Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM vs Libertex (Forex Club), 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.
Founded in 2010, HFM is a private non-bank broker with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 86, indicating a strong level of trust. HFM holds two Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, placing it in a trusted category among online brokers. Although not publicly traded, HFM is regarded as a reliable choice for traders due to its strong regulatory backing.
In contrast, Libertex (Forex Club), established in 1997, also operates as a private non-bank broker but has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 73, categorizing it as average risk. While it holds one Tier-1 license, Libertex does not have any Tier-2 licenses. This regulatory profile suggests that while it has some credibility, it does not match HFM in terms of regulatory strength and trustworthiness.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 1997 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of HFM and Libertex (Forex Club), there are noticeable differences that traders should consider. HFM offers trading costs that are slightly above the industry average, with their standard accounts typically providing a spread of 1.2 pips. However, it is important to note that HFM does not provide specific date ranges for these spreads, which might imply variations in average spreads. Their Zero account offers what they describe as an effective spread of 0.7 pips after including commissions, though again, this isn't an average. HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and holds the 31st position among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
In contrast, Libertex (Forex Club) lacks available data on average spreads, which makes it challenging for traders to gauge potential costs effectively. Libertex is rated 3 out of 5 stars in the commissions and fees category, with a much lower ranking of 61st out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. This indicates that while they may present competitive offerings, the lack of transparent cost information can be a drawback for prospective users.
In summary, HFM appears to offer a clearer picture of its cost structure, albeit with slightly higher-than-average trading fees. Libertex, while being a viable option, falls short in transparency concerning average trading costs. A careful assessment of each broker’s fee structure, with HFM’s more favorable rating and position, might make it a more appealing choice for many traders.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to offering a range of investment options, HFM stands out by providing access to 500 tradeable symbols and 102 forex pairs, making it a solid choice for those who are keen on forex trading. They feature forex trading through both CFDs and spot contracts but do not provide clients the ability to trade actual or exchange-traded securities like Apple shares on U.S. exchanges or Vodafone shares on international exchanges. While HFM doesn't offer the ability to buy actual cryptocurrencies, they do provide options for cryptocurrency derivatives and support copy trading, enhancing the experience for traders seeking diversified strategies.
Libertex (Forex Club) also offers forex trading in the form of CFDs and spot contracts, but with a more limited selection compared to HFM. They offer 300 tradeable symbols and 51 forex pairs. Similar to HFM, Libertex does not provide access to actual shares on U.S. or international exchanges. Investors looking for crypto-related trades can explore cryptocurrency derivatives here, though actual cryptocurrency purchases aren't possible. Copy trading is available, allowing users to replicate strategies from other traders. With a 3.5-star rating for range of investments and ranking 53 out of 62 brokers, Libertex presents a sound albeit slightly less comprehensive option compared to HFM, which is rated 4 stars and ranked 36 in the same category.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 51 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
Both HFM and Libertex (Forex Club) offer a range of trading platforms and tools designed to cater to various trader needs. They each provide simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts and have developed proprietary platforms for a customized trading experience. Both brokers offer Windows-based desktop download platforms and web-based platforms, ensuring flexibility in how traders can access their accounts. Traders at both HFM and Libertex can engage in copy trading and use the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) platform. However, HFM surpasses Libertex by also offering MetaTrader 5 (MT5), giving traders more options for a comprehensive trading experience.
When it comes to charting tools, HFM and Libertex each provide 30 drawing tools for technical analysis, along with the ability to trade directly from the stock chart. Both platforms accommodate detailed watch lists with seven columns, allowing traders to tailor their market views. Despite offering similar features, HFM ranks higher at #42 among 62 brokers, compared to Libertex's #50 spot in the Trading Platforms and Tools category on ForexBrokers.com. However, both brokers achieve a commendable four-star rating, indicating strong performance in providing effective trading platforms and tools.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both HFM and Libertex (Forex Club) provide traders with versatile mobile trading apps available on iPhone and Android devices. These apps allow traders to receive stock and forex price alerts, ensuring they stay on top of market changes. Each app provides the capability to draw trendlines on charts and view different time frames, ranging from daily to intraday. Libertex sets itself apart by offering watchlist symbol syncing, which keeps watchlists synchronized across both the mobile app and online accounts, a feature not available with HFM.
