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

Broker Name

HFM

HFM

VS
Interactive Investor

Interactive Investor

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Broker Overview

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

Market maker broker

None

Years of Existence / Established Year

2010

1995

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

2500000 clients

over 430,000


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

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

FCA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

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

Best Stocks and Shares ISA - The Times Money Mentor Awards 2024 Boring Money Best Buy ISA - AIC Shareholder Engagement Award 2024 Boring Money Best Buy Pension - AIC Shareholder Engagement Award 2024 Best online stock broker 2023 - ADVFN International Financial Awards

Security Measures

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

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

No


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Over 500 markets including energies

43,000 + funds, Shares, Glits

Currency Pairs

Yes

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Yes

Indices

Yes

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

No

CFDs

Yes

No

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

No

No

Futures

No

No

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

No

Yes

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

Yes

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

Yes

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

Yes

No

MT5

Yes

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

Yes

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

No

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

HFM Platform, Web trading, Mobile trading

Online ii Community - for social trading

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes only Web


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Account Types & Conditions

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

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

Trading Account SIPP Stocks & Shares ISA Junior ISA Cash Savings Managed ISA Joint Trading Account Company Account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Minimum Deposit

$0

Euro 250

Leverage Available

1:1000- 1:2000

Info not available

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

60/ 200 Standard lots per position depends on account types

Varies for each product

Commission (per account type)

$0

Monthly fee ISA / Trading account - £ 4.99 for investment upto £ 50,000 - £ 11.99 (no limit) SIPP - £ 5.99 for investment upto £50,000 - £12.99 (no limit) ISA + Trading Account + SIPP - £ 9.99 for investment upto £75,000 - £ 21.99 (no limit)

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Cash savings Ac - Bank transfer Debit cards Cheque Payit from Natwest

Withdrawal Methods

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

Bank Transfer

Other E-Wallets Supported

FasaPay, Neteller

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

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

Webinars, eBooks and Guides, Video Tutorials

StockScreener - Intuitive tool to explore the markets


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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

UK & US shares, funds, ETFs, bonds and gilts - £3.99, Other international shares - £9.99 / £5.99 (Super Investor), Dividend reinvestment - £0.99, For value over £100,000 - 0.04% of trade value, Buying / Selling other international shares - £9.99, For value over £25,000 - 0.10% of trade value, International trading fees for super investors - £5.99

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Info not available

Per Lot Fees

NA

£ 3.99 per trade

Options Contract Fees

NA

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

$0

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

34:20:00

Info not available


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$10 inactive for 90 days

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

$0

Super Investor plan - £ 19.99 per month Super Investor + SIPP = £29.99 per month

Advisory Fees

NA

$0

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

$0

NA

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

$0

NA

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

Administrative charges Share certificate withdrawal - £ 35 + VAT - Per certificate Failed payments or late settlement - £ 25 Paper documents - £ 3 + VAT per document Contract notes sent by post - £ 1.50 + VAT per document VCTs processing charge - £ 30 per application

Deposit Fee

$0

£ 0

Currency Conversion Fee

$0

Value converted FX charge £ 0 - £ 24,999.99 1.5% £ 25,000 - £ 49,999.99 1.25% £ 50,000 - £ 99,999.99 1.00% £ 100,000 - £ 599,999.99 0.50% £ 600,000 or more 0.25%

Withdrawal Fee

$0

Urgent withdrawals cost - £15


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

Yes


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Varies by instrument

UK- Pre-market: 7 AM - 9:30 AM After-hours: 4:05 PM - 8 PM


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Customer Support

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

24/5

7.45am to 5.30pm (GMT) Monday - Friday

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

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

Tel: 0345 607 6001 From abroad: +44 113 346 2309

Support Languages

27+

1


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

financial hub of Limassol, Cyprus

Leeds One Embankment, Neville Street, Leeds, LS1 4DW

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.
HFM stands out for its zero-commission trading model, appealing to cost-conscious investors. In contrast, interactive investor offers more comprehensive services with slightly higher fees, especially for advanced tools and asset classes.
HFM offers a quick and paperless account setup that appeals to traders on the go, whereas interactive investor more involved onboarding process adds an extra layer of safety and regulatory checks.
HFM provides a modern trading experience with its proprietary or MT4/MT5 platform, ideal for technical traders. interactive investor , on the other hand, offers more research tools and is better suited for data-driven investors.
HFM caters to serious traders who value advanced features, whereas interactive investor appeals to beginners due to its user-friendly platform.