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 |
Looking at commissions and fees, XTB generally comes out more cost-effective for everyday forex traders than HFM. XTB earns 4.5 stars and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers for this category, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #32. XTB’s pricing sits around the industry average and trails the very cheapest brokers, whereas HFM’s costs are slightly above the industry average.
XTB offers a spread-only Standard account and a commission-based Professional account (the Pro option is being phased out and is largely limited to eligible professional clients in the U.K. and EU). Based on Q4 2023 data, the average EUR/USD spread on the Standard account was 1.0 pip. Minimum deposits start at $/£/€250. High-volume traders can get spread rebates of 5% to 30% through XTB’s Lower Spread Group once they trade 20 to 1,000 lots per month, which can narrow costs further.
HFM lists a typical 1.2-pip spread on its Standard account (no date range provided), and its Zero account can show an effective 0.7-pip spread after commission—though this figure isn’t an average. In practical terms, XTB’s documented 1.0-pip average on EUR/USD suggests slightly sharper day-to-day pricing than HFM’s Standard account, while HFM’s Zero account may offer lower effective costs at times, depending on commission and market conditions.
| Feature |
XTB
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | 0.7 |
| 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.
Comparing XTB vs HFM for range of investments: both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot. XTB stands out with 7,184 tradeable symbols, far more than HFM’s 500, while HFM lists more currency pairs (102 vs 71 for XTB). Both brokers let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs, but neither supports buying actual crypto.
For real stocks, XTB allows buying exchange-traded shares on both U.S. and international markets; HFM does not. HFM offers copy trading, whereas XTB does not. In independent assessments, XTB earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks 15th out of 63 brokers, while HFM receives 4 stars and ranks 37th.
| 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 both make it easy to try before you trade with free demo (paper) accounts. Each broker offers a proprietary platform along with a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform, and both let you place trades directly from charts. Key differences: HFM supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while XTB does not support copy trading or MetaTrader. The number of built-in technical indicators and watchlist columns for either broker isn’t specified.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, ForexBrokers.com rates XTB at 4.5 stars and ranks it #9 out of 63 brokers, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #43. If you want MetaTrader or copy trading, HFM fits the bill; if you prefer a highly rated in-house platform and don’t need MetaTrader, XTB is a strong pick. In both cases, you can explore the platforms with a free demo account first.
| 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.
Both XTB and HFM offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, letting you trade forex and CFDs on the go. Each app supports price alerts, drawing trendlines on charts, and auto-saves your chart annotations, so your lines and shapes are there next time you open a chart. One thing missing from both the XTB mobile app and the HFM mobile app is watchlist symbol syncing between the mobile app and your online account—changes made in one place won’t carry over to the other.
For charting depth, XTB includes 39 built-in technical studies, while HFM offers 30. In independent ratings, XTB’s mobile app earns 4.5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com; HFM’s app earns 4 stars and ranks #40. If you want more indicators and a higher-rated experience, XTB has the edge. If your needs are basic and you value alerts and simple charting tools, either app will do.
| 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.
When comparing XTB and HFM for market research offerings, both platforms provide daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring that traders stay informed with reliable insights. Additionally, they both offer sentiment-based trading tools, allowing users to see the ratio of long or short positions across various instruments, as well as economic calendars that display key global news events, helping traders make informed decisions. However, when it comes to specialized analysis tools from companies like Autochartist and Trading Central, HFM stands out by offering Autochartist resources, whereas XTB does not support tools from either Autochartist or Trading Central.
Despite both brokers offering similar news and analysis, XTB emerges as the stronger contender in overall research quality, evidenced by its 5-star research rating and a commendable #7 rank out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, HFM has a 4-star rating and is ranked #20 among its peers. While both brokers offer valuable research tools, XTB's higher rating and ranking indicate a superior reputation in delivering quality market insights, which could be a crucial deciding factor for traders focusing on extensive research capabilities.
| 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.
For beginners comparing XTB vs HFM on education, both brokers deliver plenty of forex and CFD learning materials. Each offers ongoing client webinars at least once a month and has a sizable video library, including 10+ videos made for beginners and 10+ aimed at more experienced traders—useful as you progress. This mix of webinars and structured videos makes it easier to start with the basics and build skills over time.
When it comes to quality and recognition, XTB stands out: it earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. HFM also performs well, with a 4-star Education rating and a #37 ranking. If you want the higher-rated learning experience, XTB is the stronger pick; if you’re comfortable with a slightly lower rating, HFM still offers consistent webinars and a deep library of beginner and advanced content.
| 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 #30.
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 (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) | 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 | 1.00 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | 0.7 | |
| 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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