Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AvaTrade 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.
AvaTrade, established in 2006, and HFM, founded in 2010, are both reputable online brokers known for their strong regulatory compliance. Neither company is publicly traded nor operates as a bank, yet each maintains significant regulatory credentials. AvaTrade holds four Tier-1 licenses, illustrating its high standard of trust and safety according to ForexBrokers.com. In comparison, HFM holds two Tier-1 licenses, still reflecting a commendable level of confidence in its operations.
In terms of Tier-2 licenses, both AvaTrade and HFM are on equal footing, each holding three licenses. This consistency contributes to their reliability. AvaTrade boasts a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 94 out of 99, placing it in the highly trusted category. Meanwhile, HFM has a Trust Score of 86, indicating that it is also trustworthy but slightly less so compared to AvaTrade. These scores help prospective clients gauge the level of security and trust they can expect from each broker.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
AvaTrade’s pricing sits near the industry average, with typical spreads around 0.9 pips (as of June 2024). Traders who qualify for the Professional account can see tighter pricing near 0.6 pips. This balance of everyday and pro-level pricing helps explain AvaTrade’s 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and its #14 ranking out of 63 brokers.
HFM’s costs tend to be slightly above average. The company lists a typical spread of 1.2 pips on standard accounts, but without a date range, the true average could be higher. Its Zero account can deliver an effective 0.7 pips after commission, though that figure isn’t an average and will vary. HFM holds a 4 out of 5 stars rating for commissions and fees and ranks #28 out of 63.
Bottom line: for most retail traders comparing typical spreads, AvaTrade generally prices more favorably, while HFM’s Zero account can be competitive for those comfortable with commission-based pricing when conditions are right. Always check live spreads and account terms before deciding.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.93 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
AvaTrade vs HFM: Both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs/spot and support copy trading. AvaTrade provides a wider catalog overall with 1,260 tradeable symbols, while HFM lists 500. That said, HFM carries more forex pairs (102) compared with AvaTrade (53). Neither broker offers direct share dealing on U.S. or international exchanges, and neither lets you buy actual crypto; both instead offer cryptocurrency CFDs.
For range of investments, each earns 4 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, AvaTrade sits at #26 out of 63 brokers, while HFM is #28. If you want the biggest overall list of markets, AvaTrade has the edge; if a deeper selection of forex pairs matters most, HFM wins.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 102 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| 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.
AvaTrade and HFM both check the key boxes for platform choice and ease of use. Each broker offers a free demo account for paper trading, an in-house proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, and access via both a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform. Copy trading is available with both, and you can place trades directly from charts. While both brokers include charting and watch lists, specific counts for technical indicators and watchlist fields weren’t provided.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, AvaTrade earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #13 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #33. If platform features and third-party tool depth are your priority, AvaTrade holds a slight edge by these ratings; if you’re choosing between two familiar setups with MetaTrader access, both deliver similar core capabilities.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 80 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both AvaTrade and HFM offer iPhone and Android apps for trading on the go. Each app supports stock and forex price alerts, so you can be notified of key moves. A standout difference is watchlist syncing: AvaTrade syncs symbols between the mobile app and your online account, while HFM does not, which means updates made in one place won’t automatically appear in the other.
For charting, AvaTrade provides 73 technical studies compared with HFM’s 30. Both apps let you draw trendlines, but only HFM auto-saves your drawings; AvaTrade does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, AvaTrade’s mobile app earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #13 out of 63 brokers, whereas HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #32.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
AvaTrade and HFM both deliver useful market research for everyday traders. Each offers forex news from top-tier sources and an easy-to-use economic calendar. HFM stands out with daily market commentary and Autochartist for pattern recognition and trade ideas. AvaTrade counters with Trading Central for technical and fundamental insights. Both brokers include sentiment tools that show long and short positioning across instruments, while neither integrates TipRanks or Acuity Trading.
In expert reviews, both brokers earn 4 stars for Research; however, HFM ranks higher overall (#18 of 63) compared with AvaTrade (#28 of 63). If you want daily commentary and Autochartist, HFM is a strong pick. If you prefer Trading Central alongside sentiment data and premium news, AvaTrade is compelling. Either way, you get timely news and an economic calendar to plan your trades.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
AvaTrade and HFM both deliver strong forex and CFD education for beginners. Each broker offers a sizable library with at least ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. You’ll find 10+ beginner videos as well as 10+ advanced videos at both brokers, plus ongoing client webinars at least once a month. For overall quality, both earn 4 out of 5 stars for education.
Where they differ is in third‑party rankings: ForexBrokers.com places AvaTrade at #2 out of 63 brokers for education, while HFM sits at #29. If you want a more structured path and wider recognition for learning materials, AvaTrade may be the better pick. That said, HFM still offers plenty of content to help new traders get started and grow their skills.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 AvaTrade is better than HFM. AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.
AvaTrade is a trusted global brand best known for offering an extensive selection of trading platforms for forex and CFD traders, as well as exceptional educational content that helped it nab Best in Class honors for Beginners in the ForexBrokers.com 2025 Annual Awards.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
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HFM
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| Trust Score | 94 | 86 |
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AvaTrade vs HFM: neither broker allows you to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
AvaTrade vs HFM deposit and withdrawal comparison: both brokers support Skrill and bank wire transfers and do not offer ACH or SEPA, but only AvaTrade supports PayPal, while Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | AvaTrade | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | AvaTrade | HFM | |
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| Regulation | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 94 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 2006 | 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 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | 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) | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 102 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.93 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | AvaTrade | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | HFM Review |
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