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.
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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 |
Interactive Brokers is the lower-cost choice for commissions and fees. It earned a 5-star rating and ranked #1 out of 36 brokers in this category. For forex, IBKR charges a commission instead of marking up spreads, and its pricing can be very competitive for active traders. Based on Q3 2024 data, EUR/USD averaged 0.19 pips, or about 0.59 pips all-in after commission. The main catch is the $2 minimum commission per side, which can make smaller trades more expensive.
HFM is more expensive overall, though it still offers a simple fee structure. It received 4 stars and ranked #30 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Its standard account typically shows spreads around 1.2 pips, while the Zero account has an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission. Even so, these figures are less competitive than Interactive Brokers, especially for traders who want lower ongoing costs.
In short, Interactive Brokers is the better option for traders focused on keeping fees down, while HFM may suit those who prefer a more straightforward account setup. If low forex trading costs are your top priority, IBKR has the clear edge.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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, making it a stronger choice for traders who want more markets in one place. Both brokers support forex trading, but Interactive Brokers gives access to about 8,500 tradeable symbols and 100 forex pairs, compared with HFM’s 344 symbols and 38 forex pairs. Interactive Brokers also lets clients trade exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, so you can buy real shares such as Apple or Vodafone, while HFM does not offer this type of stock trading.
There are also differences in crypto and extra features. Interactive Brokers allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrency, but it does not offer crypto CFDs; HFM is the opposite, offering crypto CFDs but not delivered crypto. HFM does include copy trading, which Interactive Brokers does not. Even so, Interactive Brokers comes out ahead for range of investments overall, earning 5 out of 5 stars and ranking #1 out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #30.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 344 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 100 | 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 wide set of platform choices, including free paper trading, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop app, and a web-based platform. Both also let users place trades directly from charts, which can make order entry faster and easier for active traders. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 out of 5 stars and ranked #2 out of 36 brokers, while HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #36.
The biggest difference is in trading extras. HFM supports copy trading and offers both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which may appeal to traders who want familiar third-party tools and social trading features. Interactive Brokers does not offer copy trading, MT4, or MT5, but it still stands out for its own platform lineup and overall trading tools. For traders comparing flexibility and built-in features, both brokers are well equipped, but they suit different styles.
| 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 give traders iPhone and Android apps, plus price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. The bigger differences show up in the details: Interactive Brokers syncs watchlists between the mobile app and online account, while HFM does not. Interactive Brokers also offers 155 technical studies in its mobile charting tools, compared with just 5 at HFM, which gives active chart users many more ways to analyze markets on the go.
When it comes to mobile trading app quality, Interactive Brokers stands out with a 5-star rating and a #4 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com. HFM earns a 4-star rating and ranks #35 out of 36. One small edge for HFM is that its mobile app auto-saves chart drawings, while Interactive Brokers does not. Overall, Interactive Brokers offers the stronger mobile experience for most traders.
| 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 support for beginners, Interactive Brokers has the edge over HFM. Both brokers offer forex or CFDs education, host online client webinars at least once a month, and provide plenty of beginner and advanced trading videos. That means new traders can find a good mix of lessons, live sessions, and on-demand content with either broker.
Still, Interactive Brokers stands out more for education overall. It has a 5-star Education rating and is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in the Education category, while HFM holds a 4-star rating and ranks #31. For beginners who want the strongest selection of learning materials, Interactive Brokers is the better choice.
| 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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| Overall Rating |
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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) | 100 | 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) - Spread-only account | N/A | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | 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 (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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