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.
HFM and Spreadex are established online brokers founded in 2010 and 1999, respectively. Neither is publicly traded or a bank. According to ForexBrokers.com, HFM holds a Trust Score of 85 (trusted), while Spreadex scores 70 (average risk) on a 99-point scale where 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 not trusted.
In terms of regulation, HFM reports 2 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 3 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). Spreadex lists 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. Put simply, HFM has a broader mix of top-tier and mid-tier regulatory approvals, whereas Spreadex maintains a smaller set of top-tier oversight.
| 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 |
When comparing commissions and fees, HFM comes in slightly above the industry average. The broker says its standard accounts typically have spreads around 1.2 pips, while its Zero account shows an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission. However, these figures are not based on a clearly stated average period, so the true cost can vary. HFM earns a 4-star rating for commissions and fees and is ranked #30 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category.
Spreadex also receives a 4-star rating for commissions and fees, but it places a little higher than HFM in the rankings, coming in at #27 out of 36 brokers. In January 2024, Spreadex reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.81 pips, with a minimum spread of 0.6 pips available 60% of the time during the month. This gives traders a clearer view of what they may pay, especially for one of the most-traded currency pairs.
Overall, both brokers are rated the same at 4 stars, but Spreadex appears to have a slight edge in the commissions and fees category based on its lower ranking and the spread data provided. HFM may still appeal to traders looking at account types like Zero, but Spreadex offers more transparent recent pricing on EUR/USD.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.8 | 0.81 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.1 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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.
HFM and Spreadex both let you trade forex and cryptocurrency CFDs, but Spreadex offers a much wider overall choice of markets. HFM provides 344 tradeable symbols and 38 forex pairs, while Spreadex lists 10,000 tradeable symbols and 52 forex pairs. Neither broker offers direct access to exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges, and neither supports buying actual, delivered cryptocurrency.
HFM does stand out for copy trading, which Spreadex does not offer. Still, when it comes to range of investments, Spreadex has the edge with a 5-star rating and a #13 ranking from ForexBrokers.com, compared with HFM’s 4-star rating and #30 ranking. For traders who want the broadest selection, Spreadex is the stronger choice, while HFM may appeal more to those interested in copy trading.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 344 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 38 | 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 and Spreadex both give traders a free demo account, plus access to their own in-house platform and a web-based platform that runs in a browser. Both also let users place trades directly from a price chart, and each broker earns 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, HFM places slightly higher at #36, while Spreadex follows at #37.
Where HFM stands out is in platform choice and added features. HFM supports Windows desktop trading, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading, giving traders more ways to trade and copy others. Spreadex does not offer a downloadable Windows platform, MT4, MT5, or copy trading, so its tools are more limited by comparison, even though it still covers the basics well for everyday trading.
| 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) | 38 | 58 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
HFM and Spreadex both give traders mobile access on iPhone and Android, and each app includes stock or forex price alerts. They also both let users draw trendlines on charts, making it easier to review market moves on the go. In this category, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps.
That said, HFM has a slight edge for charting tools because its mobile app includes 5 technical studies and automatically saves chart drawings, while Spreadex does not list technical studies in its app and does not auto-save drawings. Neither broker offers watchlist symbol syncing between the mobile app and online account. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, HFM places #35 for mobile trading apps, while Spreadex sits at #36.
| 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 | 5 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
HFM and Spreadex both give traders a solid set of market research tools. Each broker offers daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, Autochartist tools, a sentiment tracker showing long and short positions, and an economic calendar for global events. Neither broker includes Trading Central or TipRanks, so in those areas they are on equal footing.
The main difference is that HFM also offers research from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, while Spreadex does not. Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Research, but HFM is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com at #18 out of 36 brokers, compared with Spreadex at #29 out of 36. For traders focused on research, HFM has a slight edge overall.
| 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 | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to learn the basics of forex and CFDs, HFM has a clear edge over Spreadex. HFM offers forex and CFDs education with at least 10 learning pieces, runs online educational webinars at least once a month, and also provides 10 or more beginner videos plus 10 or more advanced videos. Spreadex also has at least 10 beginner videos, but it does not offer monthly educational webinars and does not meet the same level of forex or CFDs learning content for new traders.
Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education, but HFM is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com at #31 out of 36, while Spreadex sits at #36 out of 36. That makes HFM the better choice if you want more learning support, especially through webinars and a wider range of video lessons for both new and more experienced traders.
| 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 #33.
HFM (HF Markets) is a global broker best known for its MetaTrader offering, solid research tools, and proprietary copy trading platform, alongside a broad selection of forex pairs and CFDs.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 85 | 70 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 85 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Spreadex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 85 | 70 | |
| 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 CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 344 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 38 | 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) - Spread-only account | 1.8 | 0.81 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 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 (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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) | 38 | 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 Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 5 | 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | HFM Review | Spreadex Review |
| Overall | HFM | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 85 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Spreadex Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
Capital.com
AvaTrade
XM
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill
HFM Markets