on the move. Admirals and HFM offer mobile apps for both iPhone and Android devices, ensuring accessibility across popular mobile ecosystems. Traders with either broker can receive stock or forex price alerts directly on their apps, enhancing their ability to react to market changes. Both brokers also support drawing trendlines and viewing multiple time frames on charts, essential features for effective technical analysis. Admirals and HFM allow the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, though neither currently provides watchlist syncing with their online accounts, making it necessary to manage watchlists separately on mobile and desktop. Admirals slightly edges past HFM with their superior rank on ForexBrokers.com, securing the 23rd position compared to HFM’s 39th out of 63 brokers surveyed for mobile trading apps.
Admirals and HFM each offer a suite of 30 technical studies for chart analysis within their mobile apps, offering traders a substantial toolkit for evaluating trades. An added convenience in both apps is the capability to auto-save chart drawings, sparing users from re-drawing important trendlines with each use. Each platform has garnered favorable user reviews, earning four out of five stars for their mobile trading applications. While both brokers deliver solid mobile trading experiences, Admirals has a slight competitive edge regarding broker rankings for mobile trading apps, potentially indicating a better user experience or feature set preference. Nonetheless, both platforms are highly capable and offer a plethora of tools for the mobile trader.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
When it comes to daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, both Admirals and HFM deliver. Admirals gives traders access to insightful sentiment-based trading tools and comprehensive market research from TipRanks. In contrast, HFM does not offer TipRanks but does provide traders with Autochartist technical analysis tools. Technical Analysis with Trading Central is available to Admirals users, while HFM does not feature this capability.
Both brokers ensure traders can stay informed with economic calendars that highlight important global news. Admirals additionally offers research support through Acuity Trading tools, which is not available with HFM. Admirals and HFM both earn 4-star ratings for their research capabilities. However, Admirals holds a higher research ranking, positioned at #15 among 63 brokers, compared to HFM's rank of #20 according to ForexBrokers.com. These distinctions help traders choose the broker that aligns best with their research preferences and needs.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
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 | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both Admirals and HFM stand out by providing a comprehensive array of materials designed to enhance learning in forex and CFD trading. Admirals and HFM each offer a robust library of at least 10 educational pieces, such as articles, videos, and archived webinars, specifically focused on forex or CFDs. Additionally, they both host online educational webinars every month and maintain a searchable archive of past webinars, making it easy for beginners to access and revisit learning materials. Admirals and HFM also provide a collection of at least 10 beginner-focused trading videos, perfect for those new to the world of trading.
In addition to beginner resources, both brokers offer advanced educational videos, catering to more experienced traders. Admirals and HFM each feature an investor dictionary, detailing over 50 investing terms, which is invaluable for novice traders looking to familiarize themselves with key concepts. Despite these similarities, Admirals receives a slightly better educational ranking, holding the 12th spot out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, compared to HFM’s ranking of 37th. Both brokers, however, share the same 4-star rating for education, reflecting their commitment to providing quality educational resources for their clients. Ultimately, whether choosing Admirals or HFM, beginner traders will find an extensive suite of educational tools to support their learning journey.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
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 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Admirals is better than HFM. Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #30.
Traders choose Admirals for its excellent investor education and advanced MetaTrader features – such as the Supreme add-ons – alongside an extensive range of shares, forex and CFD markets, and premium research content.
| Feature |
Admirals
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HFM
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 86 |
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Both Admirals and HFM do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but they do provide options to purchase cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers Admirals and HFM, Admirals offers a wider range of deposit and withdrawal options by supporting ACH and SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas HFM also supports Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but lacks ACH, SEPA transfers, and PayPal options.
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 | Admirals | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 86 | |
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| Review | Admirals Review | HFM Review |
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| Regulation | Admirals | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Admirals | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | 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 | Yes | |
| 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) | Admirals | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes | No |
| Investments | Admirals | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 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 | Admirals | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.7 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Admirals | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Admirals | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | 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 | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Admirals | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 106 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Admirals | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Admirals | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Admirals | 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 | Admirals | 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 | Admirals Review | HFM Review |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review | HFM Review |
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