Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG 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.
IG and HFM are two well-known online brokers, but they differ significantly in terms of trust and regulatory credentials. Established in 1974, IG is not only one of the oldest brokers but is also highly regarded with a top-notch Trust Score of 99 by ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded entity and a bank, IG stands out by holding eight Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a high level of trust and reliability. In addition, IG has two Tier-2 licenses, strengthening its stance as a leader in the financial services industry.
In contrast, HFM was founded more recently in 2010 and holds a Trust Score of 86, placing it within the trusted category according to ForexBrokers.com. However, it does not have the added security of being publicly listed or operating as a bank. HFM holds two Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, indicating a good but comparatively lower level of trustworthiness when compared to IG. Despite these differences, HFM remains a reputable choice for traders seeking a reliable online broker.
| Feature |
IG
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
IG vs. HFM on costs: IG earns 5/5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM scores 4/5 stars and ranks #28. IG generally delivers sharper pricing for active traders and large orders—especially via its Forex Direct (DMA) account—whereas HFM’s published costs sit slightly above the industry average.
IG’s spread-only CFD pricing on EUR/USD averaged 0.69 pips during the main session in July 2023 (0.98 pips across all sessions; IG US averaged 1.18 pips), with wider spreads during low-liquidity hours. Qualified professionals can access active-trader rebates of 10% to 20%, which can cut effective costs to around 0.60 pips in the example provided. For deeper discounts, IG’s Forex Direct DMA account (minimum £1,000) uses tiered commissions: July 2023 data showed a 0.62‑pip average raw spread, with an all-in cost around 0.82 pips at the highest volume tier ($10 per million per side; $20 round turn), and higher at lower tiers.
HFM lists a typical 1.2‑pip spread on its Standard account, but it does not provide a date range, so the true average may be higher. Its Zero account quotes an effective 0.7‑pip spread after commission, yet this figure is also not an average. Bottom line: IG offers more transparent, volume-based pricing with meaningful discounts for high-volume traders (5/5 stars; #7/63), while HFM’s simpler structure appears pricier based on the available figures (4/5 stars; #28/63).
| Feature |
IG
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IG offers a much wider selection of markets, with 19,537 tradeable symbols compared to HFM’s 500. IG lists 97 forex pairs, while HFM has 102 pairs. Both brokers support forex trading, whether as CFDs or spot. IG also lets you buy real, exchange-traded shares on U.S. and international exchanges, which HFM doesn’t offer. For crypto, IG provides both actual coins and crypto CFDs; HFM offers crypto only via CFDs. If copy trading is important, HFM has it, while IG does not.
Reflecting these differences, ForexBrokers.com rates IG 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks it 4th out of 63 brokers, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks 28th. Pick IG if you want the broadest market access, including real stocks and the option to own crypto. Choose HFM if you value copy trading and prefer a broker with slightly more forex pairs.
| Feature |
IG
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 102 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
IG and HFM both check key platform boxes: free demo (paper) trading, in-house proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based platforms. Each also supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), plus the convenience of placing trades directly from charts. A notable difference is copy trading—HFM offers it, while IG does not. Both provide technical indicators and customizable watch lists, though exact counts vary by platform.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates IG at 5 stars and ranks it #1 out of 63 brokers, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #33. In short, IG takes the edge for overall platform quality and toolset, whereas HFM stands out if copy trading is a must-have.
| Feature |
IG
|
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) | 33 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both online broker IG and HFM offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts. Each app supports drawing tools like trendlines and auto-saves your chart annotations. IG provides 33 technical indicators (studies) in its mobile charts, while HFM offers 30. A key difference is watchlists: IG syncs your watchlists across mobile and the web so changes carry over, whereas HFM does not.
Independent ratings give IG the edge for on-the-go trading. ForexBrokers.com rates IG’s mobile trading apps 5 stars and ranks it #1 out of 63 brokers, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #32. If seamless watchlist syncing and a few extra indicators matter, IG is the stronger pick. If you just need the essentials on iOS and Android, HFM still gets the job done.
| Feature |
IG
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IG and HFM both deliver strong market research basics. Each provides daily market commentary, premium forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg or Reuters, Autochartist tools for technical insights, a sentiment gauge showing long vs. short positioning, and a full economic calendar. Neither broker includes Trading Central.
Where IG pulls ahead is in extra third-party research. IG adds TipRanks and Acuity Trading’s Signal Centre, expanding idea generation and analyst views. That advantage is reflected in independent scores: IG earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM holds 4 stars and ranks #18. If you want the widest mix of research tools, IG is the better pick; if you only need the essentials—news, commentary, sentiment, and Autochartist—HFM still covers the key bases.
| Feature |
IG
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
IG and HFM both make it easy for beginners to start learning. Each broker offers dedicated forex and CFD education with plenty of pieces to explore, plus ongoing client webinars at least once a month. New traders will find at least 10 beginner-friendly videos from both brands, and there’s also a library of 10+ advanced videos when you’re ready to take the next step.
Where they differ is in quality scores and rankings. IG earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #29. If top-tier education and a higher-rated library matter most, IG is the stronger pick; if you simply want accessible lessons, monthly webinars, and a clear path from beginner to advanced topics, HFM still delivers good value.
| Feature |
IG
|
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 IG is better than HFM. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.
IG offers the ultimate comprehensive trading package, featuring excellent trading and research tools, industry-leading education, and an extensive range of tradeable markets.
| Feature |
IG
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
In the IG vs HFM comparison for cryptocurrency trading, IG lets you buy actual (delivered) crypto and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, while HFM does not support buying real crypto but does offer crypto CFDs.
IG supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers (but not Skrill), while HFM supports Skrill and bank wire transfers (but not ACH/SEPA or 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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | 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) |
| Investments | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 102 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | IG | 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 | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | 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 | 33 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | IG Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | IG | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | HFM Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill