Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM vs Eightcap, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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HFM (founded 2010) and Eightcap (founded 2009) are online brokers; neither is publicly traded nor a bank. Because they don’t publish the kind of financials that listed companies do, many traders compare their regulation and independent trust ratings.
Regulation: HFM holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses, while Eightcap holds 3 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2. On ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score scale (90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, under 59 not trusted), HFM scores 85 and Eightcap scores 87—both are “trusted,” with Eightcap slightly higher by two points and carrying more Tier-1 licenses. Consider which licenses apply to your country and any platform features you need when deciding.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
When comparing HFM vs. Eightcap for commissions and fees, both brokers land in the middle of the pack, but Eightcap comes out a bit ahead. HFM is slightly above the industry average on trading costs. Its standard account lists a typical spread of 1.2 pips, though the broker does not provide a date range for that figure, so the real average could be higher. HFM’s Zero account shows an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission, but this is also not presented as an average. HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #28 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
Eightcap gives traders a choice between a spread-only Standard account and a commission-based Raw account. On the Raw account, Eightcap lists an average spread of 0.06 pips, and after adding the $3.50 per-side commission, the all-in cost is about 0.76 pips. That puts it just below the industry average of 0.8 pips, although it is still not among the very cheapest forex brokers. Eightcap is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #20 out of 36 for commissions and fees.
In simple terms, if lower trading costs are a priority, Eightcap has the edge over HFM by a small margin. HFM is still reasonably priced, but Eightcap’s pricing, especially on its Raw account, is a little more competitive overall.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.8 | 1.0 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | 0.76 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, HFM and Eightcap both let clients trade forex as CFDs, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs rather than real, delivered crypto. Neither broker offers exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges, so you cannot buy actual stocks like Apple or Vodafone through either platform. HFM does stand out for copy trading, which Eightcap does not offer.
Eightcap has the broader selection overall, with 803 tradeable symbols and 55 forex pairs, compared with HFM’s 344 symbols and 38 forex pairs. That wider market list helps explain why Eightcap is a strong choice for traders who want more instruments to choose from, even though HFM earns a slightly higher Range of Investments score at 4 stars versus Eightcap’s 3.5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking for this category, HFM places #28 out of 36 brokers, just ahead of Eightcap at #29.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 344 | 803 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 38 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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.
HFM and Eightcap both give traders a solid mix of platform choices, including free demo accounts, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, desktop downloads for Windows, and browser-based trading. Both also let you place trades straight from a chart, which is helpful if you like to act quickly while watching price moves. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, though Eightcap has a slightly better ranking at #31 out of 36, compared with HFM at #33.
The main difference is that HFM offers its own in-house trading platform and copy trading, while Eightcap does not offer either feature. That makes HFM a better fit for traders who want extra ways to follow other investors or try a broker-built platform, while Eightcap may suit traders who are happy using the main third-party platform options. Overall, both brokers cover the basics well, but HFM offers a little more variety in trading tools.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 38 | 100 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
HFM and Eightcap both give traders mobile access through iPhone and Android apps, along with price alerts for stocks and forex. Each app also lets you draw trendlines and saves those drawings automatically, which is helpful if you like to mark up charts while on the move. In overall Mobile Trading Apps ratings, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars, but Eightcap is ranked slightly higher by ForexBrokers.com at #31 out of 36, compared with HFM at #32.
The biggest difference between the two comes down to chart tools and syncing. Eightcap offers watchlist symbol syncing, so changes you make in the mobile app carry over to your online account, while HFM does not. Eightcap also gives traders far more technical studies for chart analysis, with 100 available in its mobile app versus just 5 at HFM. For traders who want a more connected app experience and more charting options, Eightcap has the edge; HFM still covers the basics well for everyday mobile trading.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 5 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
HFM and Eightcap both give traders useful market research basics, including daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, an economic calendar, and research support from Acuity Trading. Neither broker offers research from Trading Central or TipRanks. That said, HFM goes a step further by providing forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, plus Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental analysis, which Eightcap does not offer.
Overall, HFM has the edge for market research. It is rated 4 stars for Research and ranks #18 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Eightcap is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #33. For traders who want more in-depth news and analysis tools in one place, HFM offers a stronger research setup than Eightcap.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, HFM has the edge over Eightcap. HFM offers forex and CFDs learning material, regular client webinars at least once a month, and at least 10 beginner videos, plus 10 advanced videos for traders who want to go further. This gives new traders more ways to learn the basics and keep building their skills over time. HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education and is ranked #29 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Eightcap also provides at least 10 beginner trading videos, so there is still useful material for new users. However, it does not offer monthly educational webinars, and it falls short on advanced video content compared with HFM. It also ranks slightly lower in the Education category, with a 3.5-star rating and a #31 ranking out of 36 brokers. For beginners who want more live learning and a wider range of study content, HFM is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that HFM is better than Eightcap. HFM finished with an overall rank of #27, while Eightcap finished with an overall rank of #30.
HFM (HF Markets) is a global broker best known for its MetaTrader offering, solid research tools, and proprietary copy trading platform, alongside a broad selection of forex pairs and CFDs.
| Feature |
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Eightcap
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 87 |
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HFM vs Eightcap crypto trading comparison: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
HFM vs Eightcap deposits and withdrawals: neither supports ACH/SEPA, both allow Skrill and bank wire transfers, while only Eightcap offers 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 | HFM | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Eightcap Review |
| Broker Screenshots | HFM | Eightcap | |
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| Regulation | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 85 | 87 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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) | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 344 | 803 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 38 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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 | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.8 | 1.0 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | 0.76 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 38 | 100 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 5 | 100 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | HFM Review | Eightcap Review |
| Overall | HFM | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Eightcap Review |
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