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.
When it comes to choosing an online broker, Swissquote and HFM offer distinct features and regulatory standings that can influence your decision. Founded in 1996, Swissquote is a publicly traded company and operates as a bank, offering a substantial sense of stability and trust. With a Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, Swissquote is considered highly trusted, with five Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses under its belt. This makes Swissquote an attractive option for those prioritizing safety and regulation in their trading experience.
In comparison, HFM was established in 2010 and is not publicly listed or a bank, which might appeal to traders looking for slightly different operational dynamics. HFM holds a Trust Score of 86, rating it as trusted, and possesses two Tier-1 licenses along with three Tier-2 licenses. While slightly younger and less licensed than Swissquote, HFM still maintains a commendable reputation, offering a reliable option for traders who prioritize trust but might not require the added layers of regulation that come with a bank-backed institution.
| 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 |
If you’re comparing Swissquote vs. HFM on commissions and fees, HFM has the edge overall. HFM is rated 4/5 stars and ranks #32 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees at ForexBrokers.com, while Swissquote is rated 3.5/5 stars and ranks #54 of 63. Swissquote’s name recognition as a Swiss banking group comes with a small pricing premium, so it generally doesn’t match the cheapest forex brokers.
Swissquote’s pricing varies by entity. In the U.K., costs are lower with lighter deposit requirements (but a narrower product lineup). The Elite account is best for active traders who can deposit at least $10,000, pairing lower spreads with a $5 commission per round-turn; the Professional account is similar but has a different stop-out level. The Standard account starts at 1.3 pips on EUR/USD, while the Prime account shows minimum spreads from 0.6 pips (not an average). In Luxembourg, minimum deposits are $1,000 (Standard), $5,000 (Premium), and $50,000 (Prime), with minimum spreads from 1.5 pips down to 0.8 pips. In Switzerland, forex accounts start at $1,000 (Standard, 1.7 pips), $10,000 (Premium, 1.4 pips), and $50,000 (Prime, 1.1 pips), with custom pricing available for high-volume traders; listed spreads are minimums unless noted.
HFM’s trading costs sit slightly above the industry average, but clarity is mixed: its Standard account’s “typical” 1.2-pip spread has no date range, and the Zero account’s 0.7-pip effective spread after commission is also not an average. Even so, HFM’s Zero account can undercut most Swissquote setups unless you qualify for Swissquote U.K.’s Elite account and trade enough to justify the $5 commission. For most casual traders, Swissquote’s standard-style accounts tend to be pricier than HFM’s.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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.
Comparing Swissquote vs HFM for range of investments: both let you trade forex as CFDs and spot. HFM lists slightly more to trade overall (500 symbols and 102 forex pairs) than Swissquote (472 symbols and 80 forex pairs). Both offer copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. However, only Swissquote lets you buy actual crypto, while HFM limits crypto to CFDs.
Where Swissquote really widens the gap is access to real exchange-traded securities: you can buy actual shares on U.S. and international exchanges with Swissquote, while HFM does not offer real stocks. Reflecting this breadth, ForexBrokers.com rates Swissquote 5 stars and ranks it #2 of 63 for Range of Investments; HFM earns 4 stars and is ranked #37. In short, HFM wins on count of forex pairs, but Swissquote offers a wider mix of real assets alongside CFDs.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 102 |
| 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 check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo account for paper trading, an in-house proprietary platform, and support for Windows desktop and web-based platforms. You’ll also find popular third-party choices—MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5)—plus copy trading and the ability to place trades directly from price charts. Details such as the exact number of built-in technical indicators and watchlist columns weren’t specified for either broker.
Where they differ is in quality scores. For Trading Platforms and Tools, Swissquote earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM scores 4 stars and ranks #43. If platform variety paired with higher-rated tools matters most, Swissquote has the edge; if you want a well-rounded MetaTrader experience with copy trading and chart trading, HFM remains a strong option.
| 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 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Swissquote and HFM both offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, and tools to draw trendlines, with drawings saved automatically for later. One limitation is the same for both: watchlists created on mobile do not sync with the online account, so changes don’t carry over between platforms.
In overall quality, Swissquote pulls ahead. Swissquote’s mobile app earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM scores 4 stars and ranks #40. If you want stronger ratings and a higher industry rank, Swissquote is the better pick; if you just need the essentials—alerts, indicators, and drawing tools—both apps can get the job done.
| 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 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Swissquote and HFM both excel in providing essential market research tools, catering to the needs of traders who value informed decision-making. Both offer daily market commentary and access to forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. The two platforms have integrated tools from Autochartist to aid in technical analysis. However, neither offers tools from Trading Central or market research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading. One area where HFM holds an advantage is its sentiment-based trading tool, displaying the ratio of long and short positions across various instruments, a feature Swissquote lacks.
When it comes to economic calendars, both platforms keep traders informed with current and upcoming global news events. Rated equally at 4 stars for research by industry standards, Swissquote slightly edges out HFM in research rankings, placing 16th compared to HFM's 20th among 63 brokers reviewed by ForexBrokers.com. This subtle difference in rankings may sway traders who prioritize comprehensive research tools in their trading platforms. Overall, both Swissquote and HFM offer strong market research options, ensuring traders have reliable information at their fingertips.
| 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 | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Swissquote and HFM both make it easy for newcomers to learn the basics of forex and CFD trading. Each broker runs online client webinars at least once a month and offers a large library of videos tailored to different skill levels, including 10+ beginner videos to help you get started and 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. Their educational content is designed to be approachable, so you can learn through step-by-step videos and regular live sessions that explain strategies and platform know-how in plain language.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for education, but Swissquote edges ahead in industry rankings: it’s placed #20 out of 63 brokers for education on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is ranked #37. If a higher-ranked education hub matters to you, Swissquote may have the advantage. If you’re focused on having frequent webinars and plenty of beginner and advanced videos, both Swissquote and HFM deliver similar value.
| 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 #11, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #30.
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 | 86 |
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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 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | HFM | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| 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 (SFC 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 SCA 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 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 102 | |
| 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) - Standard account | N/A | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.7 | |
| 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 | 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 | 15 | |
| 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Swissquote Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | HFM Review |
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