Broker comparison

Alpari vs HYCM Comparison

Compare trading conditions, commissions and platforms of Forex brokers Alpari and HYCM. Find out which broker is best for you.

VS summaryScores and ranking at a glance
Alpari
Rating
3.9/5
Rank
#57
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Trading CFDs carries high risks. You may lose all invested funds

HYCMHigher ranked
Rating
4.2/5
Rank
#37
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71-74% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs with this broker

  • Conditions, fees and platforms compared
  • Ratings and ranking positions checked
  • Based on our review methodology
How we compare brokers
Updated

We test brokers on real accounts using our own methodology, evaluating the quality of order execution, trading conditions, platforms and customer support.

Who is better - Alpari or HYCM?

Our pick: HYCM

Based on multiple factors - spreads and fees, available assets and instruments, execution quality, platform usability, support level, and educational resources - HYCM looks preferable to Alpari.

HYCM scored 4.2/5 and ranks 37 in our all Forex brokers list, whereas Alpari has 3.9/5 and ranks 57.

This is not financial advice. See the full comparison below.

Who is Alpari suitable for?

Best suited to retail Forex and CFD traders who prefer MetaTrader, low-entry account options, and a simple, familiar trading environment.

Who is HYCM suitable for?

Broker HYCM is suitable for most traders, but some features may not meet the expectations of specific traders.

Comparison Table of Alpari and HYCM

BrokerAlpariHYCM
Rating
3.9/5
4.2/5
Foundation Year19981977
Regulated in CountriesComorosUnited Kingdom, Cyprus, Cayman Islands, United Arab Emirates
Minimum Deposit
  • 30 EUR
  • 30 USD
  • 100 USD
Spreadfrom 0 pointsfrom 0.1 points
Max Leverage1:10001:500
Trading Assets (CFDs)
  • Forex
  • Precious Metals
  • Energy Carriers
  • Indices
  • Stocks
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Forex
  • Precious Metals
  • Energy Carriers
  • Soft Commodities
  • Indices
  • Stocks
  • Cryptocurrency
Trading Platforms
  • MetaTrader 5
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
ReviewAlpari ReviewHYCM Review

Alpari Review

Alpari Logo
RegisterTrading CFDs carries high risks. You may lose all invested funds
Countries of registration:
Regulators:
Trading Assets
Forex Precious Metals Energy Carriers Indices Stocks Cryptocurrency
Trading Platforms
MetaTrader 5MetaTrader 4
compare Alpari trading accounts

Alpari is a long-established broker with a recognizable brand and a familiar trading environment focused on Forex and CFDs. Its main strengths include a practical account lineup, access to MetaTrader platforms, basic market analysis tools, and convenient funding methods. At the same time, the broker is less competitive in areas such as regulation, education, and the overall depth of its product ecosystem.

Alpari is best suited to retail traders with some basic market experience who want a straightforward trading setup with MetaTrader, several account options, and a relatively low entry barrier. It may also appeal to traders who prefer a simple Forex and CFD offering without the need for an extensive research or educational environment. For beginners who prioritize strong regulation and comprehensive learning resources, it is not the strongest choice.

Pros and Cons of Alpari

Pros

  1. Wide selection of account types for different trading styles
  2. Support for MetaTrader platforms and binary options trading
  3. Convenient funding methods, including cards, Volet, and crypto

Cons

  1. Offshore-only regulation with no top-tier licenses
  2. Limited educational offering
  3. Narrower product and research ecosystem than stronger competitors

Alpari is in the top 10 of the following ratings:

HYCM Review

HYCM Logo
Register71-74% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs with this broker
Countries of registration:
Regulators:
Trading Assets
Forex Precious Metals Energy Carriers Soft Commodities Indices Stocks Cryptocurrency
Trading Platforms
MetaTrader 4MetaTrader 5
compare HYCM trading accounts

HYCM is one of the Forex and CFD market leaders whose reputation is backed by strict regulation by major financial authorities such as the FCA, CySEC and DFSA. This ensures high protection of the client's funds and compliance with regulatory standards. The broker offers a wide range of trading platforms, including MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, recognized as some of the most reliable and functional in the industry. The variety of trading instruments available allows you to create a diverse investment portfolio, while a rich selection of educational resources supports traders at all stages of their professional development.

HYCM will be most suitable for traders looking for reliability and diversity in the toolkit without worrying about high commissions and a lack of innovative platforms. This broker is ideal for experienced traders who can use the analytical and educational resources provided to improve their trading strategies.

