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Firstrade vs HFM : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Firstrade

Firstrade

VS
HFM

HFM

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Broker Overview

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

STP broker

Market maker broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1985

2010

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1Million

2500000 clients


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA, SEC

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

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.

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

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

No

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

2200+ ETFs including CDs, Treasury bills, Notets and bonds, Primary market CDs, Zeros and strips and more

Over 500 markets including energies

Currency Pairs

No

Yes

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

Yes- Through ETFs

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes- Through ETFs

Yes

CFDs

No

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

No

Futures

No

No

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Fractional Shares

Yes

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Yes

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

Yes

Yes

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

Yes

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Firstrade platform

HFM Platform, Web trading, Mobile trading

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

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

Brokerage account- Individual, Joint, Custodial, Retirement- Retirement (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA), Corporate, Trust, International, Education Planning, Business Planning

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

Demo Account (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Minimum Deposit

$0

$0

Leverage Available

No

1:1000- 1:2000

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

60/ 200 Standard lots per position depends on account types

Commission (per account type)

$0

$0

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

Both beginners and experienced traders

Beginners to experienced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Wire Fund Transfer, Check deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer

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

Withdrawal Methods

Wire Fund Transfer, Check Deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer, Withdrawal of sales proceed

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

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

FasaPay, Neteller


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

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

Education Center, Investment Education Videos, Option Guide, Margin Guide, Webinars, Tax center, Blogs, Upcoming IPOs

Webinars, eBooks and Guides, Video Tutorials


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Commission for stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual funds- $0, Fixed income- Treasury Bills, Notes & Bonds, Municipal Bonds, Agency Bonds, Secondary Market CDs, Zeros & Strips- Net yield basis, Primary Market CDs- $30, Broker-Assisted Stock & Options Trades- $19.95 (+$0.50/Contract)

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)

Typical

Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

$0

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

No

34:20:00


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$10 inactive for 90 days

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

$0

Advisory Fees

0.20-0.30%

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

NA

$0

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

NA

Account Opening Fee

$0

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

$0

Deposit Fee

$0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

3%

$0

Withdrawal Fee

$25-$75

$0


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Pre-Market: 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM ET Regular Market: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET After-Hours: 4:05 PM to 8:00 PM ET

Varies by instrument


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Customer Support

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

Monday - Friday,10am - 4pm ET

24/5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: U.S. Toll Free: 1-800-869-8800, Outside the US: 1-718-961-6600, E-mail, FAQ, Fax: 1-718-961-3919

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

Support Languages

3

27+


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

30-50 Whitestone Expwy. Ste. A301 Flushing, NY 11354

financial hub of Limassol, Cyprus

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


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.
Firstrade is known for competitive pricing on basic trades, especially for beginners. However, HFM fee structure, though slightly higher, covers a broader range of services, making it more suitable for active traders.
Firstrade makes starting out easy with a simple application, especially for retail clients. HFM platform, while requiring more effort to join, allows experienced traders to customize their accounts from the start.
Traders who value simplicity and execution speed may prefer Firstrade platform. Meanwhile, HFM offers more flexibility through tools like advanced order types and multi-screen support.
For market veterans, Firstrade brings the tools they need. New investors might find HFM more approachable and cost-effective.