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 two prominent online brokers catering to diverse trading preferences. Founded in 2002, XTB distinguishes itself by being publicly traded, which enhances its transparency for investors. Meanwhile, HFM, established in 2010, remains a privately-held entity. Neither of these brokers functions as a traditional bank. When it comes to trustworthiness, XTB holds a Trust Score of 96 out of 99 as rated by ForexBrokers.com, signaling a high level of trust. In contrast, HFM scores an 86, marking them as a trusted broker but slightly behind XTB in this regard.
Both brokers have secured two Tier-1 licenses, a testament to their commitment to regulatory adherence and highly trusted status. However, HFM surpasses XTB in Tier-2 licenses with three compared to XTB's two, showing its broader reach in trusted regulatory compliance. While both brokers offer a secure trading environment, potential investors might consider XTB's higher Trust Score and public trading status as factors in their decision-making process.
| 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 and HFM differ slightly on costs. XTB earns 4.5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #13 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #28. XTB’s pricing is around the industry average, with a Q4 2023 average spread of 1.0 pip on EUR/USD for its Standard account. HFM says its Standard account typically shows 1.2 pips, but it doesn’t provide a dated average, making it harder to benchmark. Overall, HFM’s costs are described as slightly above the industry average.
XTB offers a spread-only Standard account and a commission-based Professional account that’s reserved for elective professionals in the U.K. and EU (and is being phased out, remaining mainly for legacy clients). For most retail traders, the Standard account is the practical choice; at smaller trade sizes it appears cheaper, and at higher volumes it aligns closely with Pro pricing. Minimum deposit is 250 in your base currency. Active traders can join XTB’s Lower Spread Group for spread rebates of 5% to 30%, depending on monthly volume from 20 up to 1,000 lots.
HFM’s Standard account uses spreads only, with the firm citing 1.2 pips as typical but without a time-stamped average. Its Zero account charges a commission and targets very low raw spreads that work out to an effective 0.7 pips on EUR/USD, though this figure is not an average and can vary with market conditions. In short, XTB provides a dated average spread and slightly stronger ranking (4.5 stars, #13), while HFM’s pricing data is less specific and trends a bit higher on costs (4 stars, #28).
| 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 vs HFM: both brokers let you trade forex via CFDs (contracts for difference) and/or spot. XTB shines for breadth with 7,184 tradeable symbols, while HFM lists about 500. If your focus is currency pairs, HFM offers more (102 vs XTB’s 71). For real shares, XTB stands out by allowing exchange-traded stocks on both U.S. and international exchanges (so you can buy companies like Apple or Vodafone directly), whereas HFM does not offer actual shares. HFM does include copy trading; XTB does not.
Crypto access is similar: neither broker supports buying delivered cryptocurrency, but both offer crypto CFDs. For Range of Investments, XTB earns 5 stars and ranks #14 out of 63 at ForexBrokers.com, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #28. In short, pick XTB for the widest selection and direct share dealing, or choose HFM if you want more forex pairs and copy trading.
| Feature |
XTB
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 102 |
| 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 each offer free demo accounts, proprietary trading platforms, and both a Windows desktop download and web-based platform. You can place trades directly from charts with either broker. Key differences: HFM supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while XTB does not support copy trading and does not offer MT4 or MT5.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, XTB is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM holds 4 stars and ranks #33. If you want MetaTrader and copy trading, HFM fits well. If you prefer a higher-rated, broker-built platform experience with strong web and desktop options, XTB stands out.
| 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 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XTB and HFM both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with helpful features like price alerts, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart annotations. One limitation is the same for both: watchlists in the mobile apps don’t sync with the online account, so changes made on one device won’t carry over.
For charting tools, XTB offers 39 technical studies compared to HFM’s 30, giving XTB a bit more depth for analysis. Ratings reflect this gap: XTB’s mobile app earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, while HFM scores 4 stars and ranks #32. Both are capable choices, but traders seeking more indicators and a higher-rated app may prefer XTB.
| 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 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XTB and HFM both cover the essentials for market research: daily market commentary, forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, an economic calendar, and a sentiment tool showing long vs. short positioning. The biggest difference is that HFM includes Autochartist for technical pattern scanning, while XTB does not. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools.
For overall quality, XTB takes the lead with a 5-star research rating and a #9 rank out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #18. If you want higher-rated in-house research and news coverage, XTB is the better pick. If Autochartist matters to your workflow, HFM offers that edge.
| 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 | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
XTB vs HFM for education: both brokers provide dedicated forex and CFD learning with at least 10 pieces of content, including video lessons and archived webinars. Each runs ongoing client webinars (at least monthly) and offers 10+ beginner videos to cover trading basics, along with 10+ advanced videos for next-level strategies. This makes either platform suitable for new traders who want structured, step-by-step learning backed by regular live sessions.
For overall quality, XTB holds an edge: it’s rated 5 stars for Education and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #29. If you’re a beginner comparing XTB vs HFM, XTB is the stronger pick for education breadth and polish, though HFM remains a good choice with plenty of accessible materials and frequent webinars.
| 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 | 86 |
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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 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | HFM | |
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| Regulation | XTB | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 86 | |
| 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 SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | XTB | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 102 | |
| 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 | 15 | |
| 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 | 30 | |
| 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 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | HFM Review |
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