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Home ‣ Compare ‣ Interactive Brokers vs HFM 2025

Interactive Brokers vs HFM 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs HFM, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Interactive Brokers
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 8500
HFM
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 86
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 500

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.

Regulation

Interactive Brokers, founded in 1977, stands out as a highly trusted choice among online brokers, holding a remarkable Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. Its credibility is further reinforced by its 9 Tier-1 licenses, signaling a high level of trust, and 2 Tier-2 licenses. As a publicly traded company, Interactive Brokers is not a bank, yet it remains a top choice for investors seeking a well-regulated broker with a long-standing presence in the industry.

On the other hand, HFM, which has been around since 2010, provides a trustworthy option for traders with a solid Trust Score of 86. Although it doesn't match Interactive Brokers in Tier-1 licensing, holding 2 such licenses, it compensates with 3 Tier-2 licenses, making it a reliable choice. While not publicly traded, HFM maintains its reputation without operating as a bank, offering a trusted platform for those who value a well-regulated broker.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
HFM logoHFM
Year Founded info 1977 2010
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 9 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 2

Fees

Interactive Brokers tends to deliver lower all-in forex trading costs than HFM. It earns 5/5 stars for Commissions and Fees and is ranked #2 of 63 by ForexBrokers.com, while HFM earns 4/5 stars and ranks #32 of 63. If your goal is the tightest pricing, especially on major pairs, Interactive Brokers generally comes out ahead; HFM’s pricing is serviceable but sits slightly above the industry average.

Interactive Brokers doesn’t publish average forex spreads broadly, but during Q3 2024 we observed an average EUR/USD spread of 0.19 pips, or about 0.59 pips all-in after commission. IB charges a commission instead of marking up spreads: typically $16–$40 per million round turn ($8–$20 per side), with a minimum of $2 per side ($4 round turn). That comes out to roughly 0.40 pips in commission for a $100,000 EUR/USD trade, on top of the prevailing spread. Note that the per-trade minimum makes small trade sizes proportionally more expensive, though active traders can qualify for lower minimums ($1.50 per order above $1B monthly volume, and $1 at $5B), and large orders can be handled via RFQ.

HFM’s trading costs are a bit higher: the company cites a typical 1.2-pip spread for its standard accounts (no date range provided), and its Zero account quotes an effective 0.7-pip spread after commission (also not an average). In short, HFM can be competitive on its Zero account quotes, but Interactive Brokers’ commission-based model and observed EUR/USD pricing make it the stronger pick for traders focused on minimizing forex costs—especially at higher volumes.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
HFM logoHFM
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.59 info 1.2 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 0.7 info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

Interactive Brokers vs HFM: When it comes to investment choice, Interactive Brokers offers 8,500 tradeable symbols compared with HFM’s 500. Both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot, and HFM lists slightly more currency pairs (102 vs 90). Interactive Brokers also lets you buy exchange-traded stocks on U.S. and international markets (think Apple or Vodafone), while HFM doesn’t offer real stock purchases. For crypto, Interactive Brokers supports buying actual coins as well as crypto derivatives; HFM provides only crypto derivatives, not real coins.

If copy trading matters, HFM has it and Interactive Brokers does not. Overall, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 for Range of Investments at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM holds 4 stars and ranks #37. In short, Interactive Brokers suits investors seeking broad market access and real crypto, whereas HFM may appeal to traders focused on forex pairs and copy trading.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
HFM logoHFM
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 8500 500
Forex Pairs (Total) info 90 102
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) info 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.

Trading platforms and tools

Interactive Brokers and HFM both let you practice with free paper trading and offer their own in-house platforms alongside Windows desktop apps and web-based platforms. You can place trades right from charts with either broker. Where they start to differ is in charting and data: Interactive Brokers lists 85 drawing tools versus HFM’s 30, and its watch lists can display up to 659 data fields compared with HFM’s 7. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earned 5 stars and ranked #3 out of 63 for Trading Platforms and Tools, while HFM earned 4 stars and ranked #43.

If you want MetaTrader or social features, HFM has the edge: it supports both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 and offers copy trading. Interactive Brokers does not support MT4/MT5 and doesn’t offer copy trading, and neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. In short, Interactive Brokers suits traders who value deep customization and rich watch-list data, while HFM is a better fit if you prefer MetaTrader and want the option to copy other traders.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
HFM logoHFM
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 155 15
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 85 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 659 7

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

Interactive Brokers and HFM both deliver full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, real-time watchlists, drawing trendlines on charts, and switching between multiple time frames for stocks and forex. These shared basics make it easy to track markets and place trades on the go.

