Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM vs Spreadex, 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.
Comparing online brokers HFM and Spreadex, both firms offer trading services without being publicly traded or classified as banks. Founded in 2010, HFM holds two Tier-1 licenses, a number indicating a solid track record of regulatory compliance in top financial jurisdictions, along with three Tier-2 licenses. With a Trust Score of 86 from ForexBrokers.com, HFM is considered a trusted choice for traders seeking a reliable platform.
On the other hand, Spreadex, established in 1999, holds one Tier-1 license and lacks Tier-2 licenses, placing it on a different regulatory standing compared to HFM. With a Trust Score of 71, Spreadex is viewed as having an average risk, according to ForexBrokers.com's rating system. The differences in licensing and trust scores reflect their varying levels of regulatory oversight and perceived trust in the trading community.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 1999 |
| 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 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Spreadex provides clearer pricing data than HFM. Spreadex averaged 0.81 pips on EUR/USD in January 2024, with its minimum 0.6-pip spread available 60% of the time that month. HFM’s trading costs are slightly above the industry average; its Standard account lists a “typical” 1.2-pip spread without a date range, and its Zero account advertises an effective 0.7 pips after commission—both figures are not stated as time-stamped averages.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category, Spreadex ranks #25 out of 63 brokers, while HFM ranks #28 out of 63.
Takeaway: If you value documented average spreads for a specific period, Spreadex’s January 2024 data offers more transparency. If you prefer a commission-based setup, HFM’s Zero account can deliver a low effective spread, though its figures aren’t presented as historical averages. Actual costs will vary by market conditions and account type.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.8 | 0.81 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing HFM and Spreadex on range of investments, Spreadex offers far more overall choice with about 10,000 tradeable symbols, while HFM lists around 500. That said, HFM leads in forex depth with 102 currency pairs versus 52 at Spreadex. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot, and both provide cryptocurrency exposure via CFDs (but not actual crypto). Neither broker lets you buy exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges.
Feature-wise, HFM includes copy trading, while Spreadex does not. For range of investments, ForexBrokers.com rates Spreadex at 5 stars (ranked #13 of 63) and HFM at 4 stars (ranked #28 of 63). In short: pick Spreadex if you want the widest array of markets, or choose HFM if you value a larger list of forex pairs and access to copy trading.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 52 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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.
HFM vs Spreadex: both brokers offer free paper trading via demo accounts and each has its own proprietary trading platform. If you want a Windows desktop download, HFM provides one, while Spreadex does not. Prefer to trade in your browser? Both HFM and Spreadex offer web-based platforms.
For trading tools, both brokers let you place trades directly from charts. HFM supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), whereas Spreadex does not support copy trading or MetaTrader. In independent testing, both earned 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools; HFM ranks #33 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, with Spreadex close behind at #34.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 58 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
HFM and Spreadex both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each supports price alerts for stocks and forex. One notable limitation is watchlist syncing: neither broker syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so edits in one place won’t automatically appear in the other.
For charting, HFM lists 30 technical studies, while Spreadex doesn’t specify a number. Both apps let you draw trendlines, but only HFM auto-saves your drawings; with Spreadex, you may need to recreate them. In terms of overall quality, both earn 4 stars for their mobile trading apps. According to ForexBrokers.com, HFM ranks #32 out of 63 brokers for mobile apps, with Spreadex close behind at #33.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
HFM and Spreadex both deliver strong market research for everyday traders. Each broker publishes daily market commentary and streams forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. You’ll also find Autochartist tools for pattern spotting, a sentiment gauge showing long vs. short positioning, and a full economic calendar to track key events. Neither broker adds Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading features.
In terms of recognition, both HFM and Spreadex earn 4 stars for Research from ForexBrokers.com. That said, HFM ranks higher overall at #18 out of 63 brokers for the Research category, while Spreadex sits at #27. If you value the same core research tools with a slightly stronger standing in third-party rankings, HFM has a small edge; otherwise, Spreadex is a comparable alternative.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
HFM and Spreadex both give beginner traders plenty of video lessons (10+ each) that cover core trading topics for forex and CFDs. HFM goes further with live, client webinars at least once a month and a larger set of advanced trading videos (10+), which helps you keep learning as your skills grow. Spreadex does not run monthly educational webinars and doesn’t meet the same benchmark for advanced videos, so its learning path is more limited once you move past the basics.
For Education, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars from ForexBrokers.com, but HFM ranks slightly higher (#29 of 63) than Spreadex (#33 of 63). If you want live sessions and deeper video content, HFM is the better fit; if you mainly need beginner-friendly videos, Spreadex can still work well.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that HFM is better than Spreadex. HFM finished with an overall rank of #27, while Spreadex finished with an overall rank of #32.
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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Spreadex
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 86 | 71 |
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In the HFM vs Spreadex comparison, neither online broker offers the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading for speculative exposure.
HFM vs Spreadex: neither supports ACH/SEPA or PayPal for deposits/withdrawals, both accept bank wire transfers, HFM additionally supports Skrill while Spreadex does not, and card options via Visa/Mastercard are 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 | HFM | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Spreadex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | HFM | Spreadex | |
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| Regulation | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 52 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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 | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.8 | 0.81 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 58 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | HFM Review | Spreadex Review |
| Overall | HFM | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Spreadex Review |
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