Pros and Cons of HYCM

Pros

  1. Well-regulated broker.
  2. An extensive set of educational materials.
  3. Diversity of trading assets.

Cons

  1. Absence of proprietary trading platform.
  2. No social trading.

HYCM is in the top 10 of the following ratings:

Reliability

BrokerAlpariHYCM
Reliability
3.5/5
5/5
Foundation Year19981977
Regulated in CountriesComorosUnited Kingdom, Cyprus, Cayman Islands, United Arab Emirates
Regulators

Alpari

Alpari has a long operating history and remains a recognizable broker brand, but its regulatory profile is weak due to offshore-only supervision and the absence of licenses from top-tier financial authorities.

Pros

  1. Founded in 1998
  2. Regulated by MISA

Cons

  1. Offshore-only regulation
  2. No top-tier licenses

HYCM

Broker HYCM provides high reliability and security, being under the control of various strict regulators around the world.

Account Opening

BrokerAlpariHYCM
Account Opening
5/5
4.5/5
Minimum Deposit
  • 30 USD
  • 30 EUR
  • 100 USD

Alpari

Alpari's registration and account opening process is quite straightforward, convenient, and relatively fast.

HYCM

The account opening process at HYCM is simple and convenient, ensuring a smooth start for traders. However, verification and financial profile completion may take time.

Pros

  1. Quick registration, taking less than 5 minutes.
  2. Straightforward and understandable registration process.

Cons

  1. Necessity to fill out a detailed financial profile.
  2. Minimum deposit of $100 may be high for beginners.

Account Types

BrokerAlpariHYCM
Account Types
4.5/5
3.5/5
Trading Accounts
  • Micro
  • Standard
  • PRO ECN
  • Classic
  • Fixed
  • Raw
Minimum Deposit
  • 30 USD
  • 30 EUR
  • 100 USD
Spreadfrom 0 pointsfrom 0.1 points
Max Leverage1:10001:500
Trading Assets (CFDs)
  • Forex
  • Precious Metals
  • Energy Carriers
  • Indices
  • Stocks
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Forex
  • Precious Metals
  • Energy Carriers
  • Soft Commodities
  • Indices
  • Stocks
  • Cryptocurrency
Trading Platforms
  • MetaTrader 5
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
Demo Account
Swap-free Account

Alpari

Alpari offers a well-structured range of account types for different budgets and trading styles, with low-entry options, tighter-spread accounts, and demo access, although the lineup is not especially diverse by industry standards.

Pros

  1. Accounts for different deposit levels
  2. Demo account available
  3. Low minimum deposit entry option

Cons

  1. No fixed spread accounts available
  2. Limited differentiation between account types

HYCM

HYCM offers a variety of trading accounts suitable for different levels of experience, but some account types are missing.

Commissions

BrokerAlpariHYCM
Commissions
3/5
3/5
Spreadfrom 0 pointsfrom 0.1 points
Average Spread (EURUSD)1.71.5
Commission per Lot$2.70$4

Alpari

Alpari offers average trading commissions, but potential inactivity charges may deter some clients.

Pros

  1. Low transaction fee for ECN accounts

Cons

  1. Spreads slightly above market average
  2. Inactivity fee for accounts

HYCM

HYCM charges average trading fees and an account inactivity fee.

Deposit and Withdrawal

BrokerAlpariHYCM
Rating
4/5
5/5
Account Funding Methods
  • Volet
  • Swift
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Neteller
  • Skrill
  • Swift
  • Visa
  • Mastercard

Alpari

Alpari offers a practical deposit and withdrawal setup with support for cards, Volet, and cryptocurrencies, but the overall payment range is narrower than that of brokers with broader local and e-wallet options.

Pros

  1. Supports cards, Volet, and crypto
  2. Convenient mix of fiat and digital methods

Cons

  1. Limited choice of payment methods

HYCM

HYCM offers a flexible and cost-effective approach to account funding and withdrawal of funds.

Markets and Products

BrokerAlpariHYCM
Markets and Products
4.5/5
5/5
Forex4672
Precious Metals25
Energy Carriers33
Indices1227
Stocks6311080
Cryptocurrency928
Soft Commodities-4

Alpari

The overall selection of assets available for trading with Alpari broker offers a diverse range that can satisfy the needs of most traders. However, there is no option to trade CFDs on exchange commodities.

HYCM

HYCM offers a wide range of trading instruments, satisfying the diverse needs of traders.

Trading Platforms

BrokerAlpariHYCM
Rating
5/5
4/5
Trading Platforms
  • MetaTrader 5
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5

Alpari

Alpari offers a wide range of trading platforms that will undoubtedly meet the needs of most traders. The terminals provide traders with a full set of tools and resources necessary for effective trading.

