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 vs HFM: Both brokers are regulated across multiple regions. Capital.com holds three Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and three Tier-2 licenses, while HFM holds two Tier-1 and three Tier-2 licenses. Their ForexBrokers.com Trust Scores are 89 for Capital.com and 85 for HFM—both in the “trusted” range (80–89), where 90–99 is highly trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 not trusted.
Capital.com was founded in 2016 and HFM in 2010. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank, which makes their regulatory footprint and Trust Scores useful points of comparison for everyday traders evaluating safety and oversight.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2016 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 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. 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.
Capital.com and HFM both make it easy to get started, offering free demo accounts for paper trading. Each broker provides an in-house platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform, plus support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can also place trades directly from charts with either broker, which is handy for timing entries and exits.
The main platform difference is copy trading: HFM offers it, while Capital.com does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, Capital.com earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while HFM scores 4 stars and ranks #33. In short, pick HFM if copy trading matters to you, and consider Capital.com if higher-rated platform tools are your priority.
| 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 | 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 cover the essentials for market research. Each provides daily market commentary, premium forex news from top-tier sources (such as Bloomberg or Reuters), an economic calendar, and a sentiment tool showing the share of long vs. short positions. Neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
The main difference is Autochartist: HFM offers it for automated pattern recognition and trade ideas, while Capital.com does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, Capital.com earns a higher Research score at 4.5 stars and ranks #14 out of 63 brokers, compared with HFM’s 4 stars and #18 ranking. If you value a higher overall research rating, Capital.com stands out; if Autochartist is a must-have, HFM may suit you better.
| 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 | 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
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HFM
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 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.
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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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Capital.com | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 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 | 89 | 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 | 3 | 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) | No | 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) | No | 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 | 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). |
| Cost | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.64 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.67 | 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 | No | 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 | 15 | |
| 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Capital.com Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | Capital.com | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | HFM Review |
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