Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM vs Exness, 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.
HFM and Exness, both offering online trading services, were established in 2010 and 2008, respectively. Neither of these brokers is publicly traded nor operates as a bank. When it comes to regulatory compliance, both HFM and Exness hold two Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of trustworthiness according to ForexBrokers.com rankings. Additionally, they each possess three Tier-2 licenses, signifying they are trusted entities in the financial services sector.
In terms of overall trust scores on ForexBrokers.com, HFM scores an 86 out of 99, placing it within the trusted category. Meanwhile, Exness has a slightly lower trust score of 81, which also categorizes it as trusted. Both these brokers maintain strong regulatory standings, providing reassurance to potential clients seeking reliability and security in their trading platforms.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
HFM’s commissions and fees sit slightly above the industry average. Its Standard account lists a typical spread of 1.2 pips (the broker does not provide a date range, so the true average may be higher). The Zero account advertises an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission, but this figure is also not an average. HFM earns 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #32 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category.
Exness tailors pricing by account type. Commission-free accounts (Standard Cent, Standard, and Pro) come with wider spreads, while commission-based accounts tighten the spread. The Zero Spread account charges a per-trade commission of $0.05 with market execution, and the Raw account charges up to $7 per round-turn lot ($3.5 per side) with lower spreads; both allow high leverage and have a 30% margin call level. Exness also earns 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #36 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
In short, HFM’s published typical spread on its Standard account is on the higher side, while its Zero account lists a lower effective spread that isn’t an averaged figure. Exness can offer tighter pricing on its Raw and Zero Spread accounts via commissions, whereas its commission-free accounts carry wider spreads. Keep in mind that several quoted spreads lack time-stamped averages and actual costs can vary by market conditions and account choice.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
HFM vs. Exness for range of investments: HFM offers a wider selection with 500 tradeable symbols and 102 forex pairs, compared with Exness’ 209 symbols and 96 pairs. Both brokers offer forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, support copy trading, and let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs; neither allows the purchase of actual crypto. Also, neither broker provides access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international stock exchanges (non-CFDs).
According to ForexBrokers.com, HFM earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 37th out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, while Exness scores 3.5 stars and ranks 56th. If you want more variety across markets and forex pairs, HFM has the edge; if you’re focused mainly on forex and CFD trading with copy trading available, Exness still covers the essentials.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 209 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 96 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
HFM and Exness line up closely on trading platforms and tools. Both offer free demo accounts for paper trading, their own proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based platforms. Each supports copy trading, plus MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and both let you place trades directly from charts. Specific counts for chart indicators and watchlist columns aren’t provided here.
In ratings, both brokers earn 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. However, ForexBrokers.com ranks Exness #26 out of 63 brokers in this category, ahead of HFM at #43. If you’re choosing between them, consider trying each broker’s demo to see which platform layout, tools, and workflow you prefer.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 107 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing HFM vs Exness for mobile trading apps, both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps with stock and forex price alerts. Neither app syncs watchlists with the online account, so changes made on mobile won’t reflect on web or desktop automatically. Both apps let you draw trendlines on charts, making it easier to track support and resistance on the go.
For charting tools, Exness includes 35 technical studies while HFM offers 30. HFM’s app auto saves chart drawings, whereas Exness does not—a small but meaningful difference if you switch devices or sessions often. Both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps, but Exness ranks higher in the ForexBrokers.com category (#26 out of 63) compared to HFM (#40), which may sway traders who prioritize overall app performance and features.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 35 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
HFM vs Exness for market research: both brokers cover the essentials. Each provides daily market commentary, an economic calendar with global events, and sentiment tools showing long/short positioning. You’ll also get forex news from top‑tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Neither broker includes TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools.
The key difference is in their third‑party analytics: HFM includes Autochartist, while Exness offers Trading Central. If you like automated chart pattern and setup scanning, HFM’s Autochartist may appeal; if you prefer Trading Central’s analytics and trade ideas, Exness could fit better. According to ForexBrokers.com, HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #20 of 63 for Research, while Exness earns 3.5 stars and ranks #42. Both are solid for everyday insights; your pick may come down to which research toolkit you value most.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
HFM and Exness both deliver beginner-friendly forex and CFD education that meets the basic threshold of 10+ learning items. Each broker runs ongoing client webinars at least once a month and offers sizeable video libraries, with at least 10 beginner lessons and another 10+ videos for more advanced topics. This makes both platforms suitable starting points for new traders who prefer learning through videos and regular webinars.
In head-to-head ratings, HFM has a slight edge for education. ForexBrokers.com gives HFM 4 stars and ranks it #37 out of 63 brokers, while Exness earns 3.5 stars and ranks #47. If education is a key factor in your choice, HFM may be the better fit; however, Exness still provides a helpful path for newcomers with its beginner videos, advanced lessons, and monthly webinars.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 HFM is better than Exness. HFM finished with an overall rank of #30, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #43.
Alongside its enhanced MetaTrader offering and quality research, HFM (HF Markets), previously known as HotForex, offers a proprietary copy trading platform, HFcopy, a proprietary HF mobile app, and a decent selection of over 1,000 CFDs and 47 forex pairs. Still, trading costs at HFM are slightly above the industry average.
| Feature |
HFM
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Exness
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 |
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HFM vs Exness: neither broker allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
HFM vs Exness: both brokers do not support ACH or SEPA transfers or PayPal, both accept Skrill and bank wire deposits/withdrawals, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | HFM | Exness | |
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| Regulation | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 209 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 96 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 107 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 35 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
| Overall | HFM | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Exness Review |
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