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CMC Markets vs HFM 2026

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025
  Fact Checked

In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs HFM, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

CMC Markets
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 12029
HFM
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 85
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 344

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.

Regulation

CMC Markets and HFM are well-known online brokers with different profiles. CMC Markets, founded in 1989, is publicly traded and not a bank. HFM, founded in 2010, is privately held and not a bank. According to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets holds a Trust Score of 99/99 (90–99 = highly trusted), while HFM scores 85/99 (80–89 = trusted).

In terms of regulation, CMC Markets holds 6 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, whereas HFM holds 2 Tier-1 and 3 Tier-2 licenses. ForexBrokers.com considers Tier-1 regulators highly trusted and Tier-2 trusted. This means CMC Markets has a broader top-tier regulatory footprint, while HFM still offers solid, trusted oversight.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
HFM logoHFM
Year Founded info 1989 2010
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 6 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 2

Fees

CMC Markets stands out for commissions and fees, with low trading costs available across all account types and customer groups. It offers average EUR/USD spreads of about 0.61 pips, and its FX Active pricing can bring the all-in cost down to 0.5 pips on the EUR/USD after commission. For commissions and fees, CMC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranked #4 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.

HFM’s pricing is a bit less competitive, with trading costs slightly above the industry average. Its standard account typically shows a spread of 1.2 pips, while the Zero account can reach an effective 0.7 pips after commission, though that is not an average figure. For commissions and fees, HFM is rated 4 stars and ranked #28 out of 36 brokers.

Overall, CMC Markets is the stronger choice if low fees are your top priority. It has tighter spreads, more pricing options, and a better track record for keeping costs down, while HFM is still reasonable but generally more expensive for everyday trading.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
HFM logoHFM
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.3 info 1.8 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 1.1 info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

When it comes to range of investments, CMC Markets gives traders far more choice than HFM. CMC Markets offers 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, while HFM provides 344 symbols and 38 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, and both offer copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. However, neither broker lets you buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency.

CMC Markets also stands out for access to real exchange traded shares, including U.S. stocks like Apple and international shares such as Vodafone, while HFM does not offer non-CFD exchange traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges. Based on ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 36 for Range of Investments, compared with HFM’s 4 stars and #28 ranking, making CMC Markets the stronger pick for investors who want a wider market selection.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
HFM logoHFM
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 12029 344
Forex Pairs (Total) info 141 38
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes No
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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.

Trading platforms and tools

CMC Markets and HFM both give traders a wide choice of platforms and tools, making either broker a solid option for active trading. Each offers a free demo account for paper trading, a proprietary platform, Windows desktop software, web-based access, copy trading, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both also let you trade directly from a chart, which can be helpful if you like placing trades while watching price moves in real time.

Where CMC Markets stands out is in independent ratings: it earns 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #33. In simple terms, both brokers cover the key platform features most traders look for, but CMC Markets gets the edge for its overall platform and tools offering.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
HFM logoHFM
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 73 38
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

CMC Markets and HFM both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each app includes price alerts plus the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Both platforms also auto-save chart drawings, which makes it easier to pick up where you left off. For everyday mobile trading features, the two brokers cover the basics well.

Where CMC Markets stands out is in app quality and charting depth. Its mobile app supports watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made on your phone carry over to your online account, while HFM does not offer this feature. CMC Markets also provides 29 technical studies versus just 5 at HFM, and it earns a 5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating and a #5 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with HFM’s 4-star rating and #32 ranking.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
HFM logoHFM
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 29 5
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

CMC Markets and HFM both give traders a strong set of market research tools. Each broker offers daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, Autochartist tools, sentiment data showing long and short positions, and an economic calendar with global events. Neither broker includes Trading Central or TipRanks, but HFM does add research tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, which CMC Markets does not offer.

When it comes to research quality, CMC Markets has the edge. It is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Research category, while HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #18. Overall, both brokers cover the basics well, but CMC Markets stands out as the better choice for market research.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
HFM logoHFM
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info Yes Yes
Trading Central info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

For beginners looking to learn forex and CFDs, CMC Markets has a clear edge over HFM in education. Both brokers offer at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so each gives new traders and more experienced users useful video-based learning. CMC Markets also earns a top 5-star Education rating and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, which points to a stronger overall learning experience for new traders.

HFM still provides helpful educational material, including forex or CFDs education and monthly online client webinars, which CMC Markets does not offer. That makes HFM a solid choice for traders who value live learning sessions. However, with a 4-star Education rating and a #29 ranking, HFM falls behind CMC Markets for beginners who want more highly rated and better-ranked educational support.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
HFM logoHFM
Webinars info No Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that CMC Markets is better than HFM. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.

CMC Markets is well-trusted across the globe, and delivers a terrific trading experience thanks to its excellent pricing and selection of over 12,000 tradeable instruments.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
HFM logoHFM
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 85
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with CMC Markets or HFM?

In the CMC Markets vs HFM comparison, both online brokers offer cryptocurrency CFD trading but do not support buying actual (delivered) crypto.

What funding options does each broker offer?

CMC Markets vs HFM: For deposits and withdrawals, CMC Markets supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, while HFM supports Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.

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Overall Rating CMC Markets HFM
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 85
Winner check_circle
Review CMC Markets Review HFM Review
Broker Screenshots CMC Markets HFM
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
CMC Markets Next Generation mobile trade ticket order. CMC Markets Next Generation web platform layout light theme CMC Markets research weekly outlook detail. CMC Markets OPTO Podcast.
HFM MT5 web platform. HFM webinars schedule. HFM educational video example YouTube.
Regulation CMC Markets HFM
Trust Score info 99 85
Year Founded info 1989 2010
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 6 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 2
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) CMC Markets HFM
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info No No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info Yes No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) CMC Markets HFM
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info Yes
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) info Yes Yes
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments CMC Markets HFM
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 12029 344
Forex Pairs (Total) info 141 38
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes No
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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 CMC Markets HFM
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.3 info 1.8 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 1.1 info
Inactivity Fee info Yes Yes
Order execution: Agency info No No
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding CMC Markets HFM
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms CMC Markets HFM
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools CMC Markets HFM
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 73 38
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading CMC Markets HFM
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 29 5
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research CMC Markets HFM
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info Yes Yes
Trading Central info No No
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education CMC Markets HFM
Webinars info No Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs CMC Markets HFM
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review CMC Markets Review HFM Review
Overall CMC Markets HFM
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 85
Winner check_circle
Review CMC Markets Review HFM Review
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