Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB 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.
XTB and HFM are well-known online brokers with different profiles. XTB, founded in 2002, is publicly traded and not a bank. HFM, founded in 2010, is not publicly traded and is also not a bank. Both companies operate under multiple regulatory licenses.
According to ForexBrokers.com, XTB holds 2 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses and earns a 96/99 Trust Score, which falls into the “highly trusted” range (90–99). HFM holds 2 Tier-1 and 3 Tier-2 licenses and scores 85/99, placing it in the “trusted” range (80–89). These ratings help show each broker’s regulatory strength and oversight for prospective clients comparing XTB vs HFM.
| Feature |
XTB
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
XTB has a better commissions and fees profile than HFM overall, with pricing that is about average for the market and can be more attractive for smaller trades. XTB offers a spread-only Standard account and a commission-based Professional account, although the Pro option is limited to eligible clients in the U.K. and Europe and is being phased out in many regions. Based on Q4 2023 data, XTB’s average EUR/USD spread was 1 pip, and active traders may qualify for spread rebates through the Lower Spread Group program. XTB is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #13 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
HFM’s trading costs are a bit higher than the industry average, making it less competitive on fees than XTB. The broker says its standard accounts typically have spreads around 1.2 pips, though no date range is provided, so actual average costs may be higher. HFM’s Zero account can bring the effective spread down to 0.7 pips after commission, but this is not an average rate. HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #28 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
In simple terms, XTB is the cheaper choice for most retail traders, especially those trading smaller amounts or looking for a standard spread-only account. HFM may still appeal to some active traders, but its fees are generally less favorable than XTB’s. If commissions and fees are a key priority, XTB comes out ahead in both rating and ranking.
| Feature |
XTB
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.92 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 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.
XTB offers a wider range of investments than HFM, with 10,900 tradeable symbols compared with HFM’s 344. It also provides more forex pairs, with 71 available versus 38 at HFM. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets clients buy actual, delivered crypto. For investors who want direct share dealing, XTB stands out because it offers exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while HFM does not.
HFM does have one feature XTB does not: copy trading. Still, when it comes to overall choice, XTB comes out ahead for range of investments, earning 5 stars versus HFM’s 4 stars in this category. ForexBrokers.com also ranks XTB higher, placing it #14 out of 36 brokers for Range of Investments, compared with HFM at #28.
| Feature |
XTB
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10900 | 344 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 38 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
XTB and HFM both give traders a free demo account, plus their own in-house platform, a Windows desktop app, and a web platform for trading in a browser. Both also let you place trades straight from a chart, which can make managing positions easier. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, XTB is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers, while HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #33.
The biggest difference is in platform choice and extra tools. HFM supports copy trading and includes both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, giving it more options for traders who want popular third-party software and social-style trading. XTB does not offer copy trading, MT4, or MT5, so it may appeal more to traders who prefer a simpler setup built around its own platform.
| Feature |
XTB
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 38 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XTB and HFM both make it easy to trade on the go, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. Neither broker offers watchlist symbol syncing between the mobile app and online account, so watchlists do not update across devices. For everyday mobile trading needs, both apps cover the basics well.
Where XTB stands out is in charting and overall app quality. XTB offers 39 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with just 5 for HFM, giving traders more tools for analyzing markets on the move. That edge is reflected in its ratings too: XTB is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while HFM is rated 4 stars and ranks #32.
| Feature |
XTB
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 5 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XTB and HFM both give traders a solid set of market research basics. Each broker offers daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar to track upcoming events. In simple terms, both platforms make it easier to stay on top of market moves and plan trades with current information.
The main difference is in the extra research tools. HFM has more third-party support, including Autochartist and Acuity Trading, while XTB does not offer those services. Neither broker includes Trading Central or TipRanks. This wider tool selection helps HFM stand out in some areas, but XTB still comes out ahead overall with a 5-star Research rating and a higher ForexBrokers.com ranking of #9, compared with HFM’s 4-star rating and #18 rank.
| Feature |
XTB
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to learning support for beginners, both XTB and HFM give traders a solid set of educational tools. Each broker offers forex or CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces, monthly client webinars, and 10 or more beginner videos, plus 10 or more advanced videos for traders who want to go deeper. This makes both platforms a good fit for new traders looking for videos, articles, and live learning sessions to help them understand the basics and build confidence.
That said, XTB has the edge overall in education. It earns 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #29. In simple terms, both brokers support beginners well, but XTB offers the stronger learning experience and appears to be the better choice for traders who want more guided education.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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 XTB is better than HFM. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.
As a trusted multi-asset broker, XTB offers outstanding customer service, a wide variety of forex and CFDs, and an excellent overall trading experience. Its xStation 5 trading platform is well-designed and packed with innovative features, and XTB’s offers comprehensive educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XTB
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HFM
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| Trust Score | 96 | 85 |
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In the XTB vs HFM comparison, neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
In the XTB vs HFM comparison for deposits and withdrawals: neither broker supports ACH or SEPA; XTB supports PayPal while HFM does not; both support Skrill and bank wire transfers; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | XTB | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | HFM | |
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| Regulation | XTB | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | 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 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | 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) | XTB | 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 | XTB | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10900 | 344 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 38 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | XTB | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.92 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XTB | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $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 | XTB | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | XTB | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 38 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | 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 | 39 | 5 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XTB | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XTB | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | XTB Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | XTB | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | HFM Review |
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