E*TRADE vs HFM : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

E*TRADE

HFM

Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

Both ECN and STP broker

Market maker broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1982

2010

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

5.2 million client accounts

2500000 clients

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC

FSC, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, ISA, FSCA, MAS, CMA, FMA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Investor App and #1 Web Trading Platform for 2024, Benzinga's 2023 Global Fintech Awards

Best Global Affliiate Programs 2024, Best Trading Accounts Global, Best Stock Broker 2023, Best Trading Platform Broker

Security Measures

SIPC

Civil Liability insurance program with a limit of €5,000,000

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Over 50,000 offerings, including US Treasury trades

Over 500 markets including energies

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Yes

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Equities

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

Yes

MT5

Yes

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app

HFM Platform, Web trading, Mobile trading

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

Brokerage, Retirement, Core portfolio, Managed portfolio, Small business retirement , bank

Cent, Zero, Pro , Premium, Corporate, Joint account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Yes

Minimum Deposit

Leverage Available

1:1000- 1:2000

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

60/ 200 Standard lots per position depends on account types

Commission (per account type)

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginners to experienced traders

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Transfer money, Wire transfer, Transfer an account, Deposit a check ,Direct Deposit

Bank Transfers, Wire transfers, Credit/Debit cards,Crypto, e-Wallets

Withdrawal Methods

E-wallets, check, Wire transfer

Bank Transfers, Wire transfers, Credit/Debit cards,Crypto, e-Wallets

Other E-Wallets Supported

Electronic transfer

FasaPay, Neteller

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Educational Resources, Tools, Market News and Insights, Tutorials and Webinars

Webinars, eBooks and Guides, Video Tutorials

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs- $0, Bonds- $1, FINRA trading activity fee- $0.000166

Spread: starts from 0.0- 1.2 pips, commissions: $0.03 per 1k lot, Commission for Forex: $0.03 - $3, gold: $7- $14

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

$0.65

Futures Contract Fees

$1.50

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

34:20:00

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$10 inactive for 90 days

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.30%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Statement or Document Fee

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

$15/ month

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

Direct trade-$0.005 per share, Broker assisted trader- $25

Withdrawal Fee

Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Sunday 5 p.m. CT to Friday 4 p.m. CT

Varies by instrument

Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

8 AM - 8 PM ET on weekdays

24/5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Live chat, FAQ, Phone- 800-387-2331, 800-838-0908, Beneficiary Services: [email protected] General inquiries: [email protected]

Live support: Available 24/5, Email : [email protected], Phone: +44-203 097 85 71

Support Languages

27+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty

financial hub of Limassol, Cyprus

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.

If minimizing trading costs is your top priority, E*TRADE might be more attractive due to its lower commissions. Meanwhile, HFM justifies its moderate fees with more robust tools and professional-grade features.

E*TRADE gets you trading faster thanks to its minimal entry barriers. In comparison, HFM account setup is slower but includes extra layers of financial screening and suitability assessments.

E*TRADE provides a modern trading experience with its proprietary platform, ideal for technical traders. HFM, on the other hand, offers more research tools and is better suited for data-driven investors.

E*TRADE is geared toward frequent trading and analytics, while HFM fits those who value simplicity and guided experiences.

Explore More Broker Matchups

Here are more Comparisons to help you choose wisely

Compare E*TRADE and TradeStation

Compare E*TRADE and HYCM

Compare E*TRADE and AMP Global

Compare HFM and Trading.com

Compare HFM and interactive investor

Compare HFM and Exness

Our Latest Contents

Stay updated with our newest insights and guides!

Top Broker Reviews

Discover brokers trusted by global traders.

Select Your Brokers to Compare