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 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of Capital.com and HFM, Capital.com emerges as an economical choice for traders. With a dynamic spread of 0.67 pips for EUR/USD, verified as the average spread for April 2024, Capital.com provides a competitive edge by offering lower trading costs than the industry standard. This makes it appealing for traders seeking low-cost forex trading. Capital.com offers a universal account to retail traders and a professional account for qualifying professional traders, although the latter does not include the same level of regulatory protection.
In contrast, HFM presents slightly higher trading costs, with typical spreads around 1.2 pips for standard trading accounts, though this figure lacks a defined date range. Consequently, the average spread might be less favorable compared to the industry average. The Zero account option from HFM offers an effective spread of 0.7 pips post-commission, yet this also isn't based on an average.
Capital.com outshines with a five-star rating for its commissions and fees, and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers in this category according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, HFM holds a four-star rating and is positioned at #31 among the same 63 brokers. This ranking further highlights Capital.com's advantage in terms of cost-efficiency for traders.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.67 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.67 | 0.7 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | 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.
When comparing Capital.com and HFM for their range of investment options, both online brokers allow for forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts. However, Capital.com stands out with a broader selection of tradeable symbols, offering a total of 5,585 compared to HFM’s 500. In terms of forex pairs, Capital.com also holds an edge with 125 pairs available against HFM’s 102. Neither platform provides access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, meaning traders cannot purchase stocks outright, such as Apple or Vodafone shares. Additionally, while both platforms offer cryptocurrency derivatives, neither allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies.
Capital.com and HFM diverge further in specialized features, as HFM offers copy trading while Capital.com does not. Overall, according to ForexBrokers.com, Capital.com earns a slightly higher rating of 4.5 stars for its range of investments and ranks 22nd out of 63 brokers in this category. HFM follows with a 4-star rating and a 36th place ranking. These differences highlight Capital.com's broader investment coverage, making it a potentially more versatile option for traders seeking a wider array of tradeable assets.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5585 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 125 | 102 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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.
When comparing trading platforms and tools between Capital.com and HFM, both brokers provide a variety of options for traders. Capital.com and HFM each offer a proprietary in-house trading platform alongside widely recognized MetaTrader 4 (MT4) software, available on both web-based and Windows-based desktop platforms. While Capital.com lacks MetaTrader 5 (MT5) support, HFM includes it as part of their offerings. The two brokers also provide simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice and hone their skills without real financial risk. However, only HFM supports copy trading, which is a feature sought by those interested in mimicking successful traders.
Charting capabilities further highlight differences, with Capital.com providing 60 drawing tools compared to HFM's 30. This may appeal to traders who rely heavily on chart analysis. Both brokers enable trading directly from a stock chart, enhancing user convenience. For watch lists, Capital.com offers the ability to customize up to 11 columns, whereas HFM allows for 7, giving Capital.com users more flexibility in tracking market movements. These distinctions contribute to Capital.com's slightly higher rating of 4.5 stars for trading platforms and tools, compared to HFM's 4-star rating, positioning Capital.com at rank #10 and HFM at #42 on ForexBrokers.com's list of 63 brokers.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 60 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Capital.com and HFM both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, allowing easy access to trading on the go. Users of both platforms can receive stock or forex price alerts, ensuring they stay informed of market movements. With their mobile apps, users can view chart trends, multiple time frames, and enjoy 30 technical studies for a comprehensive trading experience. Both platforms also feature the ability to draw and automatically save trendlines on charts and create watchlists with real-time quotes, enhancing their utility for traders.
However, neither Capital.com nor HFM supports watchlist symbol syncing, meaning changes in the mobile app won't update the online account and vice versa. In terms of user feedback, Capital.com's app stands out, rated 4.5 stars compared to HFM's 4 stars. This difference is reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where Capital.com holds the 11th spot out of 63 brokers, while HFM is ranked at 39. Capital.com's higher rating and ranking suggest a more favorable user experience overall.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources for beginners provided by Capital.com and HFM, both platforms offer a variety of tools to help new traders. Capital.com provides a rich selection of over 10 educational pieces focused on forex and CFDs, which are accessible in various formats such as articles, videos, and archived webinars. Additionally, Capital.com features a comprehensive library of beginner videos alongside advanced content for more seasoned traders. They also include an investor dictionary with definitions of at least 50 terms. Although Capital.com does not host live monthly webinars, it does maintain a searchable archive of previous sessions, which can be quite beneficial for learners seeking specific insights at their own pace. With a commendable 4.5-star rating, Capital.com is ranked #8 out of 63 brokers for educational resources according to ForexBrokers.com.
HFM also ensures that beginners have access to at least 10 educational pieces focusing on forex and CFDs. Like Capital.com, they provide a good selection of both beginner and advanced videos. HFM stands out by offering live educational webinars every month, supplemented by a searchable archive for those who wish to revisit past discussions. They equally offer a dictionary detailing over 50 investing terms. However, with a slightly lower education rating of 4 stars, HFM is ranked at #37 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in the Education category. Both brokers provide valuable educational content, but Capital.com's higher rating and stronger ranking may indicate a broader or deeper educational offering.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | 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 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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Both Capital.com and HFM do not offer the ability to purchase actual cryptocurrencies with delivery, but they do provide options for buying cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers Capital.com and HFM, both offer Visa/Mastercard, Skrill, and bank wire options for funding accounts, while Capital.com uniquely supports PayPal, and neither broker provides ACH or SEPA transfer options.
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 | 87 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Capital.com | HFM | |
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| Regulation | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 87 | 86 | |
| 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 | 1 | 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 (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) | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5585 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 125 | 102 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.67 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.67 | 0.7 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 60 | 30 | |
| 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 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 | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | 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 | Capital.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Capital.com Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | Capital.com | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 87 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | HFM Review |
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