Alison Heyerdahl
Edited by Alison Heyerdahl
Author Chris Cammack
Author

HFM vs. Octa

In the fast-paced world of forex trading, choosing the right broker is crucial. HFM and Octa are two popular options, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. This comparison will dive into the key features of both platforms,helping you decide which one best suits your trading style and goals.

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Brokers Comparison
Our Score
4.53
/ 5
4.37
/ 5
Trust Rating
Trading Conditions
Trading Platforms
Deposit & Withdrawal
Assets Available
Education & Research
Customer Service
Beginner Friendly
Analysis Research
Min. Deposit
USD 0
USD 25

Regulations

Regulation
Capital Markets AuthorityCyprus Securities and Exchange CommissionDubai Financial Services AuthorityFinancial Conduct Authority
Financial Services CommissionFinancial Sector Conduct AuthorityThe Seychelles Financial Services Authority
Cyprus Securities and Exchange CommissionFinancial Services CommissionFinancial Sector Conduct AuthorityMwali International Services Authority
Trading Desk Type
STP
STP
Trading Instruments
Bonds, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Energies, Stock CFDs, ETFs, Forex, Indices, Metals, Stock DMAs
Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Stock CFDs, Forex, Indices, Metals

Conditions

Forex Pairs
53
52
Crypto Pairs
40
34
Pros
  • Low minimum deposit
  • Tight spreads
  • Well regulated
  • Good range of accounts
  • Fast and free withdrawals
  • Low minimum deposit
  • Tight spreads
Cons
  • Limited base currencies
  • Fast and free withdrawals
  • Low minimum deposit
  • Tight spreads
% Lose with this broker
72.90%
67.65%
Leverage
2000:1
1000:1
Spread
0 pips
0.60 pips
Hedging
Yes
Yes
Scalping
Yes
Yes
Account Types
Micro, Hf Copy Trading, HFCopy, HFM Copy Trading, Islamic, Premium, Pro, Pro Plus, Pro Plus, Zero
MT4, MT5, OctaTrader
Islamic Account
Yes
Yes
Trading Platforms
MT4, MT5, HFM Trading App
MT4, MT5, OctaTrader
Funding Methods
Bank Transfer, Mastercard, Skrill, Visa
Bitcoin, Mastercard, Neteller, Skrill, Visa
Trading Commissions
6 USD / lot - Zero Account
Fees Included in Spread
HFM
Octa
Trust Rating
4.5
4
Trading Conditions
4.5
4.5
Trading Platforms
4.5
4.5
Deposit & Withdrawal
4.5
5
Assets Available
4.5
4
Education & Research
5
4.5
Customer Service
4.5
4.5
Beginner Friendly
4
4
Analysis Research
5
5
Overall Rating
4.53
/ 5
4.37
/ 5

How Do HFM and Octa Compare?

The radar chart above illustrates the comparison between HFM and Octa across several key metrics, with the highest possible score being 100 in each category.

Helping You Choose the Right Broker

At FxScouts, our mission is to assist traders in finding the broker that best suits their needs. Comparing brokers side-by-side is an effective method to achieve this goal. We evaluated HFM and Octa, using our standard criteria: trust and regulation, trading platforms, costs and trading conditions, and educational and market analysis resources.

Trust and Regulation

Trust and regulation are crucial when selecting a Forex broker. A broker’s credibility is largely built on its regulatory status. We spend considerable time verifying the safety of each broker by examining their regulatory licenses.  We also consider numerous factors when deciding which tier a regulator belongs to. Regulators that we rank as the world’s top regulators, gets a tier 1 rank, while regulators who only scores a tier 5-rank, provide virtually no regulatory oversight. The more top-tier authorities regulating a broker, the higher its trust rating. Read more about regulation and our tier system here.

In our comparison:

  • HFM holds two Tier 1 and one Tier 2 licences.
  • Octa holds one Tier 1 and no Tier 2 licences.

Based on these findings, HFM earned a higher trust rating than Octa.

Is HFM financially regulated?

Yes HFM was founded in 2010 and is regulated by CMA, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, FSC, FSCA and FSA-Seychelles.

Is Octa financially regulated?

Yes Octa was founded in 2011 and is regulated by CySEC, FSC, FSCA and MISA.

Trading Costs Comparison

When comparing brokers, trading costs are a significant factor. We consider the minimum deposit required to open an account and ongoing costs, including spreads and commissions. We measure the cost to trade one lot of EUR/USD using the broker’s account with the lowest minimum deposit, including both the spread and any commission charged.

We found that Octa has overall lower trading costs than HFM.

Top Overall Rating Bokers

Trading Platforms Offered

Trading Platforms Offered Traders prefer brokers that offer a variety of trading platforms. We rate brokers higher if they support multiple platforms like MetaTrader4, MetaTrader5, cTrader, and proprietary platforms.