When it comes to technical charting, both platforms support 30 technical studies, a handy tool for traders analyzing market trends. However, HFM's app has the added advantage of auto-saving drawings on charts, a convenience not found in the Libertex app. Both platforms offer real-time quote watchlists, catering to those who need instant prices. In terms of user ratings, HFM and Libertex both receive a solid four-star rating for their mobile apps. According to ForexBrokers.com, HFM ranks slightly higher at 39 out of 62 brokers, compared to Libertex's rank of 49, potentially making it a slightly more preferred choice for mobile trading.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing HFM and Libertex (Forex Club) for market research offerings, several distinctions emerge that can aid users in choosing the right online broker for their needs. HFM stands out by providing daily market commentary, access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, and several technical analysis tools from Autochartist. Additionally, HFM supports traders with a sentiment-based tool showing the ratio of long or short positions across currency pairs. In contrast, while Libertex also offers news from major sources and provides an economic calendar, it lacks daily market commentary and the enhanced research tools that HFM offers, such as those from Autochartist and sentiment indicators.
This comprehensive research capability has favored HFM with a 4-star rating and a #20 ranking out of 62 brokers in the Research category according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Libertex is rated lower at 3 stars and falls significantly behind, ranking #60 out of the same 62 brokers. For traders who prioritize research quality and tools that inform strategic decisions, HFM offers broader resources and insights compared to Libertex, making it a more attractive choice for those focused on detailed market analysis and commentary.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner traders, HFM and Libertex (Forex Club) both offer a solid foundation, but there are distinct differences that set them apart. HFM provides a wide array of educational materials aimed at teaching forex and CFDs, including a selection of articles, videos, and webinars. Notably, HFM hosts monthly live webinars and maintains a comprehensive archive of past webinar sessions, allowing users to learn at their own pace. Additionally, HFM offers a robust collection of more than 10 beginner-focused videos and an investor dictionary packed with over 50 investing terms, making it a comprehensive resource for those starting their trading journey. Overall, HFM earns a strong 4-star rating for education and ranks #37 out of 62 brokers in this category, indicating its dedication to educating novice traders effectively.
On the other hand, Libertex (Forex Club) also provides a suite of educational content, but it leans more towards advanced traders with its selection of 10 educational videos designed for those with trading experience. Beginners may find Libertex offers less in the way of entry-level resources, as it falls short in areas like offering monthly webinars or hosting a searchable archive of such content. Additionally, the absence of a detailed investor dictionary could make it a less appealing choice for those new to trading. Libertex receives a 3-star rating for education and ranks #57 among 62 brokers, suggesting there is room for improvement when it comes to catering to beginners. While both platforms have their strengths, HFM may be the more well-rounded choice for newcomers seeking comprehensive educational support.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that HFM is better than Libertex (Forex Club). HFM finished with an overall rank of #30, while Libertex (Forex Club) finished with an overall rank of #60.
Alongside its enhanced MetaTrader offering and quality research, HFM (HF Markets), previously known as HotForex, offers a proprietary copy trading platform, HFcopy, a proprietary HF mobile app, and a decent selection of over 1,000 CFDs and 47 forex pairs. Still, trading costs at HFM are slightly above the industry average.
| Feature |
HFM
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Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 |
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Both HFM and Libertex (Forex Club) do not offer the ability to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to buy cryptocurrency derivatives, allowing traders to invest in the price movements of cryptocurrencies without owning them.
While both HFM and Libertex (Forex Club) provide options for depositing and withdrawing funds using Skrill and bank wires, only HFM supports Visa or Mastercard, whereas Libertex offers more flexibility with ACH or SEPA transfers and PayPal, which are not available with HFM.
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 | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review |
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| Regulation | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 1997 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 51 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | HFM | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review |
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