Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Tickmill 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.
Tickmill vs HFM: Both online brokers have been around for years (Tickmill since 2014, HFM since 2010). Neither is publicly traded or a bank. On ForexBrokers.com’s 99-point Trust Score, Tickmill and HFM each score 85, which places them in the trusted 80–89 range (below the 90–99 highly trusted tier).
Looking at regulation and licenses, both brokers hold two Tier-1 licenses (rated highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com). Tickmill has two Tier-2 licenses, while HFM has three Tier-2 licenses. That means their top-tier oversight is similar, with HFM carrying one additional mid-tier license—useful context for anyone comparing safety and regulation.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
Tickmill comes out ahead of HFM on commissions and fees, especially for active traders who want lower trading costs. Tickmill earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers for this category. It offers a commission-free Classic account, but its spreads are wider, with average spreads around 1.76 pips. Its Raw account is the cheaper option overall, with a $3 per side commission per 100,000 units ($6 per standard lot) and typical EUR/USD spreads near 0.11 pips, putting the all-in cost at about 0.71 pips after the commission increase.
HFM is a decent choice, but its pricing is less competitive overall. It is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #29 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. HFM’s standard accounts show a typical spread of 1.2 pips, while its Zero account can reach an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission. Even so, HFM’s costs are generally a bit higher than the best low-cost brokers, and its published spread figures do not always clearly show an average over time.
In simple terms, Tickmill is the stronger pick if low fees matter most. HFM offers acceptable pricing, but Tickmill’s lower all-in trading costs and better ranking make it the better value for most traders focused on commissions and spreads.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing Tickmill and HFM for range of investments, both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, offer copy trading, and let clients trade cryptocurrency CFDs rather than actual crypto. Neither broker offers exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges, and neither provides access to delivered cryptocurrencies. For forex traders, Tickmill has the wider selection, with 62 currency pairs and 637 tradeable symbols overall, compared with HFM’s 38 forex pairs and 344 tradeable symbols.
In third-party ratings, HFM has a slight edge for investment choice, earning 4 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranking #29 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. Tickmill is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #31 out of 36. In simple terms, both brokers cover the same core product types, but Tickmill offers more symbols and more forex pairs, while HFM gets a marginally better overall score for variety.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 344 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 62 | 38 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Tickmill and HFM both give traders a wide set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users place trades straight from charts, which can make order entry quicker and easier. In terms of everyday trading tools, the two brokers look very similar on paper, and both are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools.
The main difference is that HFM also offers its own in-house trading platform, while Tickmill does not. That extra option may appeal to traders who want something beyond MetaTrader. Still, Tickmill scores better in ForexBrokers.com’s category ranking, placing #24 out of 36 brokers versus HFM’s #34 out of 36, which suggests Tickmill has a slight edge overall in this area.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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) | 97 | 38 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing Tickmill vs HFM for mobile trading apps, both brokers give traders the basics that matter most: each has an iPhone app and an Android app, and both let users draw trendlines on charts. They also share the same 4-star rating for mobile trading apps, so neither platform is far ahead in overall user satisfaction. That said, Tickmill stands out for charting depth, offering 97 technical studies in its mobile app compared with just 5 at HFM, and it also supports watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made in the app can carry over to the online account.
HFM has a few useful features that Tickmill does not, including stock or forex price alerts and automatic saving of chart drawings. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, Tickmill places higher at #25 out of 36 brokers, while HFM sits at #33, which gives Tickmill the edge for mobile trading overall. For traders who want more chart tools and synced watchlists, Tickmill is the stronger pick, while HFM may appeal more to those who value alerts and saved chart work.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 5 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Tickmill and HFM are both solid choices for market research, and each offers daily market commentary plus an economic calendar to help traders track current and upcoming news events. Both brokers also include research tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, giving users another way to scan for trading ideas. In ForexBrokers.com’s Research category, each broker earns 4 out of 5 stars, with Tickmill ranked #19 out of 36 brokers and HFM slightly ahead at #18.
The main difference is in the depth of news and analysis sources. HFM stands out by offering forex news from top-tier providers like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, along with Autochartist and a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning across markets. Tickmill does not offer those specific extras, but it still provides useful day-to-day research support for traders who want a simpler setup.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to beginner-friendly learning, both Tickmill and HFM give new traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers forex and CFD education, runs online educational webinars at least once a month, and provides at least 10 beginner videos as well as 10 advanced videos. That means either platform can be a helpful starting point if you want to learn the basics first and then move on to more advanced trading topics.
That said, Tickmill has the edge overall for education. Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars, but Tickmill ranks higher for the Education category at #14 out of 36 brokers, compared with HFM at #29. For beginners looking for a broker with more well-regarded learning support, Tickmill comes out ahead, even though HFM still offers a solid range of educational material.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
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 Tickmill is better than HFM. Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.
Tickmill is a run-of-the-mill MetaTrader broker that offers a limited selection of tradeable securities. The broker does offer very competitive commission-based pricing for professionals through its VIP and Pro accounts.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 85 | 85 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Tickmill vs HFM: neither online broker supports purchasing actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Between online brokers Tickmill and HFM, both lack ACH/SEPA transfers but allow Skrill and bank wire funding, with Tickmill additionally offering PayPal while HFM does not.
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 | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 85 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 85 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Tickmill | 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 | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 344 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 62 | 38 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 38 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 5 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Tickmill Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | Tickmill | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 85 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | HFM Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
Capital.com
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill