Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XM Group vs HFM, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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XM Group vs HFM: XM Group (founded 2009) and HFM (founded 2010) are both private brokers and not banks. According to ForexBrokers.com, XM Group holds a Trust Score of 93, which falls in the “highly trusted” 90–99 range, while HFM scores 85, in the “trusted” 80–89 range. For context, 70–79 is average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 should not be trusted.
Regulation is a key difference. XM Group carries 4 Tier-1 licenses (rated highly trusted) and 3 Tier-2 licenses (rated trusted). HFM holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses. In simple terms, XM Group has more top-tier regulatory approvals than HFM, which aligns with its higher Trust Score.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
XM Group and HFM both offer trading costs that may matter to price-conscious traders, but neither stands out as especially cheap. XM Group earns a 3.5-star rating for commissions and fees and ranks #36 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s review. Its standard account spreads are expensive, and the company does not publish average spreads for the commission-based XM Zero account, which makes it harder to judge the true cost.
HFM performs a bit better on pricing, with a 4-star rating and a #30 ranking out of 36 brokers. Even so, its trading costs are still slightly above the industry average. The broker says its standard accounts typically have spreads of 1.2 pips, but it does not provide a date range, so the real average may be higher. Its Zero account shows an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission, though this is not presented as an average either.
Overall, HFM appears to offer somewhat lower fees than XM Group, especially for traders comparing standard account pricing. However, both brokers leave some key cost details unclear, so it is a good idea to check the latest live spreads before opening an account.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.1 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.7+ | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
XM Group offers a wider range of investments than HFM, making it the better choice for traders who want more market variety. Both brokers support forex trading, with XM Group offering 54 currency pairs versus 38 at HFM. XM Group also lists far more tradeable symbols overall, with 1,583 compared with HFM’s 344. In addition, both brokers offer copy trading and crypto CFDs, but neither lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency.
A key difference is that XM Group gives access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, so clients can buy real shares such as Apple or Vodafone. HFM does not offer these exchange-traded securities. Reflecting this broader selection, XM Group is rated 4.5 out of 5 for Range of Investments and ranked #19 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while HFM is rated 4 out of 5 and ranked #30.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1583 | 344 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 54 | 38 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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.
XM Group and HFM both give traders a solid range of platform choices, including a free demo account, desktop download software for Windows, web-based trading, copy trading, and access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can make order placement faster and easier for beginners and active traders alike. For trading platforms and tools, both XM Group and HFM are rated 4 out of 5 stars.
The main difference is that HFM also offers its own in-house platform, while XM Group does not. That gives HFM an extra option for traders who want something beyond the MetaTrader suite. Even so, XM Group holds the stronger position in ForexBrokers.com’s ranking for this category, coming in at #29 out of 36 brokers, compared with HFM at #36 out of 36.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
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) | 100 | 38 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XM Group and HFM both give traders mobile apps for iPhone and Android, plus price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Both are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, so each offers a solid basic experience for trading on the go. Where XM Group stands out is in charting depth, with 100 technical studies in its mobile app compared with just 5 at HFM.
XM Group also has an edge in everyday convenience because its watchlists sync between the mobile app and the online account, so changes update in both places. HFM does not offer that syncing feature, but it does automatically save chart drawings, which XM Group does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, XM Group places higher at #26 out of 36 brokers, while HFM is ranked #35, making XM Group the stronger choice overall for mobile trading.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 100 | 5 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XM Group and HFM both give traders a strong set of market research tools. Each broker offers daily market commentary, forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for tracking global events. Neither broker includes TipRanks research, so in these areas they are closely matched for everyday market updates and trading insight.
The main difference is in the extra research tools they provide. XM Group includes Trading Central, while HFM offers Autochartist and Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre. Even with those differences, XM Group holds a higher research score, with 5 out of 5 stars and a #8 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with HFM’s 4 stars and #18 ranking. This makes XM Group the stronger choice overall for market research, while HFM still provides a useful mix of third-party analysis tools.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
XM Group and HFM both give beginners a good starting point, with each broker offering forex and CFDs education, monthly online webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos. That means new traders can learn the basics, build confidence, and keep moving into more advanced topics without needing to search far for help.
Where XM Group stands out is in its overall education quality. It earns a 5-star rating for Education and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers, while HFM is rated 4 stars and ranks #31. For beginners who want more structured learning support and a stronger education offering overall, XM Group has the edge over HFM.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
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 XM Group is better than HFM. XM Group finished with an overall rank of #16, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.
XM Group is a multi-regulated forex and CFD broker offering 1,583 tradeable symbols across MetaTrader 4 and 5 and a new proprietary web and mobile platform. Its live trading rooms and integrated Trading Central research are among the best in the industry. Standard account spreads are expensive, though the Ultra Low and Zero accounts are competitive.
| Feature |
XM Group
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HFM
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 85 |
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XM Group and HFM are online brokers that do not allow clients to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFDs.
XM Group vs HFM: for deposits and withdrawals, neither broker supports ACH/SEPA or PayPal, both support Skrill and bank wire transfers, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | XM Group | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XM Group | HFM | |
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| Regulation | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | 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) | No | 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) | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | 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 | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1583 | 344 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 54 | 38 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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 | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.1 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.7+ | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | XM Group | 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 | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 100 | 38 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 100 | 5 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | XM Group Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | XM Group | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review | HFM Review |
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