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 comes out ahead of HFM on commissions and fees. Capital.com is rated 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #3 of 63 for Commissions and Fees at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #28 of 63. In short, Capital.com’s pricing is a bit better than the industry average, whereas HFM’s is slightly above it.
For forex, Capital.com listed an average EUR/USD spread of 0.67 pips in April 2024 (0.6712), which is lower than the industry average and helps reduce trading costs. The broker offers a universal account for retail traders and a professional account for eligible clients; note that professional clients do not receive the same regulatory protections as retail clients.
HFM’s standard account typically shows a 1.2‑pip spread on EUR/USD, but no date range is provided, so the true average may be higher. Its Zero account quotes an all‑in cost around 0.7 pips after commission, though this figure is not presented as an average either. Overall, HFM’s pricing sits slightly above the industry average, trailing Capital.com in this comparison.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $20 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.64 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.67 | 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.
Comparing the range of investments at Capital.com and HFM, Capital.com offers a wider selection with 5,585 tradeable symbols and 125 forex pairs, while HFM lists 500 symbols and 102 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading (CFD/spot) and provide cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual crypto. Likewise, neither broker offers direct stock investing on U.S. or international exchanges—share exposure is via CFDs rather than owning the underlying shares.
Feature-wise, HFM stands out for offering copy trading, which Capital.com does not. For overall breadth, Capital.com earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks 18th out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, compared with HFM’s 4/5 stars and 28th place. In short: pick Capital.com if you want more markets to choose from; choose HFM if copy trading is important to you.
| 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.
Comparing Capital.com vs HFM for trading platforms and tools, both brokers offer free demo accounts, proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based platforms. Each supports MetaTrader 4 and lets you trade directly from charts. The key differences: HFM also provides copy trading and MetaTrader 5, while Capital.com does not include those two options.
For overall platform and tools, Capital.com is rated 4.5/5 stars and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, whereas HFM holds 4/5 stars and ranks #33. Capital.com may suit traders who want a higher-rated platform experience, while HFM appeals if you prioritize MT5 access and built-in 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) | 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. You can set price alerts for stocks and forex, follow markets on the go, and use 30 technical studies for charting. Each app lets you draw trendlines and automatically saves your chart drawings. The main drawback for both is watchlist syncing—watchlists made in the app won’t sync with your online account.
In head‑to‑head ratings, Capital.com earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM scores 4 stars and ranks #32. If you want a higher-rated mobile trading experience with the same core charting tools and alerts, Capital.com has the edge; HFM is a solid choice if you don’t need watchlist syncing.
| 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.
Capital.com and HFM both deliver daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, a sentiment tool showing long vs. short positioning, and an economic calendar for key global events. Neither broker includes Trading Central or Acuity Trading. Their main differences: HFM offers Autochartist for chart patterns and key levels, while Capital.com provides TipRanks for analyst ratings and stock ideas.
According to ForexBrokers.com, Capital.com scores 4.5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #14 out of 63 brokers, while HFM scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #18. Pick HFM if you want Autochartist’s pattern spotting; choose Capital.com if TipRanks insights appeal to you. Both give you daily commentary, high-quality news, sentiment data, and an easy-to-use economic calendar.
| 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.
Capital.com and HFM both provide forex and CFD education that meets the minimum of 10 pieces, and each offers at least 10 beginner videos plus at least 10 advanced videos. The key difference is live learning: HFM runs ongoing educational webinars (at least one per month), while Capital.com does not. If you prefer live sessions with instructors, HFM has that covered; if you’re focused on self-paced videos, both brokers deliver plenty of content for new traders.
For overall quality, Capital.com earns a higher Education rating (4.5/5) and a stronger placement in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings (#8 of 63) compared to HFM’s 4/5 rating and #29 spot. Beginners who value live webinars may lean toward HFM, while those seeking a higher-rated learning library may find Capital.com more appealing.
| 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 #12, 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
|
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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