| Feature | Pocket Option | HF Markets (HFM) |
|---|---|---|
| Company Overview | Established in 2017, focuses on binary options trading, regulated by the Mwali International Services Authority (MISA) | Founded in 2010, offers forex and CFD trading, regulated by multiple authorities including CySEC, FCA, and DFSA |
| Trading Instruments | Primarily binary options on forex pairs, stocks, commodities, cryptocurrencies | CFDs on forex, metals, energies, stocks, indices, commodities, bonds, ETFs |
| Trading Platforms | Proprietary web-based platform, mobile app for iOS and Android | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), proprietary HFM mobile app |
| Account Types | Standard account with a minimum deposit of $50 | Premium (no minimum deposit), Premium Pro ($500 minimum), Zero (no minimum deposit), Islamic (swap-free) |
| Minimum Trade Size | $1 | 0.01 lots |
| Leverage | Up to 1:500 | Up to 1:30 (EU clients), up to 1:1000 (global clients) |
| Spreads and Commissions | Fixed spreads, no commissions | Floating spreads from 1.4 pips (Premium), from 1 pip (Premium Pro), from 0 pips with commissions (Zero) |
| Deposit and Withdrawal Methods | Credit/debit cards, e-wallets, cryptocurrencies, no fees for deposits or withdrawals | Credit/debit cards, bank wire transfers, e-wallets like Neteller and Skrill, no deposit or withdrawal fees |
| Regulation and Security | Regulated by MISA, offers two-factor authentication (2FA) | Regulated by CySEC, FCA, DFSA, FSCA, FSA, CMA, provides negative balance protection, segregated accounts |
| Educational Resources | Video tutorials, webinars, articles, trading strategies | E-books, webinars, daily market analysis, economic calendar |
| Customer Support | 24/7 support via live chat, email, phone | 24/5 support via live chat, email, phone |
| Additional Features | Social trading, demo account, tournaments, achievements and rewards system | Autochartist tool, copy trading via HFCopy, advanced insights dashboard, premium trader tools |
| Order Execution Type | Market execution, instant execution | Market execution, no dealing desk (NDD), STP and ECN execution |
| Trading Hours | 24/7 trading including weekends for cryptocurrencies and OTC assets | 24/5 trading for forex and CFDs, weekends for cryptocurrency CFDs (if available) |
| Scalping & Hedging | Scalping possible but limited, hedging allowed | Scalping allowed, hedging allowed, arbitrage discouraged |
| Trailing Stop | Available on selected assets | Available across all assets |
| Stop-Loss & Take-Profit Orders | Available for some instruments | Fully customizable across all instruments |
| Chart Types | Line, candlestick, bar, Heikin-Ashi | Line, candlestick, bar, Renko, Kagi, Point & Figure |
| Technical Indicators | 30+ indicators including RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands | 50+ indicators including Fibonacci, Ichimoku Cloud, Autochartist integration |
| Graphical Tools | Trend lines, Fibonacci retracement, support/resistance levels | Advanced drawing tools, Fibonacci, Gann fans, Elliott Wave tools |
| One-Click Trading | Enabled on web and mobile | Enabled on MT4, MT5, and HFM platforms |
| Custom Scripts & Bots | No external scripts, built-in copy trading system | Allows custom Expert Advisors (EAs), algorithmic trading supported on MT4 & MT5 |
| Risk Management Tools | Multipliers, fixed payout limits, demo mode | Margin call alerts, negative balance protection, auto-close positions |
| Deposit Processing Time | Instant for e-wallets and cryptocurrencies, 1–3 business days for cards and bank transfers | Instant for most methods, 1–3 business days for bank transfers |
| Withdrawal Processing Time | 24 hours for e-wallets and cryptocurrencies, 1–5 business days for bank cards | Same-day for e-wallets, 2–5 business days for bank transfers |
| Affiliate & Referral Program | Tiered commission structure, up to 50% revenue share | Multi-tier IB program, commission-based or rebate-based earnings |
| VIP & Loyalty Programs | VIP accounts with higher payouts, cashback on trades, achievement rewards | No dedicated VIP program, but cashback rebates for high-volume traders |
| Bonus Offers & Promotions | Deposit bonuses, risk-free trades, cash rewards for competitions | Welcome bonuses (for non-EU clients), loyalty programs, trading contests |
| Market News & Insights | Basic news updates within the trading platform | Advanced market analysis, daily reports, Autochartist alerts, real-time news |
| Mobile Trading Features | Fully functional mobile app, simple interface, push notifications | MT4/MT5 mobile apps, HFM proprietary app, advanced charting features |