Key differences show up in charting depth and account syncing. Interactive Brokers offers 97 technical studies and syncs your watchlist between mobile and the online platform, while HFM includes 30 studies and does not sync watchlists. On the flip side, HFM auto-saves chart drawings; Interactive Brokers does not. In independent reviews, Interactive Brokers earned 5 stars and ranked #4 out of 63 for Mobile Trading Apps, whereas HFM received 4 stars and ranked #40. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want more indicators and seamless watchlist syncing; pick HFM if auto-saving your chart annotations matters most.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
HFM logoHFM
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 97 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info No Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

Interactive Brokers and HFM both provide traders with daily market commentary and comprehensive forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. However, when diving deeper into specific research tools, notable differences emerge. For instance, Interactive Brokers grants access to research tools from Trading Central, offering technical analytics that HFM does not. In contrast, HFM utilizes resources from Autochartist for technical analysis and fundamental research, which is not available with Interactive Brokers. Sentiment-based trading tools are a common feature for both brokers, providing traders insights into market positions. Additionally, while both platforms offer economic calendars, Interactive Brokers extends its research repertoire with tools from TipRanks and Acuity Trading, unavailable with HFM.

When rated for research capabilities, Interactive Brokers earns a stellar 5-star rating, reflecting its comprehensive market research services. HFM, meanwhile, holds a respectable 4-star rating, highlighting its competitive yet slightly less extensive offerings. On a broader scale, ForexBrokers.com ranks Interactive Brokers at a commendable third place out of 63 brokers, significantly ahead of HFM, which stands at the twentieth position. These rankings underscore the substantial research advantages that Interactive Brokers offers to its users.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
HFM logoHFM
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes Yes
TipRanks info Yes No
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) info Yes No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

For those new to the world of trading and eager to learn more, Interactive Brokers and HFM each offer comprehensive educational resources designed to help beginners. Both platforms provide a wealth of materials, including over ten educational pieces on forex or CFDs, ranging from articles and videos to archived webinars. They also host monthly webinars to keep traders updated and informed, with recordings available in a searchable archive for convenient access. Beginners can benefit from at least ten educational videos specifically tailored for novice traders, alongside a dictionary of over 50 investing terms to help explain essential concepts.

Advanced learners are not left behind; both Interactive Brokers and HFM provide at least ten videos dedicated to more experienced traders. However, when it comes to educational quality, Interactive Brokers leads slightly with a five-star rating, compared to HFM's four stars. This distinction is also noted in their rankings, with Interactive Brokers ranked third among 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for education, while HFM holds the 37th position. This makes Interactive Brokers a stronger contender for those prioritizing top-tier educational support in their trading journey.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
HFM logoHFM
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes Yes
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than HFM. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #30.

Interactive Brokers is a highly trusted multi-asset broker with an extensive offering of tradeable global markets. It delivers competitive fees and high-quality research and education, as well as a modern, institutional-grade trading platform suite.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
HFM logoHFM
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 86
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Interactive Brokers or HFM?

Interactive Brokers allows investors to buy actual delivered cryptocurrencies and offers cryptocurrency derivatives, while HFM provides access only to cryptocurrency derivatives without the option to purchase actual cryptocurrencies.

What funding options does each broker offer?

Interactive Brokers provides ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires for depositing or withdrawing funds, but does not support PayPal, Skrill, or card payments, whereas HFM facilitates Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, but lacks ACH or SEPA transfer and PayPal options.

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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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Overall Rating Interactive Brokers HFM
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 86
Winner check_circle
Review Interactive Brokers Review HFM Review
Broker Screenshots Interactive Brokers HFM
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
IBKR mobile watchlist. IBKR Desktop platform charts. Interactive Brokers research Traders Insight daily analysis article detail Interactive Brokers IBKR Podcast video.
HFM MT5 web platform. HFM webinars schedule. HFM educational video example YouTube.
Regulation Interactive Brokers HFM
Trust Score info 99 86
Year Founded info 1977 2010
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 9 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 2
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) Interactive Brokers HFM
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info Yes No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info Yes No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info Yes
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info Yes No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) Interactive Brokers HFM
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info Yes
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) info Yes Yes
India (SEBI Authorised) info Yes No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments Interactive Brokers HFM
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 8500 500
Forex Pairs (Total) info 90 102
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) info 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 Interactive Brokers HFM
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.59 info 1.2 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 0.7 info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
Inactivity Fee info No Yes
Execution: Agency Broker info Yes No
Execution: Market Maker info No Yes
Funding Interactive Brokers HFM
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
Trading Platforms Interactive Brokers HFM
Proprietary Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Trading Tools Interactive Brokers HFM
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 659 7
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 155 15
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 85 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading Interactive Brokers HFM
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 97 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info No Yes
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research Interactive Brokers HFM
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes No
TipRanks info Yes No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education Interactive Brokers HFM
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes Yes
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs Interactive Brokers HFM
GBP/USD info Yes Yes
USD/JPY info Yes Yes
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF info Yes Yes
USD/CAD info Yes Yes
NZD/USD info Yes Yes
AUD/USD info Yes Yes
Review Interactive Brokers Review HFM Review
Overall Interactive Brokers HFM
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 86
Winner check_circle
Review Interactive Brokers Review HFM Review
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