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 non-bank, privately held brokers, but Capital.com has the edge on trust and regulation. Founded in 2016, Capital.com holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses, earning a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 90 out of 99, which places it in the highly trusted range. HFM, founded in 2010, is also not publicly traded and is not a bank, but it holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses, with a Trust Score of 85 out of 99, putting it in the trusted category.
In simple terms, both brokers are considered well regulated, but Capital.com scores higher thanks to its stronger set of top-tier licenses and higher Trust Score. If you are comparing broker safety and oversight, Capital.com comes out ahead of HFM on regulatory strength, while HFM still remains a trusted choice overall.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2016 | 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 | 2 | 2 |
Capital.com comes out ahead of HFM on commissions and fees, with pricing that is slightly better than the industry average. The broker offers a universal account for retail traders and a professional account for eligible clients, and its EUR/USD spread averaged 0.6712 pips in April 2024, which is very low for forex trading. Capital.com earns a 5-star rating for commissions and fees and is ranked #2 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
HFM’s trading costs are slightly above the industry average. Its standard accounts typically show spreads around 1.2 pips, though no date range is provided, so the true average may be less favorable. HFM’s Zero account can work out to an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission, but this is not an average spread. HFM earns 4 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #30 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
For traders focused on lower costs, Capital.com is the stronger pick overall. While HFM can offer competitive pricing on its Zero account, Capital.com’s lower average spreads and better category ranking make it the better choice for most cost-conscious traders.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $20 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.7 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, Capital.com offers more choice than HFM. Capital.com provides 5,585 tradeable symbols and 125 forex pairs, while HFM offers 344 tradeable symbols and 38 forex pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as a CFD or spot contract, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs. However, neither broker allows you to buy actual crypto, U.S.-listed shares, or international exchange-traded securities outright.
Capital.com is the stronger pick for variety overall, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranking #18 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. HFM scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #30 out of 36, though it does have one extra feature Capital.com does not: copy trading. For most traders looking for a wider selection of markets, Capital.com has the edge.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5585 | 344 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 125 | 38 |
| 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 both give traders a strong range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, web-based trading, Windows desktop downloads, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can make order placement faster and more convenient for active traders.
The biggest difference is copy trading: HFM offers it, while Capital.com does not. In platform and tools testing, Capital.com comes out ahead overall with a 4.5-star rating and a ForexBrokers.com rank of #10 out of 36, compared with HFM’s 4-star rating and #36 ranking. For traders who want a wider set of platform features plus stronger third-party recognition in this category, Capital.com has the edge, while HFM may appeal more to those looking for copy trading.
| 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) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 38 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Capital.com and HFM both make it easy to trade on the go, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. Neither broker offers watchlist symbol syncing between the mobile app and online account, so watchlist changes do not carry over from one platform to the other. In these basics, the two apps are fairly even and should feel familiar to most mobile traders.
The bigger difference is in charting and overall app quality. Capital.com offers 30 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with just 5 at HFM, giving traders more tools for chart analysis. Capital.com also earns a higher mobile trading apps rating at 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM holds a 4-star rating and ranks #35. For traders who want a stronger mobile charting experience, Capital.com has the edge.
| 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 | 5 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing Capital.com and HFM for market research, both brokers cover the basics well. Each offers daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a sentiment tool showing long and short positions, and an economic calendar with global events. In this area, neither broker has a clear edge on the core tools most traders use to stay informed.
The main difference is in extra research features and overall rating. HFM includes Autochartist and Acuity Trading tools, while Capital.com does not offer either. Capital.com does, however, earn a slightly higher research score at 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #14 out of 36 brokers, compared with HFM’s 4 stars and #18 ranking. For traders who want more built-in third-party research tools, HFM may appeal more, but Capital.com gets the stronger overall research mark.
| 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 | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to beginner education, both Capital.com and HFM give new traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers at least 10 beginner-friendly videos, as well as at least 10 advanced videos for traders who want to keep learning. Both also provide forex or CFDs education with a good number of learning materials focused on those topics. For overall education quality, Capital.com stands out with a 4.5-star rating and an #8 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is rated 4 stars and ranks #31.
The biggest difference is in live learning support. HFM offers online educational webinars at least once a month, which can be helpful for beginners who like to learn in a more guided setting and ask questions in real time. Capital.com does not offer monthly educational webinars, so it leans more on on-demand content such as articles and videos. For beginners who prefer flexible self-paced learning, both brokers are solid choices, but Capital.com appears to have the edge overall, while HFM may appeal more to traders who value regular live sessions.
| 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 #13, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.
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
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 90 | 85 |
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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.
When comparing Capital.com vs HFM for funding options, Capital.com supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires, while HFM offers Skrill and bank wires but does not support ACH/SEPA transfers or PayPal.
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 | Capital.com | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 90 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Capital.com | HFM | |
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| Regulation | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 90 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2016 | 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 | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5585 | 344 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 125 | 38 | |
| 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). |
| Cost | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.7 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $20 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 38 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | 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 | 5 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Capital.com Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | Capital.com | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 90 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | HFM Review |
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