HYCM

HYCM offers reliable and functional trading platforms MT4 and MT5, available on various devices and supporting automated trading.

Pros

  1. Availability of popular and functional platforms MT4 and MT5.
  2. Extensive capabilities for technical analysis and automated trading.
  3. Support for many devices, including desktop computers and mobile devices.

Cons

  1. Lack of a proprietary unique platform.

Analytics

BrokerAlpariHYCM
Rating
4/5
4/5

Alpari

Alpari provides useful day-to-day market research through regular news updates, expert commentary, and a practical economic calendar, but its analytics offering appears more solid and functional than truly advanced.

Pros

  1. Regular market news and analysis updates
  2. Economic calendar with forecasts, actual data, and event importance

Cons

  1. No clear evidence of advanced analytical tools
  2. Research offering looks more basic than premium

HYCM

HYCM offers good analytical tools, but the regularity and variety of materials could be improved.

Education

BrokerAlpariHYCM
Rating
2/5
4.5/5

Alpari

Alpari’s educational offering is very limited, with no clear access to structured learning materials such as courses, webinars, or video tutorials, which makes the broker less appealing for beginners.

Cons

  1. No visible structured educational content
  2. Lacks webinars, courses, and video tutorials

HYCM

HYCM's educational materials cover a wide range of topics and are available in various formats, making them useful for traders of different levels.

Customer Support

BrokerAlpariHYCM
Rating
3/5
4/5
Email Support
  • support@alpari.im
  • support@hycm.com
  • accounts@hycm.com
  • info@hycm.com
Hotline Phones
  • +44 2031 29-37-99
  • 8 800 200 01 31
  • +442088167812
  • +442039067347
Social Media

Alpari

Alpari's support has diverse contact options but lacks consistent quality and transparent service hours.

Pros

  1. Multiple contact methods.
  2. International phone support.

Cons

  1. No clear support hours.
  2. Mixed client reviews.

HYCM

HYCM provides efficient and professional technical support, with some nuances.

Pros

  1. A sufficiently broad range of communication channels.
  2. Quick and professional response.
  3. Positive client reviews.

Cons

  1. Lack of 24/7 support.
  2. Can only call an international phone number.
  3. Absence of messenger services among communication channels.

Comparisons of Alpari and HYCM with other brokers

Conclusion

HYCM stands out as the better overall pick, while Alpari trails on aggregate criteria.

HYCM scored 4.2/5 and ranks 37 in our rating; Alpari has 3.9/5 and ranks 57.

We explain the reasons above in detail — fees, platforms, reliability, support, and more.

FAQ

Which broker is better: Alpari or HYCM?

HYCM comes out ahead by overall rank (score 4.2/5, position 37) versus Alpari (score 3.9/5, position 57).

Which broker is better for beginners: Alpari or HYCM?

HYCM is often a smoother start thanks to simpler onboarding and stronger baseline metrics. Still, your tools and budget should drive the final choice.

Who has lower typical trading costs (spreads/commissions) — Alpari or HYCM?

It depends on the instrument and account type. Compare the live conditions in the “Commissions” section on this page — we break down the nuances category by category.

What trading platforms are available with Alpari and HYCM?

Alpari: MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4. HYCM: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5. See the “Platforms” section for details and selection tips.

What markets can you trade with Alpari and HYCM?

Alpari: Forex, Precious Metals, Energy Carriers, Indices, Stocks, Cryptocurrency. HYCM: Forex, Precious Metals, Energy Carriers, Soft Commodities, Indices, Stocks, Cryptocurrency. Full lists and differences are in the “Markets” section.

What account types are offered by Alpari and HYCM?

Alpari: Micro, Standard, PRO ECN. HYCM: Classic, Fixed, Raw. See “Account Types” for a side-by-side comparison.

What deposit and withdrawal methods are supported by Alpari and HYCM?

Alpari: Volet, Swift, Visa, Mastercard. HYCM: Neteller, Skrill, Swift, Visa, Mastercard. Check method-specific fees/settlement times.

Which broker is safer — Alpari or HYCM — and how was this assessed?

We consider regulation, corporate transparency, fund protection, and incident history. See the “Reliability” section for our findings.

Nikolay is an experienced specialist in financial markets and co-founder of IamForexTrader. He has been successfully trading Forex since 2014 and has been actively involved in the cryptocurrency market since 2017.

He develops investment strategies adaptable to any level of experience and has been actively investing in stocks, bonds and ETFs since 2018.