Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM vs Trading 212, 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 comparing the online brokers HFM and Trading 212, there are several aspects to consider regarding their trustworthiness and regulatory standing. HFM, established in 2010, carries a Trust Score of 86 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the trusted category. It holds two highly regarded Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, indicating a solid level of regulatory compliance. On the other hand, Trading 212, founded in 2004, also sits in the trusted category with a Trust Score of 80. It holds three Tier-1 licenses but does not possess any Tier-2 licenses.
Both HFM and Trading 212 are not publicly traded companies and neither operates as a bank. While Trading 212 has a slight edge with its three Tier-1 licenses, HFM balances this with a combination of Tier-1 and Tier-2 licenses, providing a different blend of regulatory oversight. Whether you're considering overall trust scores or the specifics of their regulatory licenses, both brokers offer viable, though distinct, options for online trading.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
Comparing commissions and fees, both HFM and Trading 212 earn 4 out of 5 stars. That said, HFM ranks higher for pricing (ForexBrokers.com Commissions and Fees ranking: #32 of 63) than Trading 212 (#50 of 63), suggesting HFM is generally more competitive on costs across the board.
HFM’s trading costs are slightly above the industry average. The company lists a typical spread of 1.2 pips on its standard account, though no date range is provided, so the true average may be higher. Its Zero account quotes an effective 0.7 pips after commission, but this figure is also not presented as an average. Commissions and Fees rating: 4/5 stars; ranking: #32/63.
Trading 212 promotes zero-commission CFD trading, but you still pay the spread. The broker has started publishing average spread data, which helps with transparency. In April 2025, the average EUR/USD spread on its CFD account was 2.7 pips—well above the industry average and less competitive than many peers. Commissions and Fees rating: 4/5 stars; ranking: #50/63.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | 2.7 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 2.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
HFM and Trading 212 both support forex trading, available as CFDs or spot contracts. Trading 212 offers far more to trade overall, with 7,868 symbols and 146 forex pairs versus HFM’s 500 symbols and 102 forex pairs. If you want a big selection of markets and currency pairs, Trading 212 has the wider lineup.
For buying actual exchange-traded shares, Trading 212 stands out: it lets you invest in U.S. stocks like Apple and international listings such as Vodafone, while HFM does not offer real shares (non-CFDs). Both brokers provide crypto via CFDs but not actual coins. HFM supports copy trading, which Trading 212 lacks. For range of investments, HFM is rated 4/5 (ranked 37 of 63), while Trading 212 earns 5/5 (ranked 16 of 63).
| Feature |
HFM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 7868 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 146 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| 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 vs Trading 212: Both brokers earn 4 stars for trading platforms and tools, but ForexBrokers.com ranks Trading 212 higher (#20 of 63) than HFM (#43 of 63). Each offers a free demo account for paper trading, a proprietary platform, and a web-based platform you can use in your browser. Only HFM provides a Windows desktop download. Both let you place trades directly from charts and create watchlists.
Platform lineup is a key difference. HFM supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and includes copy trading. Trading 212 does not support MT4 or MT5 and does not offer copy trading. If you want MetaTrader, copy trading, or a Windows desktop app, HFM is the better fit. If you prefer a simple browser experience and a higher category ranking, Trading 212 is appealing.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 15 | 54 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
HFM and Trading 212 both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with core features most traders expect, including price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving for chart annotations. Where they differ most is charting depth: Trading 212 includes 104 built-in technical indicators, while HFM offers 30. If you rely on a wide range of indicators for your analysis, Trading 212’s charts provide more variety out of the box.
Watchlist syncing is another key difference. Trading 212 syncs watchlists across mobile and web, while HFM does not. Despite both earning 4 out of 5 stars for their mobile apps, ForexBrokers.com ranks Trading 212 higher in the category (#17 of 63) compared with HFM (#40 of 63). In short, both apps cover the essentials, but traders who want richer indicators and seamless watchlist sync may find Trading 212 a better fit, while HFM still delivers a solid mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
HFM vs Trading 212: market research comparison. Both brokers deliver forex news from top-tier sources (e.g., Bloomberg, Reuters, Dow Jones), a sentiment tool showing long/short ratios, and an economic calendar. HFM adds daily market commentary and Autochartist-powered analysis, which Trading 212 lacks. Neither platform offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
In independent ratings from ForexBrokers.com, HFM earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #20 of 63 brokers, while Trading 212 scores 3.5 stars and ranks #45. Choose HFM if you want daily insights and Autochartist screening; pick Trading 212 if news headlines, sentiment data, and a calendar cover your core research needs.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
HFM and Trading 212 both offer beginner-friendly education with at least 10 videos for newcomers and at least 10 advanced videos for experienced traders. HFM stands out for hosting ongoing live educational webinars each month, while Trading 212 does not run monthly webinars. If you learn best with interactive sessions and scheduled classes, HFM may feel more supportive; if you prefer self-paced video learning without live events, Trading 212 will still cover a lot of ground.
For Education, HFM is rated 4 stars, while Trading 212 is rated 3.5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s Education category across 63 brokers, HFM is ranked #37 and Trading 212 is ranked #21. In short, HFM offers live webinars and slightly higher star ratings for education, whereas Trading 212 holds a stronger overall category rank; both provide ample video content for beginners and advanced traders.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 HFM is better than Trading 212. HFM finished with an overall rank of #30, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31.
Alongside its enhanced MetaTrader offering and quality research, HFM (HF Markets), previously known as HotForex, offers a proprietary copy trading platform, HFcopy, a proprietary HF mobile app, and a decent selection of over 1,000 CFDs and 47 forex pairs. Still, trading costs at HFM are slightly above the industry average.
| Feature |
HFM
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Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 86 | 80 |
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HFM vs Trading 212: neither broker allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Compared with Trading 212, which supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals but not Skrill, HFM offers Skrill and bank wires only (no ACH/SEPA or PayPal), and Visa/Mastercard availability is 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.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | HFM | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | HFM | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | HFM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2004 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC 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) | HFM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | HFM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 7868 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 146 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | 2.7 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 2.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 54 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | HFM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | HFM Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | HFM | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Trading 212 Review |
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