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 has a stronger edge than HFM on commissions and fees, especially for active traders. Tickmill offers a commission-free Classic account, but its spreads are wider, while the Raw account is built for lower trading costs with tighter spreads plus a commission of $3 per side per standard lot. Even after that recent commission increase, Tickmill still keeps overall costs competitive, with an all-in EUR/USD cost that remains appealing for frequent traders. Tickmill is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
HFM’s pricing is a bit less attractive overall, with trading costs landing slightly above the industry average. Its standard accounts typically show spreads around 1.2 pips, while the Zero account advertises an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission. However, that figure is not presented as an average, so real trading costs may be higher depending on market conditions. HFM is rated 4 stars and ranks #28 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
In simple terms, Tickmill is the better pick for traders who care most about lower fees and tighter pricing, while HFM may suit those who want a standard account structure and are less focused on squeezing every bit of cost out of each trade. Based on commissions and fees alone, Tickmill comes out ahead of HFM.
| 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 let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both support copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international stock exchanges, and neither lets you buy actual delivered cryptocurrency. For traders focused mainly on forex and CFD markets, both platforms cover the basics well.
Tickmill offers a wider selection overall, with 637 tradeable symbols and 62 forex pairs, compared with HFM’s 344 symbols and 38 forex pairs. Even so, HFM scores slightly higher for range of investments, with 4 out of 5 stars versus Tickmill’s 3.5 stars, and it ranks #28 out of 36 brokers in this category, ahead of Tickmill at #30. In short, Tickmill has more listed markets to choose from, while HFM edges ahead in its overall category rating.
| 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 solid set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, web-based trading, desktop downloads for Windows, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, copy trading, and the ability to place trades straight from a chart. In other words, both brokers cover the main tools most traders look for, whether they prefer to practice first or trade live on a familiar platform.
The main difference is that HFM also offers its own in-house trading platform, while Tickmill does not. Even so, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, but Tickmill has a higher ForexBrokers.com ranking in this category, placing #24 out of 36 brokers compared with HFM at #33. For traders who want a slightly better-rated platform setup overall, Tickmill has the edge, while HFM may appeal to those who want an extra proprietary platform option.
| 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.
Tickmill and HFM both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each is rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. Both apps also let users draw trendlines on charts, but Tickmill has the edge in chart tools with 97 technical studies compared with just 5 at HFM. Tickmill also ranks higher overall in the Mobile Trading Apps category, placing 25th out of 36 brokers, while HFM comes in at 32nd.
HFM does have one useful feature that Tickmill lacks: price alerts for stocks or forex. On the other hand, Tickmill offers watchlist syncing, so changes made in the mobile app and online account stay in sync, while HFM does not. HFM’s app does auto-save chart drawings, which Tickmill does not, so the better choice depends on whether you value more charting tools and synced watchlists or prefer alerts and saved drawings.
| 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
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HFM
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 85 | 85 |
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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.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Tickmill | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | HFM | |
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| 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 | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | HFM Review |
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