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 | 1.2 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
HFM offers a wider range of investments than Exness, with 500 tradeable symbols versus 227. For forex, HFM lists 102 currency pairs compared to Exness’s 96, and both support forex trading either via CFDs or spot contracts. For Range of Investments, HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked 37th out of 63 brokers, while Exness holds 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 56th.
Neither broker provides access to exchange-traded U.S. or international shares, so you can’t buy actual stocks like Apple or Vodafone through them. Both brokers do support copy trading. For crypto, neither lets you buy actual coins, but both offer cryptocurrency derivatives. In short, HFM suits traders who want a larger symbol list, while Exness may fit if its lineup covers your markets of interest.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 227 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 96 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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.
HFM vs Exness for trading platforms and tools: Both online brokers offer free demo (paper) accounts, proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based platforms. Each supports copy trading and the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Neither broker integrates DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. You can place trades directly from charts with either brand, and each provides watch lists with seven fields.
For charting, HFM lists 30 drawing tools while Exness lists 87; indicator counts are not specified. Both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools from ForexBrokers.com, yet Exness ranks #26 of 63 brokers versus HFM at #43. If you value more drawing tools and a higher category rank, Exness may appeal; if you want similar platform coverage with the same star rating, HFM stays competitive. In either case, try the free demo to see which workspace fits you best.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 15 | 107 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 87 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
HFM and Exness both offer iPhone and Android mobile trading apps with price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, trendline drawing, and multiple time frames for charts. For charting tools, HFM includes 30 technical studies while Exness offers 35. One key difference: HFM auto-saves your chart drawings, but Exness does not. Neither broker syncs watchlist symbols between the mobile app and the online account.
Both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars, yet Exness ranks higher for Mobile Trading Apps (#26 of 63) than HFM (#40 of 63), according to ForexBrokers.com. Choose HFM if saving your chart annotations matters most; pick Exness if you want a few more technical indicators and a higher category rank. Either way, you get iPhone and Android access, price alerts, and easy watchlist management with real-time quotes.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 35 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
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 | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| 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 HFM and Exness in terms of educational resources available to beginners, both online brokers provide a solid foundation with over ten educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs. However, HFM distinguishes itself by offering online educational webinars each month, whereas Exness does not. Additionally, both companies provide a searchable archive of past webinars, giving users a chance to revisit previous sessions easily. For those at the start of their trading journey, HFM and Exness both offer at least ten beginner-friendly educational videos to help newcomers grasp essential trading concepts.
For more advanced traders, HFM offers an extra layer of education with ten advanced videos, setting it apart from Exness, which doesn’t provide this level of advanced content. Both brokers provide an investor dictionary featuring over fifty investing terms, ensuring that traders have the vocabulary they need at their fingertips. In the Education category, HFM receives a higher rating of 4 stars compared to Exness's 3.5 stars and ranks 37th out of 63 brokers, ahead of Exness, which holds the 47th position. This makes HFM a slightly more comprehensive choice for beginners seeking well-rounded educational resources.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| 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 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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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 |
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Both HFM and Exness do not provide the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but they both offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both HFM and Exness lack ACH and SEPA transfer options, as well as PayPal, but offer Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wire services for depositing or withdrawing funds.
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 |
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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/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 227 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 96 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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 | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 107 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 87 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 35 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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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