Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro 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.
eToro, founded in 2007, is a publicly traded online broker and not a bank. HFM, founded in 2010, is privately held and also not a bank. If you’re comparing eToro vs HFM for peace of mind and company background, eToro is older and listed, while HFM is not listed.
On regulation, eToro holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, while HFM holds 2 Tier-1 and 3 Tier-2 licenses. According to ForexBrokers.com, eToro’s Trust Score is 97/99 (highly trusted) and HFM’s is 85/99 (trusted). Both are regulated and considered trustworthy, with eToro earning the higher rating and more top-tier licenses.
| Feature |
eToro
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When comparing commissions and fees, eToro and HFM both earn 4 out of 5 stars, but eToro comes out slightly ahead in the rankings. ForexBrokers.com places eToro at #23 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees, while HFM ranks #29 out of 36. eToro is a market-maker broker with a typical variable spread of 1 pip on EUR/USD, which is a bit higher than the industry average, so many traders are drawn to its social copy trading features rather than low trading costs.
HFM’s trading costs are also slightly above the industry average. Its standard account shows a typical spread of 1.2 pips, though no date range is provided, so the average could be less favorable. HFM’s Zero account offers an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission, but that is not the same as an average spread. In simple terms, both brokers are priced above the cheapest options in the market, with eToro having the better ranking overall.
eToro also stands out for its VIP Club, which has five tiers from Silver to Diamond for traders with balances between $5,000 and $250,000. Benefits can include access to Trading Central, lower withdrawal and deposit fees, and a dedicated account manager. While these perks may help higher-balance clients, traders focused mainly on low fees may still find both brokers more expensive than the lowest-cost choices.
| Feature |
eToro
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing eToro and HFM for range of investments, eToro offers the wider choice by a clear margin. eToro provides 7,441 tradeable symbols and 65 forex pairs, while HFM offers 344 symbols and 38 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading and copy trading, but eToro also stands out for giving clients access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, such as Apple and Vodafone shares. HFM does not offer these non-CFD share purchases.
For cryptocurrency, both brokers let you trade crypto CFDs, but only eToro also lets you buy actual cryptocurrency, not just a CFD. That extra flexibility helps explain why eToro earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers, compared with HFM’s 4 stars and #29 ranking. In simple terms, eToro is the better pick if you want a broader mix of markets and more ways to invest.
| Feature |
eToro
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 344 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 38 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
When comparing eToro and HFM for trading platforms and tools, both brokers give traders a choice of a free demo account, a web-based platform, a proprietary platform, copy trading, and the ability to trade straight from a stock chart. The main difference is that HFM also offers a Windows desktop trading platform plus MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while eToro does not. eToro, however, is known for its easy-to-use setup and social trading features, making it a strong pick for beginners and anyone who wants a simple online trading experience.
Based on ForexBrokers.com, eToro scores 4.5 out of 5 for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers, while HFM is rated 4 out of 5 and ranks #34. In simple terms, eToro comes out ahead overall for platform quality in this category, while HFM may appeal more to traders who want MetaTrader and a downloadable desktop app.
| Feature |
eToro
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 38 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both eToro and HFM offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and both include stock or forex price alerts. Where eToro stands out is in watchlist syncing: changes made in the mobile app carry over to the online account, while HFM does not offer this feature. eToro also gives traders far more charting tools in its app, with 104 technical studies compared with just 5 at HFM. Both apps let users draw trendlines on charts, but HFM has the edge when it comes to saving those drawings automatically, since eToro does not auto-save them.
In terms of overall mobile trading app quality, eToro is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is rated 4 stars and ranks #33. For traders who want stronger charting, better syncing, and a more polished app experience, eToro is the better choice. HFM still covers the basics well, but it offers fewer tools and a more limited mobile trading setup overall.
| Feature |
eToro
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 5 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, both eToro and HFM give traders the basics they need, including daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, a sentiment tool for spotting long and short position ratios, and an economic calendar with key global events. Both also score well for research overall, but eToro has the edge with a 4.5-star Research rating and a #12 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with HFM’s 4-star rating and #18 ranking.
The main differences come down to extra research tools. HFM offers Autochartist and Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre, which eToro does not. On the other hand, eToro includes TipRanks market research, while HFM does not. So, eToro may appeal more to traders who want TipRanks and a higher research score, while HFM may suit those looking for Autochartist and Acuity-powered insights.
| Feature |
eToro
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for learning support, both eToro and HFM offer a solid mix of forex and CFDs education, with at least 10 dedicated educational pieces on these topics, plus monthly online webinars. Each broker also provides 10 or more beginner-friendly videos and 10 or more advanced videos, giving new traders and more experienced users a range of material to work through at their own pace. This makes both platforms useful for traders who want to build knowledge before and during live trading.
That said, eToro stands out more in this area. It earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Education category, while HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #29 out of 36. In simple terms, both brokers can help beginners learn, but eToro appears to offer the stronger overall educational experience.
| Feature |
eToro
|
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 eToro is better than HFM. eToro finished with an overall rank of #9, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.
eToro is a winner for its easy-to-use copy-trading platform, where traders can copy the trades of experienced investors – or receive exclusive perks for sharing their own trading strategies.
| Feature |
eToro
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HFM
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 85 |
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In the eToro vs HFM comparison, eToro lets you buy actual delivered cryptocurrency and trade crypto CFDs, while HFM offers crypto CFDs only and does not support purchasing the underlying coins.
Compared with HFM, eToro supports ACH/SEPA transfers and PayPal (both unavailable at HFM), while both brokers accept Skrill and bank wire transfers; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | eToro | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | HFM | |
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| Regulation | eToro | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 97 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | eToro | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | 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) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | eToro | 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 | eToro | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 344 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 38 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | eToro | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | eToro | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | eToro | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | eToro | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 38 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | eToro | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 5 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | eToro | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | eToro | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | eToro Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | eToro | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | HFM Review |
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