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

Broker Name

HFM

HFM

VS
Pepperstone

Pepperstone

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Broker Overview

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

Market maker broker

ECN broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2010

2010

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

2500000 clients

400,000 traders


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

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

FCA, ASIC, DFSA, CySEC, CMA, BaFin, and SCB

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

2024 Forex Broker of the Year by BrokerWahl.de, TradingView Social Champion 2023

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

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Over 500 markets including energies

1200+ trading assets including shares, currencies indices

Currency Pairs

Yes

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Yes

Indices

Yes

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

Yes

CFDs

Yes

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

No

Options

No

No

Futures

No

No

Bonds

Yes

No

Mutual Funds

No

No

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

Yes

No

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

Yes

Yes

MT5

Yes

Yes

cTrader

No

Yes

Social Trading

Yes

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

HFM Platform, Web trading, Mobile trading

Pepperstone proprietary platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

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

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

Standard and Razor account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Minimum Deposit

$0

$0

Leverage Available

1:1000- 1:2000

1:20 to 1:500

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

60/ 200 Standard lots per position depends on account types

100 lots trading size

Commission (per account type)

$0

Razor account - $3, Standard account -$0

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginner to experienced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Credit/debit card, Bank transfer, e-wallets, Union pay, USDT

Withdrawal Methods

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

Credit/debit card, Bank transfer, e-wallets, Union pay, USDT

Other E-Wallets Supported

FasaPay, Neteller

Neteller,skrill, PayPal


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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

Trading Education Online Courses, Market Analysis and Insights, Webinars, Trading Guides and eBooks, Video Tutorials, The Daily Fix Market News and Analysis, Pepperstone Blog Trading Insights


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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

Spread-1.2 pips

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

Razor account: $3.50 per lot, Raw account: $7 per lot, cTrader:$6 round trip per unit, TradingView: $7 roundtrip per unit

Options Contract Fees

NA

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

$0

1 pip on FX pairs

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

Charges apply

Maximum Leverage

34:20:00

1:500


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$10 inactive for 90 days

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

$0

NA

Advisory Fees

NA

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

$0

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

$0

NA

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

NA

Deposit Fee

$0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

$0

Razor Account- $29.36, Standard Account - $48.12, Swap-free Account $58.78

Withdrawal Fee

$0

$0


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Varies by instrument

VIX 00:01 - 23:59 (Opens Monday 01:00; Friday close 23:55), NAS100 01:00 - 23:15, 23:30 - 23:59 (Closes Friday 23:55), HK Share CFDs 4:30-7:00, 8:00-11:00, US Share CFDs 16:31 - 22:55


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Customer Support

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

24/5

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

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

Phone: +1786 628 1209, Email: [email protected], Live chat

Support Languages

27+

8+


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

financial hub of Limassol, Cyprus

Melbourne, Australia

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 is known for competitive pricing on basic trades, especially for beginners. However, Pepperstone fee structure, though slightly higher, covers a broader range of services, making it more suitable for active traders.
Account approval at HFM is usually completed within hours, often with automated ID checks. Pepperstone might take longer due to manual reviews, but provides in-depth onboarding support along the way.
If you're looking for platform speed and ease of execution, HFM delivers a smooth experience. Pepperstone, however, is tailored toward traders who want deeper analysis tools and portfolio insights.
HFM stands out for active traders with robust tools, while Pepperstone suits investors seeking simplicity and ease of use.