Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FP Markets 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.
Comparing online brokers FP Markets and HFM: FP Markets launched in 2005, while HFM began in 2010. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank. On regulation, both hold two Tier‑1 licenses (viewed as highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com). For Tier‑2 licenses (considered trusted), FP Markets holds one, while HFM holds three.
Trust Score: FP Markets scores 90/99 with ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the highly trusted range (90–99). HFM scores 85/99, which sits in the trusted range (80–89). For context, ForexBrokers.com classifies 70–79 as average risk, 60–69 as high risk, and below 59 as not trusted.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
FP Markets is the better pick for commissions and fees overall, especially if you use its commission-based Raw ECN account on MetaTrader or cTrader. Its Raw ECN pricing is very competitive, with average spreads around 0.1 pips on EUR/USD and an all-in cost of about 0.8 pips after commission, while the Standard account is more expensive with wider spreads. FP Markets also earned a 4.5-star rating and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees, plus it received Best in Class honors in our 2024 Annual Awards.
HFM is still fairly priced, but its costs are a bit above the industry average. Its standard account typically shows spreads around 1.2 pips, while the Zero account can come in at an effective 0.7 pips after commission. However, the available spread figures are less clear-cut than FP Markets’ pricing, which makes it harder to judge exact cost savings. HFM holds a 4-star rating and ranks #29 out of 36 brokers in the commissions and fees category.
In simple terms, FP Markets offers the lower-cost setup for most active traders, especially those who want tighter spreads and commission-based pricing. HFM may still work for traders who prefer its account structure, but FP Markets has the stronger edge on fees, rating, and ranking.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 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.
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FP Markets offers a wider range of investments than HFM, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more market variety. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, offer copy trading, and let clients trade cryptocurrency CFDs rather than actual crypto. However, FP Markets stands out with 10,000 tradeable symbols and 71 forex pairs, compared with HFM’s 344 symbols and 38 forex pairs. Neither broker offers direct access to exchange traded U.S. or international shares, and neither allows clients to buy delivered cryptocurrency.
In industry ratings, FP Markets also scores better for range of investments, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars and placing 17th out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 29th out of 36. For traders looking for a broader selection of markets, FP Markets has the edge over HFM.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 344 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 38 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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.
FP Markets and HFM both give traders a wide choice of platform options, making them closely matched for trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo account, its own in-house platform, a Windows desktop app, a web-based platform, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. Both also let users place trades straight from a chart, which is helpful for active traders who want to move quickly.
When it comes to overall ratings, both FP Markets and HFM earned 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. FP Markets has the edge in ForexBrokers.com’s category ranking, placing #22 out of 36 brokers, while HFM sits at #34. Based on this comparison, the two brokers look very similar in everyday platform features, but FP Markets appears to have a slight lead in independent ranking.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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) | 30 | 38 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FP Markets and HFM both give mobile traders a solid set of basics, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, trendline drawing, and automatic saving for chart drawings. Neither broker offers watchlist syncing between the mobile app and online account, so changes made on one device will not carry over to the other. Both apps are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading.
The main difference is in charting depth and overall ranking. FP Markets uses the MetaTrader app’s default chart tools, while HFM lists 5 technical studies in its mobile app. Even so, FP Markets comes out ahead in ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, placing #20 out of 36 brokers compared with HFM at #33. For traders who want a stronger overall mobile app experience, FP Markets has the edge, while HFM still covers the core features most mobile users need.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | MetaTrader (Default) | 5 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FP Markets and HFM both offer a strong set of market research tools for traders who want help tracking price moves and news. Each broker provides daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, sentiment tools, Autochartist, and an economic calendar covering upcoming global events. Neither broker includes TipRanks research, so in this area they are evenly matched for most everyday research needs.
The main differences are in the extra tools each platform offers. FP Markets includes Trading Central, which HFM does not, while HFM offers Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre, which FP Markets does not. Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Research, though HFM places slightly higher in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, coming in at #18 out of 36 brokers versus FP Markets at #22.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | 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.
FP Markets and HFM both give beginners a solid starting point, with each broker offering forex and CFD education, monthly client webinars, and a wide set of beginner and advanced video lessons. That means new traders can find basic market explanations as well as more experienced topics at either broker, making both platforms useful for learning at different stages. Each broker also earns 4 out of 5 stars for Education, so they are closely matched in overall quality.
Where FP Markets has the edge is in its Education ranking with ForexBrokers.com, where it places #22 out of 36 brokers, compared with HFM at #29. In simple terms, both brokers provide a similar range of learning tools, but FP Markets scores a little better overall for education. For beginners looking for a broker with plenty of videos, webinars, and forex or CFD learning content, FP Markets and HFM are both good options, with FP Markets slightly ahead.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
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 FP Markets is better than HFM. FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19, while HFM finished with an overall rank of #27.
FP Markets shines as a low-cost broker for trading forex and CFDs – as long as you use the MetaTrader platform. The Iress platform suite offers well over 10,000 tradeable symbols, but it’s mostly a share trading platform – and is generally a much pricier option.
| Feature |
FP Markets
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HFM
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 90 | 85 |
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FP Markets vs HFM: Neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal methods, FP Markets and HFM both support bank wire transfers and Skrill and do not offer ACH or SEPA, but only FP Markets supports PayPal while HFM does not.
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 | FP Markets | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 90 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review | HFM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FP Markets | HFM | |
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| Regulation | FP Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 90 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FP Markets | 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) | FP Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | FP Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 344 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 38 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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 | FP Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FP Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $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 | FP Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | FP Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 38 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FP Markets | 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 | MetaTrader (Default) | 5 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FP Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FP Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FP Markets | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FP Markets Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | FP Markets | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 90 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review | HFM Review |
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