Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com 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.
FOREX.com, established in 1999, is a highly trusted online broker with a Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded company, it offers confidence and transparency to its users. FOREX.com is not a bank but stands out with holding seven Tier-1 licenses, the highest category for trust, and one Tier-2 license. This positions it as a credible option for online trading enthusiasts seeking reliability and strong regulatory backing.
In contrast, HFM, which started operating in 2010, has a Trust Score of 86, placing it in the trusted category. While not publicly traded, HFM holds two Tier-1 and three Tier-2 licenses, reflecting its commitment to maintaining trust despite its non-listing status. As with FOREX.com, HFM is not a bank, but it remains a trusted choice for traders interested in a well-regulated broker within this competitive industry.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, both FOREX.com and HFM land slightly above the industry average, but they cater to different trader profiles. FOREX.com earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #15 out of 63 for Commissions and Fees, while HFM earns 4/5 stars and ranks #28 out of 63. In the U.S., FOREX.com’s Standard account typically runs higher on spreads, whereas pricing can be sharper outside the U.S. HFM’s pricing is straightforward on paper, but its published figures lack date-stamped averages.
FOREX.com’s Standard account shows about 1.4 pips on EUR/USD in the U.S. (July 2023), with outside-the-U.S. averages around 0.74 pips for the same pair (July 2023, time-weighted). The RAW account targets lower spreads—about 0.13 pips on EUR/USD (February 2024)—plus a $7 per standard lot commission (~0.7 pips), and offers six volume tiers with rebates from $2 to $9 per million. Unless you trade more than $50 million per month, the all-in costs for the RAW account tend to resemble the Standard account for U.S. clients; very high-volume traders can see more meaningful savings.
HFM’s Standard account lists a typical 1.2-pip spread (no date provided, so actual averages may vary). Its Zero account advertises an effective 0.7-pip spread after commission, but this is not an average. Bottom line: FOREX.com can deliver tighter quoted spreads with a commission on its RAW account—especially attractive to very active traders—while HFM’s pricing is simple to interpret but, based on the data provided, trends a bit pricier and less transparent over time. FOREX.com: 4.5/5 stars, #15/63. HFM: 4/5 stars, #28/63.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | 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 the range of investments, FOREX.com offers far more markets overall, with about 5,500 tradeable symbols versus HFM’s roughly 500. For forex specifically, HFM lists more currency pairs (about 102) compared with FOREX.com’s 80. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs/spot. FOREX.com also lets clients buy exchange-traded stocks directly on U.S. and international exchanges (for example Apple or Vodafone), while HFM does not offer direct share dealing. Both provide cryptocurrency as CFDs, not the actual coins. If you want social features, HFM includes copy trading, while FOREX.com does not.
Ratings reflect these differences: FOREX.com earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks 6th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, thanks to its broader product lineup and access to real shares. HFM receives 4 stars and ranks 28th out of 63, making it a fit if you prioritize more forex pairs and copy trading over a wider selection of non-forex markets.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 102 |
| 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.
FOREX.com and HFM both offer free demo (paper) accounts, in-house proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based trading. Each also supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), along with the ability to trade directly from charts. A key difference is copy trading: HFM supports it, while FOREX.com does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, FOREX.com earns 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers, whereas HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #33.
If you value top-rated platform tools and broad platform choice, FOREX.com stands out. If copy trading is important, HFM is the better fit. Both brokers let you practice with a free demo account and trade via web or Windows desktop on either their proprietary platforms or MT4/MT5, making it easy to test strategies before going live.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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) | 90 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing the FOREX.com mobile app vs the HFM mobile app, both brokers offer apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, lets you draw trendlines on charts, and automatically saves your chart drawings—handy for checking your technical work across sessions.
The differences show up in features and ratings. FOREX.com syncs watchlists with your online account, while HFM does not. For charting, FOREX.com supplies 90 technical studies compared with HFM’s 30, giving more ways to analyze forex and CFD markets on the go. According to ForexBrokers.com, FOREX.com earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps; HFM scores 4 stars and ranks #32.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 90 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing FOREX.com vs HFM for market research, both brokers cover the basics well: you get daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long vs. short positioning, and an economic calendar. Each also streams forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, Dow Jones, or similar. Neither provides research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading (Signal Centre). In overall quality, FOREX.com earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers for research, while HFM scores 4/5 stars and ranks #18.
The main difference lies in the analysis suites they include. FOREX.com offers Trading Central tools for technical and fundamental insights, whereas HFM provides Autochartist for pattern recognition—each broker lacks the other’s toolset. If you prefer Trading Central’s style of analysis, FOREX.com is the better fit; if you favor Autochartist’s automated chart patterns, HFM may suit you more.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing FOREX.com vs HFM for beginner education: both brokers offer rich forex and CFD learning hubs with at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, plus ongoing client webinars held at least monthly. This means new traders can study core concepts through video lessons, then build skills with more advanced topics, and get live guidance from scheduled webinars at either broker.
Quality and recognition tilt toward FOREX.com. It holds a 4.5-star Education rating and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #29. If you want a higher-rated education experience, FOREX.com is the stronger pick; if you simply need dependable beginner training with regular webinars and a full video library, HFM is also a solid choice.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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 FOREX.com is better than HFM. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #4, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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FOREX.com vs HFM: both online brokers do not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but each offers cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Compared with HFM, FOREX.com supports more deposit and withdrawal options—ACH/SEPA and PayPal (both unavailable at HFM), plus Skrill and bank wires for both—while Visa/Mastercard availability for either broker 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 | FOREX.com | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | HFM | |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 102 | |
| 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 | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $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 | FOREX.com | 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 | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 90 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | 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 | 90 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FOREX.com | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | HFM Review |
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