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 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
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
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
|
HFM
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|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.59 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.7 |
| 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 vs HFM: both let you trade forex as CFDs or in the spot market, but their overall market access differs. Interactive Brokers lists about 8,500 tradeable symbols, while HFM offers around 500. HFM edges ahead in forex pairs (102 vs. 90), yet Interactive Brokers gives access to exchange‑traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, letting you buy actual shares like Apple or Vodafone—something HFM does not provide.
For crypto, Interactive Brokers supports buying actual coins as well as crypto CFDs; HFM supports crypto CFDs but not real coins. Copy trading is available at HFM and not at Interactive Brokers. In independent assessments of the range of investments, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers, whereas HFM holds 4 stars and ranks #37. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want the widest selection across stocks, global markets, and real crypto; pick HFM if copy trading and a larger list of forex pairs are higher on your list.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 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.
Interactive Brokers vs HFM: both brokers offer free paper (demo) trading, in-house proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based platforms. Each lets you place trades directly from charts. The key differences are in third-party and social features: HFM supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Interactive Brokers does not support copy trading or MetaTrader. Specific counts for technical indicators and watchlist columns were not provided by either broker.
For platform quality, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #43. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want top-tier, in-house tools and a highly rated overall platform experience. Pick HFM if you value copy trading and the flexibility of MT4/MT5 alongside its own platform.
| 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 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers vs HFM for mobile trading apps: both offer iPhone and Android apps and support price alerts. For charting, Interactive Brokers includes 97 technical studies compared with HFM’s 30. Both let you draw trendlines, but only HFM auto-saves your drawings. Watchlists sync between mobile and web on Interactive Brokers, while HFM does not support watchlist syncing.
In overall scores, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #40. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want deeper chart tools and synced watchlists; pick HFM if auto-saving chart drawings matters more to you.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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HFM
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|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
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
|
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 | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Interactive Brokers vs HFM for beginner education: Both brokers host ongoing client webinars (at least one per month) and each offers 10+ beginner video lessons that explain trading basics, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. According to ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earns 5/5 stars for Education and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers, while HFM earns 4/5 stars and ranks #37.
In plain terms, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice if you want a richer learning path, with frequent webinars and plenty of video lessons to grow from beginner to advanced in areas like forex and CFDs. HFM still covers the essentials for newcomers with regular webinars and a solid lineup of beginner videos, making it a good pick if you mainly want to learn the basics and get started.
| 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 #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
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HFM
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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Interactive Brokers supports buying real, delivered cryptocurrencies and trading cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas HFM offers cryptocurrency CFDs only and does not support purchasing real, delivered crypto.
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 | 86 | |
| 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 | 86 | |
| 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 | 9 | 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 (SFC 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 SCA 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 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 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 | Interactive Brokers | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.59 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.7 | |
| 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 | 15 | |
| 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 | 97 | 30 | |
| 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 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | HFM Review |
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