Written by ForexBrokers.com
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.
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.
Interactive Brokers (founded 1977) is a publicly traded online broker, while HFM (founded 2010) is privately held; neither is a bank. According to ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score, Interactive Brokers earns 99/99 (highly trusted within the 90–99 range), and HFM scores 85/99 (trusted within the 80–89 range).
Regulatory coverage also differs: Interactive Brokers holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, indicating oversight by top-tier and trusted regulators. HFM holds 2 Tier-1 and 3 Tier-2 licenses. For context, ForexBrokers.com classifies 70–79 as average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 as not trusted—placing both firms well above those thresholds.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Interactive Brokers comes out ahead of HFM. IBKR uses a commission-based model for forex rather than adding a spread markup, and while it does not publish average spreads, ForexBrokers.com found an effective all-in spread of 0.59 pips on EUR/USD in Q3 2024, including commission. For active forex traders, pricing can get even better, with lower per-order minimums available at higher monthly volumes. Interactive Brokers earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category.
HFM’s trading costs are a bit higher by comparison. Its standard account typically shows a 1.2 pip spread, while the Zero account has an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission. However, these figures are not presented as dated averages, so they may not reflect the full picture of what traders can expect over time. HFM earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #28 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is the better choice for traders focused on keeping forex costs low, especially if they trade often or in larger sizes. HFM can still be competitive for some accounts, but its pricing is generally less favorable than IBKR’s.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers offers a much wider range of investments than HFM. It provides access to about 8,500 tradeable symbols, 90 forex pairs, and exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international markets, so clients can buy real shares like Apple or Vodafone directly. It also lets investors buy actual cryptocurrency, though it does not offer crypto CFDs or copy trading. For range of investments, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers.
HFM offers a smaller selection overall, with 344 tradeable symbols and 38 forex pairs. It does support forex trading, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but it does not offer exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, and it does not allow clients to buy actual cryptocurrency. For range of investments, HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #28 out of 36 brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 344 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 38 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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.
Interactive Brokers and HFM both give traders a range of platform choices, including a free demo account, an in-house platform, a Windows desktop app, and a web-based platform. Both also let users trade directly from a chart, which can make order placement quicker and easier. When it comes to overall platform quality, Interactive Brokers stands out with a 5-star rating for Trading Platforms and Tools and a #2 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is rated 4 stars and ranked #33.
The biggest difference is in trading extras. HFM offers copy trading plus MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which may appeal to traders who want familiar third-party platforms and the ability to follow other traders. Interactive Brokers does not support copy trading, MT4, or MT5, but it still appeals to active traders who want a well-regarded set of built-in tools and platform options. In short, HFM may be the better fit for MT4/MT5 and copy trading fans, while Interactive Brokers has the stronger overall track record for trading platforms and tools.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
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) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 38 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and HFM both make it easy to trade on the go with iPhone and Android apps, and both apps include price alerts plus trendline drawing on charts. That said, Interactive Brokers offers a much fuller mobile trading experience for charting and account syncing. Its app includes 155 technical studies, watchlist syncing with the online account, and a top mobile rating of 5 stars, while HFM offers just 5 technical studies, does not sync watchlists between mobile and web, and is rated 4 stars.
When it comes to overall mobile performance, Interactive Brokers also has the stronger standing among brokers, ranking #4 out of 36 in the Mobile Trading Apps category, compared with HFM at #32. HFM does have one useful edge: its app automatically saves chart drawings, while Interactive Brokers does not. Even so, if you want a mobile app with more chart tools, better syncing, and a higher industry ranking, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 5 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers and HFM both give traders useful market research tools, including daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, sentiment tools, and economic calendars with global event listings. Each also offers Acuity Trading research, which can help traders spot ideas and follow market moves more easily.
Where Interactive Brokers pulls ahead is in its wider research lineup. It includes Trading Central, TipRanks, and a stronger overall Research rating of 5 stars, with a #3 rank out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. HFM, while still solid, does not offer Trading Central or TipRanks and is rated 4 stars, ranking #18 out of 36. HFM does stand out with Autochartist, which Interactive Brokers does not provide.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
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 | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to learning resources for beginners, Interactive Brokers and HFM both give new traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers forex and CFD education with at least 10 pieces of content, monthly educational webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos. That means both platforms provide a solid mix of articles, videos, and live learning sessions for people who want to build trading knowledge step by step.
Even so, Interactive Brokers stands out overall for education. It has a 5-star Education rating and is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while HFM has a 4-star rating and is ranked #29. For beginners who want the strongest range of learning materials and the highest-rated educational support, Interactive Brokers has the edge over HFM.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
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 Interactive Brokers is better than HFM. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.
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
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HFM
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
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In the Interactive Brokers vs HFM comparison: Interactive Brokers supports purchasing actual (delivered) cryptocurrency but not cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas HFM provides cryptocurrency CFDs but does not offer buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency.
Interactive Brokers vs. HFM funding methods: Interactive Brokers supports ACH/SEPA and bank wire deposits/withdrawals but not PayPal or Skrill, while HFM supports Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | 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 | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | 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) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 344 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 38 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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 account | 0.226 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 38 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | 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 | 155 | 5 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | HFM Review |
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