The malleability, phase stability and grain growth kinetics of the quaternary equiatomic derivatives from quinary HfNbTaTiZr refractory high entropy alloy cold-rolled with 80% thickness reduction and annealed under different conditions were investigated. By excluding the poor malleability of the HfTaTiZr and NbTaTiZr alloys and the appearance of two phase in the HfNbTaZr alloy, the grain growth kinetics of the HfNbTiZr and HfNbTaTi alloys were further studied. The grain growth exponent n , kinetic constant k and activation energy for grain growth Q G of the HfNbTiZr and HfNbTaTi alloys are calculated. The kinetic constant can be expressed by the Arrhenius equation with Q G , which is attributed to the diffusion coefficient. It is demonstrated that the alloying element Ta with the lowest self-diffusion coefficient among these five elements would remarkably decelerate grain boundary migration, thereby hindering grain growth and increasing Q G value. • HfNbTaTi and HfNbTiZr equiatomic alloys exhibited great malleability and phase stability. • Grain growth activation energies, Q G , of the HfNbTaTi and HfNbTiZr alloys are 385.9 kJ/mol and 189.8 kJ/mol, respectively. • The low self-diffusion coefficient of Ta would hinder the grain growth and increase the Q G value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]