| Copy Trading & Social Trading | Built-in social trading, allows following experienced traders | HFCopy system for copy trading, adjustable risk parameters |
| Algo Trading & API Access | No API access, limited automation | API access for professional traders, full algo-trading support |
| Swap Fees & Overnight Charges | No swap fees (binary options), commissions based on trade duration | Swap fees on overnight positions, swap-free (Islamic) accounts available |
| Order Types | Market orders, pending orders (limited availability), instant execution | Market orders, pending orders (limit, stop, stop-limit), trailing stop, OCO (One-Cancels-the-Other) |
| Slippage Control | Fixed pricing for binary options, no slippage control | Slippage control available, adjustable execution settings on MT4/MT5 |
| Liquidity Providers | Internal liquidity from proprietary system, market maker model | Multiple Tier-1 liquidity providers, ECN and STP execution available |
| Margin Call & Stop-Out Levels | Margin call at 20%, stop-out at 10% | Margin call at 50%, stop-out at 20% (varies by account type) |
| Price Alerts & Notifications | Price alerts via push notifications and email | Price alerts via MT4/MT5, SMS, email, push notifications |
| Depth of Market (DOM) | Not available | Available on MT5 for real-time order book analysis |
| Execution Speed | Less than 1 second for binary trades | Ultra-low latency execution, typically <100ms |
| ECN Trading Access | Not supported | Available via Zero Spread and Premium Pro accounts |
| Account Segregation | Funds held in operational accounts | Client funds held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks |
| Profit Withdrawal Restrictions | No restrictions on profit withdrawals | No restrictions, but identity verification required for withdrawals |
| Auto Close Feature | Auto-close on fixed payout threshold | Auto-close based on stop-loss, take-profit, and margin levels |
| Account Verification Time | Instant trading with limited verification, full verification in 24–48 hours | Full verification within 24–72 hours required before trading |
| Negative Balance Protection | Available on all accounts | Provided across all accounts to prevent losses exceeding deposits |
| Requote Policy | No requotes, fixed pricing | No requotes under normal market conditions, variable spreads |
| Account Inactivity Fees | No inactivity fees | Inactivity fee applies after 6 months of no trading activity |
| Trading Competitions | Frequent tournaments with cash prizes and trading rewards | Trading contests for high-volume traders, cash and bonus rewards |
| High-Frequency Trading (HFT) Support | Not supported | Supported for ECN accounts with fast execution speeds |
| Arbitrage Trading | Not allowed | Not allowed, monitored for unfair trading practices |
| Timeframes for Charting | Short-term charts focused on binary trading (5s, 10s, 30s, 1m, etc.) | Standard timeframes from 1-minute to monthly charts |
| Volatility Protection | Fixed risk per trade, no slippage adjustments | Features like guaranteed stop-loss, negative balance protection |
| Custom Trading Indicators | Cannot upload custom indicators | Allows custom indicators and scripts via MT4/MT5 |
| PAMM & MAM Accounts | Not available | PAMM (Percentage Allocation Money Management) and MAM (Multi-Account Management) accounts available for fund managers |
| Trading Journal & History | Simple trade history log | Detailed trade history, downloadable reports, advanced analytics |
| Customizable Interface | Basic customization options | Fully customizable workspace in MT4/MT5 |
| Customer Support Languages | Supports multiple languages but limited availability in regional dialects | Supports over 25 languages with localized customer service |
| VIP & Exclusive Trading Features | Higher payout percentages, risk-free trades, faster withdrawals | Premium account benefits like lower spreads, free VPS, and one-on-one coaching |
| VPS (Virtual Private Server) Access | Not offered | Free VPS for high-volume traders, paid VPS for other users |
| Corporate Accounts | Not available | Corporate and institutional accounts available |
| Asset Liquidity | Market maker liquidity for binary options | High liquidity for forex and CFDs, ECN/STP connectivity |
| Order Book Visibility | Not available | Available on MT5 through Depth of Market (DOM) |
| Guaranteed Stop-Loss | Not applicable (binary options) | Available, but subject to additional fees in volatile conditions |
Pocket Option is a binary options platform with a simple interface, while HF Markets (HFM) is a multi-asset forex and CFD broker with advanced tools, tighter spreads, and institutional-grade liquidity.