Written by ForexBrokers.com
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.
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.
When comparing CMC Markets and HFM, both brokers offer secure platforms for online trading, but they differ significantly in their trust and regulation. Established in 1989, CMC Markets is publicly traded and boasts a top-tier ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, reflecting a high level of trust. The company holds 5 Tier-1 licenses, indicating substantial regulatory oversight, and 1 Tier-2 license, demonstrating additional layers of security. In contrast, HFM, founded in 2010, is not publicly traded, and holds a slightly lower Trust Score of 86. While HFM is recognized as trusted with its 2 Tier-1 licenses, it manages to hold more Tier-2 licenses than CMC Markets, with 3 in total, adding a level of reliability to its offerings.
Neither CMC Markets nor HFM operates as a bank, which is worth considering for investors who may prefer a banking institution for their trading activities. However, CMC Markets stands out in terms of regulatory reputation, being in the market far longer and maintaining an impressive number of high-tier licenses. While HFM provides a competitive alternative with its trusted status, CMC Markets' long-standing industry presence and public trading status might appeal more to those prioritizing maximum trust and transparency.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of online brokers CMC Markets and HFM, CMC Markets emerges as the leader in affordability and transparency. Recognized as the best in class in 2025, CMC Markets holds the top position for its low spreads and flexible pricing strategies. The standard spread for EUR/USD is just 0.61 pips, making it highly competitive. CMC Markets also offers an active trader program, Price Plus Scheme, which provides discounts on trading costs based on trading volume and activity. Their FX Active pricing includes a commission of $2.50 per side, which, combined with zero minimum spreads, results in an all-in cost of just 0.5 pips for EUR/USD and five other major currency pairs, using August 2023 data.
In contrast, HFM's trading costs are somewhat higher. The typical spread for a standard account at HFM is 1.2 pips, which is above the industry average and lacks a specific date range for the quoted figures, leaving potential room for variance. HFM’s Zero account offers an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission, but again, this figure isn’t presented as an average, which may impact transparency and reliability in gauging actual trading costs.
Overall, CMC Markets earns a stellar 5-star rating for its commissions and fees, standing out as the number one choice among 63 brokers. On the other hand, HFM, with its slightly higher fees, secures a 4-star rating and ranks at number 31 in the same category. For traders prioritizing cost-effective trading, CMC Markets presents a more attractive option with its innovative pricing plans and customer-centric approach to fees.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | 0.7 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When choosing between CMC Markets and HFM for online trading, the variety of investment options is a key consideration. CMC Markets stands out with an extensive array of offerings. Traders can access 11,925 tradeable symbols, including 156 forex pairs. In addition, CMC Markets allows investments in exchange-traded securities both on U.S. exchanges, like Apple shares, and international exchanges, providing a wider scope for diversifying portfolios. Although CMC Markets does not support the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies, it does offer cryptocurrency derivatives and the convenience of copy trading for users looking to mimic successful strategies.
In contrast, HFM provides 500 tradeable symbols with 102 forex pairs available to traders. While lacking the option to invest in U.S. or international exchange-traded securities, which limits diversification potential, HFM matches CMC Markets in offering forex trading both as CFDs and spot contracts, as well as cryptocurrency derivatives. Additionally, HFM supports copy trading, aligning with its competitor in this regard. When assessed by ForexBrokers.com for range of investments, CMC Markets earns a superior rating of 5 stars and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers, whereas HFM holds a 4-star rating and ranks 36th.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 102 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
CMC Markets and HFM are both popular online brokers that provide a range of trading platforms and tools, each with its own strengths. Both brokers offer simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice without risking real money. Additionally, they each have proprietary platforms and support MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, catering to various trading preferences. Their platforms are accessible via Windows-based desktop downloads and web browsers, providing flexibility for different trading environments. Copy trading is available on both platforms, but neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. CMC Markets enhances charting capabilities with 40 drawing tools, whereas HFM offers 30. Furthermore, CMC Markets provides more customization with 11 fields for watch lists, compared to HFM's 7 fields. Both platforms support trading directly from stock charts, adding to their functionality.
