MetaTrader 4 and 5
MetaTrader 4 and 5 (MT4 and MT5) are popular trading platforms for forex and CFDs, with charts, indicators, orders and trading robots. The software is free; you trade through a broker.
How it works
MetaTrader is not a broker or an exchange but software. You download the platform, log in with an account opened at a broker, and trade through the broker's server. So prices, spreads and execution depend on the broker, not on the platform.
MT4 launched in 2005 and became the forex standard. MT5 arrived in 2010 with more timeframes and order types, market depth, a built-in economic calendar and support for stocks and futures. Robots (Expert Advisors) and indicators are written in MQL4 and MQL5, which are not compatible between versions.
Because the platform is so popular, scammers use it too: fake brokers hand clients MetaTrader to look legitimate. Having MT4 or MT5 says nothing about how trustworthy a company is. Check its licence.
You open a $10,000 demo account in MT5, place a 0.1-lot EUR/USD order with a 20-pip stop, and see in the order window that the risk is about $20. That way you can practise position sizing before trading real money.
A common mistake is buying a profitable Expert Advisor based on a nice equity curve. Such curves are often overfitted to history or simply fake, and grid or averaging robots can show smooth growth for months and then wipe the account in a day. Test any robot on a demo and look at drawdown, not just profit.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between MT4 and MT5?
MT5 is newer, with more timeframes and order types, market depth and exchange support. MT4 is simpler and still popular with forex brokers. Robots from one version do not run on the other.
Is MetaTrader a broker?
No, it is trading software. You deposit money with a broker, and MetaTrader just connects to its server.
Can you trade crypto on MetaTrader?
Only if your broker offers it, usually as CFDs. You trade a contract on the price and do not own the coins.
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Updated: 2026-10-19