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.
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
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, CMC Markets comes out ahead of HFM. CMC Markets earns a 5-star rating and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers for this category. Its standard account has a typical EUR/USD spread of 1.3 pips, but traders can lower costs with the FX Active pricing model, where all-in pricing on EUR/USD comes to about 1.15 pips after commission. CMC also stands out for its low non-trading fees, including no minimum deposit and no inactivity fee until after a full year without trading activity.
HFM is cheaper than many brokers, but it does not match CMC Markets on pricing. HFM is rated 4 stars and ranks #30 out of 36 for commissions and fees. Its standard accounts typically show spreads around 1.2 pips, while the Zero account can work out to about 0.7 pips after commission. Even so, the overall cost picture is less competitive than CMC Markets, especially for active traders looking for more consistent pricing and stronger fee discounts.
In simple terms, CMC Markets offers better value overall for commissions and fees, especially if you use its lower-cost pricing options or trade often enough to benefit from rebates. HFM can still be a reasonable choice, but its fees and spreads are generally a step behind CMC Markets.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
CMC Markets gives traders a much wider range of investments than HFM. It offers 21,710 tradeable symbols and 303 forex pairs, compared with HFM’s 344 symbols and 38 forex pairs. Both brokers let clients trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrency.
CMC Markets also stands out for share dealing, since it offers exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while HFM does not. HFM does have copy trading, which CMC Markets does not. Overall, CMC Markets is rated 5 stars for range of investments and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is rated 4 stars and ranks #30.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 344 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 38 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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.
CMC Markets and HFM both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, web-based access, desktop downloads for Windows, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can make placing orders faster and easier. For charting and watch lists, both firms provide tools for active traders, though the exact number of indicators and watch list fields was not specified here.
The biggest difference is copy trading: HFM offers it, while CMC Markets does not. When it comes to overall platform quality, CMC Markets has the edge with a 5-star rating for Trading Platforms and Tools and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #6 out of 36 brokers, compared with HFM’s 4-star rating and #36 ranking. For traders who want stronger platform tools and a higher-rated trading experience, CMC Markets stands out, while HFM may appeal more to those looking for copy trading alongside its other platform options.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
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) | 65 | 38 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and HFM both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each app supports stock or forex price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings. That means traders can manage positions and follow the market on the go with either broker.
Where CMC Markets stands out is in app quality and charting depth. Its mobile app includes watchlist symbol syncing with the online account, so changes carry over between devices, and it offers 30 technical studies for chart analysis compared with just 5 at HFM. CMC Markets is rated 5 stars for mobile trading apps and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is rated 4 stars and ranks #35.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 5 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
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
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for trading education, both CMC Markets and HFM provide a solid range of learning materials focused on forex and CFDs. Each broker offers at least 10 educational pieces on these topics, along with monthly online webinars and a large library of beginner and advanced videos. That means new traders can find help with the basics, while more experienced users can also dig into more advanced lessons.
When comparing the two side by side, CMC Markets comes out ahead for education. It is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #31. In simple terms, both brokers support learning well, but CMC Markets offers the stronger overall education experience for beginners.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | 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 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 21,710 tradeable instruments and 303 forex pairs, the largest currency lineup in the industry.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
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HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
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In the CMC Markets vs HFM comparison, both online brokers offer cryptocurrency CFD trading but do not support buying actual (delivered) crypto.
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.
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 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | HFM | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| 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 | 6 | 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 (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) | 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 | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 344 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 38 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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 | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.15 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | 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 | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 38 | |
| 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 Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 5 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | CMC Markets Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | HFM Review |
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