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.
Overall
Overall
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.
XM Group (founded 2009) and HFM (founded 2010) are online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. Using ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score scale—90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, under 59 not trusted—XM Group scores 93 (highly trusted), while HFM scores 85 (trusted).
In terms of regulation, XM Group holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, whereas HFM holds 2 Tier-1 and 3 Tier-2 licenses. Tier-1 regulators are viewed as highly trusted and Tier-2 as trusted, meaning XM Group emphasizes top-tier oversight, while HFM pairs fewer Tier-1 approvals with broader Tier-2 coverage.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
Based on available information, HFM generally edges out XM Group on pricing, though both brokers leave some questions around average spreads. HFM says its standard account typically shows 1.2 pips, while XM Group’s standard spreads are described as expensive. Each broker offers a commission-based “Zero” account, but neither publishes true average spreads for those accounts, which makes apples-to-apples comparisons harder. For commissions and fees, XM Group is rated 3.5/5 stars (ranked #34 of 63 by ForexBrokers.com), while HFM earns 4/5 stars (ranked #28 of 63).
XM Group: Standard account spreads are on the high side, and the broker does not publish average spreads for the commission-based XM Zero account. That lack of clarity can make it difficult to gauge typical trading costs. Rating: 3.5/5 stars; Ranking: #34 of 63 for Commissions and Fees.
HFM: Overall costs are slightly above the industry average. The company cites 1.2 pips as a “typical” spread on standard accounts, but without a date range the real average could be higher. The Zero account’s effective spread is quoted at 0.7 pips after commission, yet this is also not an average. Rating: 4/5 stars; Ranking: #28 of 63 for Commissions and Fees.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2 | 1.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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.
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Comparing the range of investments, XM Group lists 1,394 total instruments versus 500 at HFM. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or as spot contracts. XM Group offers 55 forex pairs, while HFM lists 102 pairs, giving currency traders more choice at HFM. A key difference: XM Group lets clients buy real, exchange-traded shares in both the U.S. and international markets, whereas HFM does not offer real stock trading. Both brokers support copy trading. Neither broker offers delivered cryptocurrency, but both provide cryptocurrency CFDs.
Based on ForexBrokers.com, XM Group earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks 19th out of 63 brokers; HFM earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 28th. In short, pick XM Group if you want access to actual stocks along with a larger overall list of markets, and consider HFM if your priority is a bigger selection of forex pairs. Both include copy trading and crypto CFDs.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
HFM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 102 |
| 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.
Choosing between XM Group and HFM for trading platforms and tools? Both brokers make it easy to start with a free demo (paper) account and support the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) suites. You can trade on Windows desktop downloads or in a web browser, place orders directly from charts, and access copy trading at either broker. One key difference: HFM also offers a proprietary in-house platform alongside MetaTrader, while XM Group focuses on MetaTrader only.
For tools, both brokers include chart trading and watchlists, though exact counts for built-in indicators or watchlist fields aren’t specified here. Ratings are close: each earns 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools from ForexBrokers.com. In that category, XM Group ranks #27 out of 63 brokers, while HFM ranks #33. If you want an in-house platform option, HFM stands out; if you prefer a MetaTrader-centered setup with a slightly higher category rank, XM Group has the edge.
| 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) | 30 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XM Group and HFM both offer iPhone and Android mobile trading apps with price alerts for forex and stocks, 30 technical indicators for charting, and the ability to draw trendlines. Each app earned 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings out of 63 brokers, XM Group placed 26th and HFM placed 32nd.
Key differences: XM Group syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so changes update across devices, while HFM does not. However, HFM auto-saves your chart drawings, and XM Group does not. Choose XM Group if synced watchlists are essential; choose HFM if you want chart annotations to save automatically.
| 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 | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing XM Group vs HFM for market research: both brokers publish daily market commentary, stream forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg/Reuters/Dow Jones, and provide an economic calendar and a sentiment tool showing the long/short ratio across instruments. The key difference is in their analysis add‑ons—XM Group includes Trading Central tools, while HFM offers Autochartist. Neither broker integrates TipRanks or Acuity Trading/Signal Centre.
For research quality, XM Group earns 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while HFM earns 4 stars and ranks #18. Traders who value Trading Central’s insights may lean toward XM Group, whereas fans of Autochartist’s pattern detection may prefer HFM; both still cover the essentials with news, commentary, calendars, and sentiment data.
| 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 | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing XM Group vs HFM for beginner trading education, both brokers make it easy to get started. Each runs client webinars at least once a month and offers sizable video libraries with 10+ beginner lessons plus 10+ advanced videos, so you can build basics and then level up. This mix of frequent webinars and step‑by‑step videos gives new traders clear guidance without feeling overwhelming.
Where they differ is in quality and recognition. XM Group earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers with ForexBrokers.com, while HFM holds 4 stars and ranks #29. If you want the higher‑rated learning path, XM Group has the edge; if you’re looking for steady webinars and a solid library of beginner and advanced videos, HFM still delivers good value.
| 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 MetaTrader-only broker that offers a strong selection of high-quality educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XM Group
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HFM
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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 |
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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 | 1 | 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 | ||
| 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 | XM Group | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 102 | |
| 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) - Standard account | 2 | 1.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 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 | 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) | 30 | 15 | |
| 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| 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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