Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM vs BDSwiss, 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 it comes to choosing an online broker, understanding their trustworthiness and regulatory standing is crucial. HFM, established in 2010, holds a Trust Score of 86 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, positioning it as a trusted choice for traders. It holds two Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of regulatory compliance, along with three Tier-2 licenses. BDSwiss, founded in 2012, has a Trust Score of 73, suggesting an average risk. It is backed by one Tier-1 license. Neither HFM nor BDSwiss is publicly traded, and neither operates as a bank.
While both platforms offer services in trading, the number and level of regulatory licenses differ. HFM's additional Tier-2 licenses show a broader compliance with trusted regulatory bodies. In contrast, BDSwiss lacks Tier-2 licenses, which are still considered trusted. This distinction might influence your decision if regulatory oversight is a priority. With both brokers being privately owned and not part of any banking institution, each has its unique strengths in serving online traders. Choosing between them largely depends on your personal risk tolerance and the importance you place on regulatory credentials.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2012 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, both HFM and BDSwiss offer competitive trading conditions, though they are not at the forefront of the industry. HFM's standard trading accounts typically feature spreads starting at 1.2 pips. However, this number is not based on an average over a specific time frame, which means trading costs could potentially be higher. HFM's Zero account provides an effective spread of 0.7 pips once the commission is added, but similarly, this figure does not reflect an average rate.
BDSwiss, on the other hand, specializes in strong order execution despite higher spreads than some industry leaders. The Classic account on BDSwiss features a spread of 1.5 pips on the EUR/USD pair, which is considered relatively costly. For traders seeking more competitive rates, the Raw account boasts a 0.3 pip spread plus a $5 commission per side, leading to an effective spread of 1.3 pips. The VIP account on BDSwiss offers traders an effective spread of 1.2 pips.
In terms of ratings, both brokers earn commendable 4-star ratings for their commissions and fees. In rankings curated by ForexBrokers.com, HFM is positioned at #31 out of 62 brokers, placing it just behind BDSwiss, which holds the #30 rank. This suggests that while both brokers offer reasonable cost structures, there might be alternative options with more attractive pricing for traders to consider.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10-$5000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 1.3 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | 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.
HFM and BDSwiss are popular online brokers that offer a variety of investment options, catering to traders interested in forex and cryptocurrency derivatives. Both brokers provide forex trading as Contracts for Difference (CFDs) or spot contracts, allowing investors to engage in currency market speculation. HFM offers access to 500 tradeable symbols, including 102 forex pairs, whereas BDSwiss offers a wider array of 1081 tradeable symbols, though with only 53 forex pairs. While neither broker provides access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, both facilitate copy trading and cryptocurrency derivatives trading to enhance investors' flexibility.
Despite their similarities, HFM and BDSwiss differ slightly in their investment offerings. With 4-star ratings each for their range of investments, HFM is ranked 36th by ForexBrokers.com, while BDSwiss holds a slightly better rank at 34th out of 62 brokers. This minor ranking advantage may reflect BDSwiss's larger count of tradeable symbols, yet both brokers offer robust tools for forex and crypto derivative enthusiasts seeking a wide variety of trading opportunities.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 1081 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 53 |
| 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.
HFM and BDSwiss both offer traders modern tools and platforms, making them competitive in the online brokerage space. Both brokers provide free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to simulate trading without financial risk. They each offer proprietary platforms developed in-house, along with popular choices like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Their platforms are accessible via Windows desktop downloads and web-based browsers, providing convenience for traders who prefer flexibility. Additionally, both brokers support copy trading and enable direct trading from stock charts, offering features designed to enhance the trading experience.
While HFM and BDSwiss are each rated four out of five stars for their trading platforms and tools, their offerings differ slightly in terms of charting and list management. HFM stands out with 30 drawing tools for charting, compared to BDSwiss's 15. Both offer the same number of columns for watch lists, making them equal in that regard. When it comes to industry rankings, BDSwiss achieves a higher spot, securing the 24th position out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while HFM ranks 42nd. Neither broker provides DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, which might be a consideration for traders seeking these specific features.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 15 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 15 |
| 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 HFM and BDSwiss, both brokers offer apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices, which provide traders with essential features. They both support stock or forex price alerts, allow traders to draw trendlines on charts, and offer the ability to view multiple time frames and create watchlists with real-time quotes. Each app supports 30 technical studies for charting and automatically saves drawing changes, making them user-friendly and efficient for traders who need to manage their investments on the go.
Despite these similarities, there are differences in their rankings and app usability features. While both apps lack the ability to sync watchlists between the mobile app and online account, BDSwiss holds a higher rank (24th) compared to HFM (39th) in the ForexBrokers.com list of 62 brokers in the mobile trading apps category. However, both apps have an overall rating of four out of five stars, reflecting positive user experiences. This indicates that while their core functionalities are on par, BDSwiss is slightly more favorable among users and reviewers in terms of placement. Overall, both brokers offer reliable mobile trading platforms that cater to the essential needs of traders.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 market research, both HFM and BDSwiss provide daily market commentary, enriching their clients with timely insights. However, HFM sets itself apart by offering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders have access to high-quality information. Both platforms provide tools from Autochartist for technical and fundamental analysis. Yet, BDSwiss leverages Trading Central’s technical analysis tools, enhancing its research offerings, while HFM does not include these in its suite.
Further digging into features, HFM delivers a sentiment-based trading tool that helps traders visualize market moods by showing long or short position ratios. Unfortunately, BDSwiss lacks this handy tool. Both brokers offer a comprehensive economic calendar, crucial for staying updated on global news events. Despite the differences in offerings, both HFM and BDSwiss receive a solid 4-star rating for research, with HFM ranked slightly higher at #20 compared to BDSwiss's #24, as per ForexBrokers.com. Overall, each broker brings unique strengths to the table catering to different trader preferences.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources available for beginners between HFM and BDSwiss, both online brokers provide an array of learning materials designed to help new traders. Each offers more than ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on forex or CFDs. Monthly online webinars are a standard offering for both platforms, alongside accessible archives of these sessions. Both HFM and BDSwiss provide an extensive library of over ten videos covering trading topics for beginners, ensuring newcomers have the necessary tools to start their trading journey.
Beyond resources for beginners, both platforms extend their offerings to include videos for experienced traders and investor dictionaries with definitions of over 50 investing terms. Despite their similar offerings, there is a slight difference in their educational rankings. HFM scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 37th among 62 brokers, while BDSwiss, also rated at 4 stars, ranks higher at 19th. This slight difference may be a consideration for those prioritizing educational resources in their selection of a trading platform.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 HFM is better than BDSwiss. HFM finished with an overall rank of #30, while BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36.
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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BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 |
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Both HFM and BDSwiss do not provide the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing the online brokers HFM and BDSwiss, it is notable that while both do not support ACH or SEPA transfers, BDSwiss offers this as an option for depositing or withdrawing account funds; neither broker supports PayPal, but both support Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires 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 | HFM | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | BDSwiss Review |
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| Regulation | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2012 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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) | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 1081 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 53 | |
| 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 | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 1.3 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10-$5000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | HFM Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Overall | HFM | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | BDSwiss Review |
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