Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Capital.com 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.
Capital.com and HFM are both well-regarded online brokers, though they differ in their regulatory standings and background. Founded in 2016, Capital.com holds 3 Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of trust, alongside 1 Tier-2 license. Its Trust Score of 87 out of 99, as rated by ForexBrokers.com, positions it in the "trusted" category. Despite not being publicly traded or a bank, Capital.com demonstrates strong regulatory credentials compared to many in the industry.
In contrast, HFM has been in operation since 2010 and holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses, reflecting a balanced regulatory standing. With a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 86, HFM is also categorized as "trusted". Like Capital.com, HFM is neither publicly traded nor a bank, yet it has built a solid reputation for reliability over the years. Both brokers offer valuable services, but Capital.com edges slightly ahead in terms of its Tier-1 licensing and Trust Score.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2016 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
Capital.com stands out on commissions and fees. Its pricing is slightly better than the industry average, earning 5 out of 5 stars and a #3 ranking out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. HFM’s pricing sits slightly above the industry average, which translates to 4 out of 5 stars and a #32 ranking out of 63.
For forex traders, Capital.com lists a dynamic EUR/USD spread of 0.67 pips, which we confirmed as an average of 0.6712 pips for April 2024. This low average spread helps keep trading costs down. Capital.com offers a universal account for retail traders and a professional account for eligible elective professionals; note that professional clients do not receive the same regulatory protections as retail clients.
HFM states a typical 1.2-pip spread on its Standard account, but it does not provide a date range, so the true average could be higher. Its Zero account can reach an effective 0.7-pip spread after commission, though this figure is not presented as an average either. Together, these details support HFM’s position as slightly above the industry average on costs, especially when compared with Capital.com’s verified average spreads.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.67 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.67 | 0.7 |
| 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.
Capital.com vs HFM: For range of investments, Capital.com offers far more choice with 5,585 tradeable symbols and 125 forex pairs, compared with HFM’s 500 symbols and 102 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs/spot and both provide cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual crypto or real exchange-traded shares in the U.S. or international markets. A key difference is copy trading—HFM offers it, while Capital.com does not.
Independent ratings back up the breadth of Capital.com’s lineup: it earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks 23rd out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM scores 4 stars and ranks 37th. If sheer variety of markets is your priority, Capital.com has the edge; if you want copy trading as part of your toolkit, HFM is the pick.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5585 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 125 | 102 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
Capital.com and HFM are online brokers that both offer free demo (paper) accounts, proprietary platforms, web-based platforms, and Windows desktop downloads. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and lets you place trades directly from charts. A key difference is MetaTrader 5 (MT5): HFM offers MT5, while Capital.com does not.
Copy trading is available at HFM but not at Capital.com. For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates Capital.com higher at 4.5/5 stars and ranks it #10 out of 63 brokers, while HFM holds 4/5 stars and ranks #43. If you prioritize higher third-party ratings and a streamlined web and desktop experience, Capital.com stands out; if MT5 or copy trading are must-haves, HFM may be the better fit.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Capital.com and HFM both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts for forex and stocks. Each app includes 30 technical studies for charting, lets you draw trendlines, and auto-saves your drawings so you can pick up where you left off. One limitation is watchlist symbol syncing: neither broker syncs watchlists between the mobile app and the web platform, so changes don’t carry over automatically.
According to ForexBrokers.com, Capital.com’s mobile app earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers, while HFM scores 4 stars and ranks #40. Both apps cover the key features traders expect on the go, but Capital.com edges HFM on overall mobile experience and user ratings.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
When comparing the market research tools of online brokers Capital.com and HFM, both offer daily market commentary and provide forex news from top-notch sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. While both platforms serve as reliable news resources, there are distinct differences in advanced analysis tools. Capital.com does not provide access to Autochartist, a popular technical analysis tool, but HFM does, which could appeal to traders interested in deeper analysis.
Additionally, both brokers offer sentiment analysis, showing the ratio of long to short positions in various markets. However, Capital.com edges out HFM by offering market research from TipRanks, a feature not available with HFM. Both brokers include an economic calendar to keep users informed of global events. Rated at 4.5 stars, Capital.com stands slightly ahead in the research category, ranking 14th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM follows closely with a 4-star rating at 20th place.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginner traders comparing Capital.com and HFM on education, both brokers deliver plenty of video learning. Each offers at least 10 beginner videos to explain core trading ideas and at least 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. Capital.com does not run monthly live webinars, while HFM does offer online educational webinars at least once per month—useful if you prefer live, interactive lessons. Both brokers include materials that cover trading topics relevant to forex and CFDs.
By third-party measures, Capital.com is stronger overall for education: it earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #37. If you want a higher-rated, self-paced path built around videos, Capital.com is the better fit. If live webinars are a must-have, HFM stands out with ongoing sessions you can join each month.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | 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 Capital.com is better than HFM. Capital.com finished with an overall rank of #10, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #30.
Capital.com stands out for its quality research, strong educational content, and innovative web platform. Capital.com holds fewer regulatory licenses and offers a narrower range of markets than some of the best brokers, but still significantly outperforms the industry average.
| Feature |
Capital.com
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HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 87 | 86 |
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In the Capital.com vs HFM comparison, both online brokers do not allow buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but they do offer cryptocurrency CFDs for traders seeking price exposure without owning the coins.
In a Capital.com vs HFM funding-methods comparison, both brokers lack ACH/SEPA and support Skrill and bank wire transfers, but only Capital.com offers 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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| Trust Score | 87 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
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