  • HFM supports MT4, MT5 and HFM Trading App
  • Octa supports MT4, MT5 and OctaTrader

Copy Trading Availability

Copy trading is beneficial for beginner traders or those unable to trade full-time. In this case both HFM and Octa offer copy trading.

Range of Trading Instruments

A broader range of CFD instruments provides more trading opportunities. HFM offers a greater variety of instruments compared to Octa:

  • HFM: 53 Forex pairs.
  • Octa: 52 Forex pairs.

Cryptocurrency Trading

For those interested in trading cryptocurrencies, HFM offers 40 cryptocurrencies, while Octa offers 34 cryptocurrencies. Therefore, HFM is the better choice for cryptocurrency trading.

Deposit and Withdrawal Processes

Traders prefer brokers with quick and cost-effective deposit and withdrawal processes. We favor brokers that process withdrawals within 24 hours using multiple methods without charging fees.We found that neither HFM nor Octa charges a withdrawal fee. Overall, Octa has better deposit and withdrawal processes than HFM. 

Educational Support?

We often find that brokers offer very little in the way of educational materials, forcing traders to use other third-party sites or self-educate elsewhere. Beginner traders need well-structured, well-presented materials in multiple formats to get a good start at trading. More experienced traders also benefit from webinars led by experts in the field and advanced trading strategy sections with new trading ideas. 

HFM has better educational support than Octa. Both HFM and Octa offer educational support for more experienced traders.

Market Analysis Materials

Access to frequent and high-quality market research and analysis is crucial.

We found that HFM offers better research analysis than Octa and that both HFM and Octa offer frequent webinars.

Overall Verdict

  • HFM:

    HFM (formerly known as HotForex) is a well-known international broker with a strong presence in Uganda. It has local customer support, and also offers fast and free deposits and withdrawals from local banks. 

    HFM offers four standard accounts and one specialised copy trading account. Three of its four standard accounts have no minimum deposit requirements and have extremely competitive trading fees. All accounts are available as Islamic accounts. We were also pleased to find that HFM has recently reintroduced cryptocurrency trading, no doubt because of the popularity of the asset. This is alongside an excellent range of trading instruments, including 950 international stocks.

    HFM supports the MT4 and MT5 platforms in addition to its own mobile HF App, which allows clients to trade from charts and make deposits and withdrawals. It also has several excellent trading tools to assist traders further. Unfortunately, access to tools such as Autochartist, which other brokers offer as a free service, requires an account balance of 100 USD.

  • Octa:

    Octa will be a difficult choice for many Ugandan traders. On the one hand, it has very low trading costs, charges no fees for deposits and withdrawals, and has a great copy trading service.

    On the other hand, Octa is essentially unregulated in Uganda and has a very limited range of instruments to trade compared to other brokers: 32 Forex pairs, 5 commodities, 10 indices, and 30 cryptocurrencies.

    If you can look past these issues, you will find a low-cost broker with a fairly standard setup: Two accounts with minimum deposits of 100 USD, a slick mobile app, and a good range of trading tools. Octa also heavily promotes its wide range of bonuses and it can offer leverage of 1:500 on Forex pairs.

Overall Ratings

  • HFM: 4.53
  • Octa: 4.37

For more detailed reviews, please read our comprehensive assessments of HFM and Octa.

Pepperstone
AvaTrade
FCA, ASIC
Regulators
ASIC, FSCA
30:1
Leverage
30:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0 pips
Min. Spread
0.9 pips
USD 0
Min. Deposit
USD 100
AvaTrade
XM
ASIC, FSCA
Regulators
CySEC, ASIC
30:1
Leverage
30:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.9 pips
Min. Spread
0.6 pips
USD 100
Min. Deposit
USD 5
NAGA
Pepperstone
CySEC, FSA-Seychelles
Regulators
FCA, ASIC
1000:1
Leverage
30:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.7 pips
Min. Spread
0 pips
USD 10
Min. Deposit
USD 0
XM
FxPro
CySEC, ASIC
Regulators
FCA, CySEC
30:1
Leverage
30:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.6 pips
Min. Spread
0.4 pips
USD 5
Min. Deposit
USD 100
Exness
Pepperstone
FSCA, FSA-Seychelles
Regulators
FCA, ASIC
Unlimited:1
Leverage
30:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.1 pips
Min. Spread
0 pips
USD 3
Min. Deposit
USD 0
XTB
Exness
CySEC, FCA
Regulators
FSCA, FSA-Seychelles
30:1
Leverage
Unlimited:1
xStation5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.8 pips
Min. Spread
0.1 pips
USD 0
Min. Deposit
USD 3
HFM
IC Markets
CySEC, FCA
Regulators
CySEC, FSA-Seychelles
2000:1
Leverage
30:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.0 pips
Min. Spread
0.1 pips
USD 0
Min. Deposit
USD 200
Axi
BlackBull Markets
FCA, CySEC
Regulators
FMA, FSA-Seychelles
500:1
Leverage
500:1
MT4
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.0 pips
Min. Spread
0.1 pips
USD 0
Min. Deposit
USD 0
FBS
Pepperstone
CySEC, ASIC
Regulators
FCA, ASIC
3000:1
Leverage
30:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.7 pips
Min. Spread
0 pips
USD 5
Min. Deposit
USD 0
IC Markets
Pepperstone
CySEC, FSA-Seychelles
Regulators
FCA, ASIC
30:1
Leverage
30:1
MT4, MT5
Platforms
MT4, MT5
0.1 pips
Min. Spread
0 pips
USD 200
Min. Deposit
USD 0
Unbiased Expertise

