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 |
When comparing AvaTrade to HFM on the basis of commissions and fees, AvaTrade emerges as a more competitive option for many. AvaTrade offers spreads that are close to the industry average, coming in at just under one pip, or specifically 0.9 pips as of June 2024. While these spreads are slightly higher than those offered by beginner-level accounts from brokers like CMC Markets and Tickmill, they remain attractive. For elected professional traders, AvaTrade offers even more competitive spreads of 0.6 pips on its Professional account, putting it on par with FP Markets.
In contrast, HFM's trading costs slightly surpass the industry average. Their standard trading accounts typically feature a spread of 1.2 pips, although this figure is not tied to a specific time period and may sometimes reflect higher averages. HFM's Zero account offers a more enticing spread of 0.7 pips, including commission; however, this too is not necessarily an average figure, leaving room for variability in trading costs.
In terms of ratings, AvaTrade earns a commendable 4.5 out of 5 stars for its commissions and fees, ranking it 12th among 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, HFM is rated slightly lower at 4 stars, coming in at the 31st position on the same ranking list. These ratings highlight AvaTrade as the more cost-effective choice for traders focused on minimizing commissions and fees.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.93 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 0.7 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | 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.
AvaTrade and HFM both cater to forex traders by offering the ability to trade forex as either a CFD or spot contract. AvaTrade provides a wider range of tradeable symbols with an impressive total of 1260 symbols, whereas HFM offers 500 symbols. However, when it comes to tradeable forex pairs, HFM edges out with 102 pairs compared to AvaTrade's 53 pairs. Both platforms lack the option to buy and sell exchange-traded securities from U.S. and international markets, meaning clients cannot purchase individual stock like Apple or Vodafone directly. Nevertheless, they both offer copy trading features and facilitate trading of cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither supports purchasing the actual cryptocurrency.
In terms of market ratings, both AvaTrade and HFM have been rated four stars out of five for their Range of Investments. However, AvaTrade ranks slightly higher at number 32 among 62 brokers in the same category according to ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is positioned at number 36. While both brokers demonstrate strong offerings in various areas, the specific needs of an investor, particularly in terms of variety within forex pairs, might make one platform more attractive than the other. As with any investment decision, it's essential for traders to align their choice with their trading preferences and goals.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 102 |
| 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 AvaTrade and HFM for their trading platforms and tools, both brokers provide a wide range of features to support traders of all levels. AvaTrade and HFM offer free demo accounts, allowing beginners to practice trading without any financial risk. Both platforms have developed their proprietary trading software and also support popular options like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, alongside offering Windows-based desktop and web-based platforms. While both brokers facilitate copy trading, AvaTrade further extends its offering with platforms like DupliTrade and ZuluTrade, which are not available with HFM. This additional integration could appeal to traders interested in automated and social trading environments.
AvaTrade provides traders with 13 drawing tools, while HFM offers a broader selection with 30. Both brokers let users trade directly from charts and offer seven fields for watch lists. Despite the similarities, AvaTrade edges out with a slightly higher rating of 4.5 stars, compared to HFM's 4 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, AvaTrade ranks 13th in their trading platform and tools category among 62 brokers, whereas HFM stands at 42nd. This ranking, along with AvaTrade's wider offering of copy trading platforms, positions it as a potentially stronger choice for those seeking advanced trading tools and flexibility.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
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 | Yes | No |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 13 | 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 apps of AvaTrade and HFM, both brokers deliver feature-rich experiences suitable for both iPhone and Android users. AvaTrade's app stands out with its 73 technical studies available for charting, a considerable edge over HFM's 30. Additionally, AvaTrade facilitates watchlist symbol syncing between their mobile and online platforms, enhancing user convenience. Both platforms offer essential stock and forex alerts, as well as functionalities to draw trendlines and view various time frames such as daily or intraday charts. However, AvaTrade falls short in automatically saving chart drawings, a feature that HFM provides.
In terms of user ratings, AvaTrade boasts 4.5 stars for its mobile app, surpassing HFM's 4-star rating. According to ForexBrokers.com rankings, AvaTrade excels as the 13th best out of 62 brokers for mobile trading apps, significantly ahead of HFM, which is positioned at 39th. Both apps allow you to create watchlists with real-time quotes, but AvaTrade's higher ranking and additional features give it a slight edge, making it a preferred choice for traders seeking mobile trading efficiency.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing AvaTrade to HFM for market research capabilities, both platforms offer some strong features that cater to different trading needs. AvaTrade lacks in providing daily market commentary, whereas HFM makes this available, offering insights to keep traders informed with daily updates. However, both brokers ensure access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring timely and reliable information for their users. AvaTrade excels in offering tools from Trading Central, such as Technical Analytics, but doesn't include resources from Autochartist, which are a part of HFM’s offerings. Additionally, both platforms provide sentiment-based trading tools and maintain robust economic calendars to help traders stay aware of major economic events across the globe.
While neither AvaTrade nor HFM incorporates research tools from companies like TipRanks or Acuity Trading, AvaTrade has been rated 4 stars for research, matching HFM's ratings. If ranking is a priority, HFM is positioned higher for research at #20 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared to AvaTrade’s #34 ranking. Each broker ensures a comprehensive set of tools and resources for traders, despite their different rankings, allowing for an informed trading experience.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both AvaTrade and HFM stand out by offering a wealth of material on forex and CFDs. Each platform provides more than 10 educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars, ensuring newcomers have a solid foundation to begin their trading journey. Additionally, both brokers host online webinars regularly and maintain a fully searchable archive, enhancing accessibility to past sessions. This is a valuable resource for those who may have missed a live webinar or wish to revisit complex concepts.
AvaTrade and HFM both cater to traders at different learning stages with at least 10 educational videos focused on beginner traders and an additional 10 videos aimed at more advanced traders. They further supplement this knowledge with investor dictionaries that contain definitions of over 50 essential investing terms, which is particularly helpful for traders trying to master industry jargon. When evaluated for educational quality, both are rated four out of five stars. However, AvaTrade is ranked higher, at number two among 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared to HFM's position at 37. This ranking highlights AvaTrade's ability to deliver a more impactful educational experience despite the similar offerings.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
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 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that AvaTrade is better than HFM. AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #13, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #30.
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
|
HFM
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 86 |
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Both AvaTrade and HFM provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither platform offers the ability to purchase actual, delivered cryptocurrencies.
When comparing online brokers AvaTrade and HFM, both do not support ACH or SEPA transfers but offer Visa/Mastercard and bank wire options; however, AvaTrade uniquely accepts PayPal alongside both brokers offering Skrill for transactions.
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 (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 102 | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.93 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 0.7 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | AvaTrade | 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 | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | AvaTrade | 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 | Yes | No | |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 13 | 30 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | AvaTrade | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AvaTrade | 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 | AvaTrade | 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 | 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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