Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote 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.
Swissquote and HFM are well-known online brokers with different profiles. Swissquote was founded in 1996, is publicly traded, and operates as a bank. HFM, launched in 2010, is not publicly listed and is not a bank. On ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score scale—where 90–99 is highly trusted and 80–89 is trusted—Swissquote scores 99 (highly trusted) while HFM scores 85 (trusted).
In terms of regulation, Swissquote holds 5 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). HFM holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses. For traders prioritizing safety and oversight, Swissquote offers a broader Tier-1 footprint and the highest possible Trust Score, while HFM remains a trusted option.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Swissquote is the more expensive choice overall, mainly because you are paying extra for the security and reputation of a Swiss banking group. Its pricing varies by region and account type, but in general it does not match the low-cost offers from budget forex brokers. Swissquote is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #37 out of 36 brokers in this category.
HFM is generally a better fit for traders looking for lower trading costs. Its standard accounts are said to have typical spreads around 1.2 pips, while the Zero account can work out to an effective 0.7 pips after commission. Even so, HFM’s pricing is still slightly above the industry average. HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #30 out of 36 brokers.
Overall, HFM comes out ahead on commissions and fees because it offers better pricing for most traders, while Swissquote charges more across its account range. Swissquote may appeal to traders who value banking-style services and are willing to pay a premium, but HFM is the stronger option if lower trading costs are the priority.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Swissquote offers a wider range of investments than HFM, making it the better choice for traders who want more markets in one place. Both brokers support forex trading, either as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. However, Swissquote stands out with 472 tradeable symbols versus HFM’s 344, plus 80 forex pairs compared with 38 at HFM.
Swissquote also gives investors access to actual exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, so clients can buy shares like Apple or Vodafone directly, not just through CFDs. It also lets users buy real cryptocurrency, while HFM does not. These differences help explain why Swissquote is rated 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranked #2 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared with HFM’s 4 stars and #30 ranking.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 344 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 38 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
Swissquote and HFM both give traders a wide choice of platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo account for practice, its own in-house platform, a Windows desktop app, a web-based platform, copy trading, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both brokers also let users trade directly from charts, which can make placing orders easier for active traders.
When it comes to overall platform quality, Swissquote has the edge. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and is ranked #12 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #36. In simple terms, both brokers cover the basics very well, but Swissquote offers a slightly better platform experience overall.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 38 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Swissquote and HFM both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each app includes stock or forex price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving for chart drawings. That means traders can stay on top of market moves and mark up charts from either broker while on the go. One limit for both platforms is that watchlist symbols do not sync between the mobile app and the online account, so changes made in one place will not carry over to the other.
Where Swissquote stands out is charting depth and overall app quality. Its mobile app offers 30 technical studies, compared with just 5 at HFM, and it holds a higher Mobile Trading Apps rating at 4.5 out of 5 versus HFM’s 4 stars. Swissquote is also ranked #12 out of 36 brokers in this category by ForexBrokers.com, while HFM sits at #35, making Swissquote the stronger choice for traders who want more chart tools and a better-rated mobile experience.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 5 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Swissquote and HFM both give traders a strong set of market research tools, including daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Autochartist tools, and an economic calendar with key global events. Neither broker includes Trading Central or TipRanks, and both are missing some third-party research extras that other platforms may offer. Swissquote, however, stands out with a higher research rating of 4.5 out of 5 and a better ForexBrokers.com ranking at #15 out of 36, compared with HFM’s 4 out of 5 and #18 ranking.
Where HFM has an edge is in a few added research features that Swissquote does not provide, such as a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning across markets and research from Acuity Trading like Signal Centre. For traders who want a broader mix of research signals and sentiment data, HFM may feel more helpful. Still, Swissquote comes out slightly ahead overall for market research thanks to its stronger rating and higher category rank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Swissquote and HFM both give beginners a solid set of learning tools, including forex and CFDs education, at least one educational webinar each month, and 10 or more beginner videos, plus 10 or more advanced videos for traders who want to go further. In other words, both brokers make it easy for new users to start learning the basics and keep building skills over time.
That said, Swissquote comes out ahead in the education area. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #19 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #31 out of 36. For beginners looking for the stronger overall education package, Swissquote has the edge.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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 Swissquote is better than HFM. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #12, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.
Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
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HFM
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
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In a Swissquote vs HFM comparison for cryptocurrency trading, the online broker Swissquote lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and trade crypto CFDs, whereas HFM offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not support purchasing real delivered crypto.
Compare online brokers Swissquote and HFM: Swissquote supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals, while HFM supports Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal.
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 | Swissquote | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | HFM | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 344 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 38 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 38 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 5 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Swissquote Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | HFM Review |
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