Independent, in-depth reviews and comparisons of all well-regulated Forex brokers, empowering you to make informed choices.

Educational Resources

Comprehensive guides for all levels, from the basics of Forex to advanced strategies tailored for your experience.

Transparent Information

A focus on facts, accuracy, and up-to-date data to give you the insights you need to succeed in your Forex journey.

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Best Brokers Uganda 2025

To identify the best Forex brokers for Ugandan traders, we compiled a comprehensive list of all top-tier regulated brokers. We then ranked them based on their overall score, considering key factors such as regulation, trading conditions, platform quality, and customer support.

You can either use the arrow button or swipe on mobile

Countries Regulated
Minimum Spread EUR/USD
Minimum Deposit
Trading cost/lot EURUSD
Total trading cost at the time of last update, for 1 lot of EUR/USD using the account with the lowest minimum deposit. Includes spread and commission.
Broker Score
Broker Website
Select and Compare
FSCA Regulated Forex BrokersThe Seychelles Financial Services AuthorityCapital Markets AuthorityBritish Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission
Financial Services CommissionJordan Securities Commission
0.10 pips
USD 3
USD 7
4.32
/ 5
FCA Regulated BrokersASIC Regulated Forex BrokersCySEC Regulated BrokersDubai Financial Services Authority
Bundesanstalt für FinanzdienstleistungsaufsichtSecurities Commission of the BahamasCapital Markets Authority
0 pips
USD 0
USD 10
4.61
/ 5
CySEC Regulated BrokersFCA Regulated BrokersFSCA Regulated Forex BrokersDubai Financial Services Authority
Financial Services CommissionThe Seychelles Financial Services AuthorityCapital Markets Authority
0 pips
USD 0
USD 10
4.53
/ 5
FCA Regulated BrokersASIC Regulated Forex BrokersFSCA Regulated Forex BrokersMonetary Authority of Singapore
Dubai Financial Services AuthorityFinancial Services AgencyCommodity Futures Trading AssociationSwiss Financial Market Supervisory AuthorityFinancial Markets Authority of New ZealandBundesanstalt für FinanzdienstleistungsaufsichtBermuda Monetary Authority
0.60 pips
USD 0
USD 6
4.69
/ 5
ASIC Regulated Forex BrokersFSCA Regulated Forex BrokersCySEC Regulated BrokersFinancial Services Agency
Central Bank of IrelandFinancial Regulatory Services AuthorityIsrael Securities Authority
0.90 pips
USD 100
USD 9
4.59
/ 5
FCA Regulated BrokersCySEC Regulated BrokersFSCA Regulated Forex BrokersDubai Financial Services Authority
Securities Commission of the Bahamas
0.40 pips
USD 100
USD 14
4.39
/ 5
CySEC Regulated BrokersASIC Regulated Forex BrokersInternational Financial Services Commission
0.70 pips
USD 5
USD 7
4.33
/ 5
CySEC Regulated BrokersASIC Regulated Forex BrokersDubai Financial Services AuthorityInternational Financial Services Commission
FSCA Regulated Forex Brokers
0.60 pips
USD 5
USD 6
4.45
/ 5
CySEC Regulated BrokersThe Seychelles Financial Services AuthoritySecurities Commission of the BahamasCapital Markets Authority
0.10 pips
USD 200
USD 8
4.46
/ 5
CySEC Regulated BrokersThe Seychelles Financial Services AuthorityFinancial Regulatory Services Authority
0.70 pips
USD 10
USD 17
4.14
/ 5
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Let's Talk Forex with Alison & Chris


Alison and Chris cover a range of topics, including how to choose a Forex broker, safety and regulation, how to reduce your risk, trading psychology, trading platforms, and trading strategies, among others.

The FxScouts podcast helps beginner Forex traders get the best start to their trading careers.