When it comes to ratings, CMC Markets outshines HFM with a perfect score of five stars for trading platforms and tools. In contrast, HFM receives four stars, reflecting its solid, yet slightly less comprehensive offering. ForexBrokers.com ranks CMC Markets fourth out of 63 brokers in this category, highlighting its strong features and user experience. Meanwhile, HFM holds the 42nd position, indicating room for growth in its platform offerings. Overall, both brokers provide competitive tools and platforms, but CMC Markets leads the way in terms of versatility and ratings.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of CMC Markets and HFM, both brokers provide convenient solutions for traders on the go, available for iPhone and Android. Each app supports essential features like price alerts and the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes, making them great choices for staying informed about market movements. Where CMC Markets stands out is in its watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring changes made on the app or online account stay up to date seamlessly. Both apps allow traders to draw trendlines, explore multiple time frames, and auto-save drawings, which are key tools for technical analysis.
In terms of charting, CMC Markets offers 29 technical studies, while HFM provides a slightly higher count of 30. Despite this, CMC Markets holds a higher overall rating of 5 stars for its mobile app compared to HFM's 4 stars. This is further reflected in their rankings, with CMC Markets placed at number 5 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com for the Mobile Trading Apps category, while HFM holds the number 39 spot. These distinctions suggest CMC Markets offers a more polished experience, with higher customer satisfaction and recognition, making it a preferred choice for many mobile traders.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 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.
Both CMC Markets and HFM provide traders with substantial market research offerings. They both supply daily market commentary and deliver forex news from well-respected sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, ensuring that traders stay informed with credible updates. Additionally, both brokers offer tools from Autochartist for technical and fundamental analysis, further enhancing the trading experience. If you're interested in sentiment-based trading tools, both platforms present features that offer insights into the proportion of long and short positions across various instruments.
However, neither CMC Markets nor HFM offers trading tools from Trading Central or Acuity Trading, nor do they provide market research from TipRanks. They both include economic calendars to help users keep track of important global events. Notably, CMC Markets edges ahead of HFM in terms of research, earning a five-star rating compared to HFM's four stars. This difference is reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where CMC Markets is rated at number six, significantly ahead of HFM, which holds the twentieth spot out of 63 brokers in the research category.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources offered by CMC Markets and HFM for beginners, both brokers provide a solid foundation for learning about forex and CFDs. CMC Markets provides an impressive range of over ten educational materials such as articles, videos, and archived webinars specifically focused on forex and CFDs. Although they do not host regular monthly webinars, they compensate with a searchable archive of recorded sessions. Their suite of educational videos includes both beginner and advanced levels, ensuring comprehensive coverage for traders at any stage. An investor dictionary with more than 50 definitions is readily available, offering further support to those new to trading. CMC Markets boasts a stellar 5-star rating for education and holds the 10th spot out of 63 brokers ranked on ForexBrokers.com, underscoring their strong educational offerings.
HFM also meets the benchmark of offering over ten educational resources centered on forex and CFDs. They go a step further by providing monthly online webinars, giving beginners the chance to engage directly with content experts. Similar to CMC Markets, HFM offers a searchable library of past webinars, along with a comprehensive range of beginner and advanced videos. Their investor dictionary is equally extensive, with definitions of more than 50 investing terms. While HFM holds a 4-star rating for education and ranks 37th in the ForexBrokers.com list, they still offer meaningful educational tools that cater to newcomers in the trading world. Both platforms provide excellent educational resources, but CMC Markets slightly edges out in terms of user rankings and ratings.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
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 CMC Markets is better than HFM. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #4, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #30.
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
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HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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Both CMC Markets and HFM do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options for purchasing cryptocurrency derivatives.
CMC Markets offers more diverse options for depositing and withdrawing account funds compared to HFM, as it supports ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, while HFM accommodates Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, but lacks support for both ACH or SEPA transfers and 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 | CMC Markets | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
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| Review | CMC Markets Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | HFM | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11925 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 156 | 102 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.61 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 | 0.7 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 79 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 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 | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | 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 | CMC Markets | 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 | CMC Markets Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | HFM Review |
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