HFM, the broker formerly branded HotForex, offers a VPS in three tiers, each free when an account meets a net-deposit and monthly-volume condition, hosted by Beeks Financial Cloud. This guide sets out those conditions as HFM publishes them, notes what HFM does and does not say about where its trading servers are, shows how to find that city from your own terminal, and walks through running HFM's MT4 or MT5 on a VPS. HFM's pages were checked on 24 October 2026; the tiers and thresholds change, so confirm them in myHF before you count on the free service.
HFM's free VPS: Bronze, Silver and Gold
HFM's VPS hosting page states that its plans can be offered free of charge, subject to specific deposit and trading requirements, and sets out three tiers. As published on 24 October 2026:
| Tier | Condition for the free service, as stated by HFM |
|---|---|
| Bronze | $400 net deposit in the past 30 days plus 2 standard lots traded in the past calendar month |
| Silver | $8,000 net deposit and 8 lots |
| Gold | $15,000 net deposit and 15 lots |
The service is provided by Beeks Financial Cloud, which HFM describes as having nine international data centres, without naming them. HFM also states that its VPS works with all Expert Advisors, and that there is a limit to the number of trading accounts a client can open across HFM WebTrader, the HFM App, MT4 and MT5, without stating the number.
Two things to notice. The Bronze condition is a net deposit, so withdrawing more than you deposit in a 30-day window can cost you the free tier even if the balance is high. And the lot condition is per calendar month, so a quiet month on a swing strategy ends the free service for the following month. The free VPS rewards activity; it is not a feature of the account.
When HFM's free VPS is enough, and when it is not
| Broker's VPS offer | MassiveGRID Forex VPS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free on Bronze, Silver or Gold while the deposit and lot conditions are met | From $2.87 per month, no deposit or volume condition |
| City | One of Beeks' nine data centres; HFM does not say which | Your choice of New York, London, Frankfurt or Singapore; measure the ping to HFM's server |
| Platforms | MT4 and MT5 for HFM accounts | MT4, MT5, cTrader and anything else that runs on Windows, for any broker |
| Other brokers | For HFM accounts | Any broker, one terminal folder per account |
| Uptime | Not stated on the HFM page | 100% uptime SLA on a Proxmox HA cluster with automatic failover |
| Refund | Not applicable | 15-day money-back guarantee |
An active HFM client who clears Bronze every month and trades only HFM loses nothing by taking the free service. A paid VPS earns its $2.87 a month when the deposit or lot condition is uncertain, when terminals for other brokers belong on the same server, when you want to choose the city and verify the latency yourself, or when a contractual uptime guarantee matters. The free versus paid comparison covers the general case.
Where are HFM's servers? How to find out
HFM does not name the city its trade servers are in on its own pages, checked on the broker's own pages on 24 October 2026. That is not unusual, and it is not a problem, because MT4 and MT5 tell you the distance themselves.
- On your own PC, open the login dialog in MetaTrader and look at the server list. Each HFM server shows a ping in milliseconds next to its name; the connection status in the bottom-right corner of the terminal shows the same figure for the server you are on.
- Note the lowest reading for your account's server. From a home connection in Europe, a reading in the low tens of milliseconds usually points at London or Amsterdam and a reading above a hundred at New York; from the US east coast the pattern reverses.
- Order a MassiveGRID server in the most likely city, log in, and read the same ping from inside the VPS. A single-digit figure means you are in the right city. Under 1 ms is what brokers with infrastructure in New York, Frankfurt or Singapore see from our servers there; under 10 ms is the London figure.
- If the reading is not clearly better than from home, the 15-day money-back guarantee covers a move to the next city. Most retail brokers we have checked publish New York or London, so those two are the places to start.
The latency guide explains how to read the numbers, and the broker matcher lists the brokers that do publish a city, with sources, in case HFM adds one.
Running HFM's MT4 or MT5 on a VPS
- Order the smallest plan in the city you identified; Forex VPS 1 starts at $2.87 per month in New York, London and Frankfurt and runs one or two MT4 or MT5 terminals.
- Connect with Remote Desktop Connection on Windows or the Windows App on macOS, iOS and Android, using the address and password emailed to you.
- Inside the session, open HFM's website and download its branded MT4 or MT5 installer; it carries the HFM server list, so you can log straight in.
- Copy your Expert Advisors and indicators into the data folder (File, Open Data Folder), restart the terminal, attach the EAs and switch automated trading on. The MT4 setup guide and the MT5 setup guide cover covers every dialog.
- Close the Remote Desktop window without signing out. The terminal keeps running; add it to Windows startup so it returns after any reboot.
HFM states that automated trading with Expert Advisors is supported, so no special permission is needed. Clients with several HFM accounts should keep the stated account limit in mind when planning terminals, and install one terminal per account in its own folder so each keeps its own login, charts and logs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get the HFM VPS for free?
By meeting the condition of one of the three tiers HFM publishes: Bronze needs a $400 net deposit in the past 30 days plus 2 standard lots traded in the past calendar month, Silver $8,000 and 8 lots, Gold $15,000 and 15 lots, as stated on HFM's VPS hosting page on 24 October 2026. The service is hosted by Beeks Financial Cloud. Check the current thresholds in myHF, because HFM can change them.
Where is the HFM VPS located?
HFM says the VPS is provided by Beeks Financial Cloud, which has nine international data centres, but does not name the one your VPS will use, and HFM does not publish the city of its own trading servers. The ping next to the server name in your MT4 or MT5 login dialog is the reliable guide to where HFM's server is; test from New York and London first, the two cities most retail brokers publish.
Can I run HFM's MT5 on a MassiveGRID VPS?
Yes. Download HFM's MT5 installer inside the VPS, log in with your HFM account, and attach your Expert Advisors; HFM supports automated trading on MT4 and MT5. Forex VPS 1 starts at $2.87 per month with no deposit or lot condition, in New York, London, Frankfurt or Singapore, with a 15-day money-back guarantee to measure the ping before you commit.
Is HFM regulated in South Africa?
HFM's regulatory page lists HF Markets SA (Pty) Ltd as licensed by the FSCA under FSP number 46632, as stated at the time of writing. Confirm the number on the FSCA register before funding an account, and note that a licence held by one entity in the HFM group does not cover accounts opened with another. Our South Africa Forex VPS guide covers the choice of server city for South African traders.
A Forex VPS for HFM with no deposit or lot condition, from $2.87 per month
New York, London, Frankfurt or Singapore, with the ping to HFM's server measurable inside the 15-day money-back window. HA failover, a 100% uptime SLA, and room for your other brokers' terminals on the same server.
See Forex VPS Plans