In a head to head, Exness and HFM clash over trust, costs, and platform access. The matchup tests regulation and pricing against leverage and instrument breadth.
Exness outperforms HFM on the overall editorial score, reflecting stronger trust, pricing, platforms, and support.
Find out which broker best suits your trader profile.
Choose Exness if…
Choose Exness if you want a $1 minimum deposit and access to very high leverage up to 2000:1 on offshore accounts. You also benefit from instant withdrawals 24/7, including weekends, and regulation by FCA, CySEC, FSCA, and OJK.
Choose HFM if…
Choose HFM if you prefer a no minimum deposit to open an account and access HFcopy copy trading. You also have the option of a raw spread account and high offshore leverage up to 2000:1, with FCA, CySEC, FSCA, and DFSA oversight.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
HFM offers tighter spreads from 0.00 pips vs 0.30 pips for Exness, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 4.4/ 5 | 4.1/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.3 / 5▲ | 4.1 / 5 |
Pros
Near-unlimited leverage on offshore entity
Extremely low $1 minimum deposit on Standard account
Instant withdrawals available 24/7 including weekends
One of the world's highest-volume retail FX brokers
Regulated by top-tier authorities (FCA, ASIC, CySEC)
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | Exness | HFM |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Pass | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Pass | Pass |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS) | Pass | Pass |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Pass | Pass |
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Pass | Pass |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Pass |
| Proprietary platform | Fail | Fail |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Pass |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Pass |
The scores are close: Exness rates 4.4/5 and HFM rates 4.1/5. Exness has a marginal edge in our scoring, but the difference is small enough that your specific priorities — fees, platforms, or regulatory jurisdiction — should guide the final choice.
HFM starts from 0 pips, tighter than Exness's 0.3 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
HFM has no minimum deposit, while Exness requires at least $1. This makes HFM more accessible for traders with limited starting capital.
Both Exness and HFM hold licences from top-tier regulators, indicating a high standard of regulatory oversight. Check each broker's specific regulatory bodies to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.
For beginners, two factors stand out: HFM has no minimum deposit, removing the capital barrier entirely, and both brokers provide negative balance protection. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
Exness lists maximum leverage of 2000:1, while HFM lists up to 2000:1. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
Exness charges $3.5 per lot, lower than HFM's $6 per lot. Lower commissions benefit active traders who execute many trades per day.
Exness supports MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, while HFM supports MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4. Both provide MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4.
Exness wins for safety and regulation due to FCA, CySEC, FSCA, and OJK oversight.
HFM wins for active traders due to a larger instrument universe and HFcopy copy trading.
Exness is better suited for scalpers: lower commission ($3.5/lot).
HFM wins for beginners due to a no minimum deposit requirement to open.
HFM wins for instrument variety with a broader 1000 instrument offering.
Equally matched on platform choice; both offer MT4 and MT5.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.6 / 5▲ | 4.1 / 5 |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.4 / 5▲ | 4.0 / 5 |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.3 / 5▲ | 4.0 / 5 |
|---|
| Founded | 2008 | 2010 |
|---|
| Headquarters | Limassol, Cyprus | Limassol, Cyprus |
|---|
| Min Deposit | $1 | No minimum▼ lower |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.3 pips | 0 pips▼ lower |
|---|
| Commission / lot | $3.5/lot▼ lower | $6/lot |
|---|
| 0.65 pips | 0.6 pips▼ lower |
| Max Leverage | 2,000:1 | 2,000:1 |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | None | None |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerPerfect MoneyCryptoP2P | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerFasaPay |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNetellerPerfect MoneyCrypto | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNetellerFasaPay |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | FCA FSCA OJK CySEC | FCA FSCA DFSA CySEC |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 5 MetaTrader 4 | MetaTrader 5 MetaTrader 4 |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Pros
No minimum deposit required to open an account
Copy trading via HFcopy platform
FCA, CySEC, and FSCA regulation
High leverage up to 2000:1 on offshore entity
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
Raw spread account available
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Cons
Not available to US residents
EU clients face significant leverage restrictions
Unlimited leverage carries extreme risk for inexperienced traders
No proprietary platform
Cons
2000:1 leverage is extremely risky for inexperienced traders
No cTrader support
Zero account commission of $6/lot is above some ECN peers
No proprietary platform
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4.1 / 5
Personalised recommendation
Answer 6 quick questions and we’ll match you with the brokers that best fit your trading style, experience level, and country.
Find my broker