Short answer: MT4 if you want the widest choice of brokers and trading robots. MT5 for more markets and timeframes. TradingView for the best charts. cTrader for clean raw pricing and depth of market. Most beginners do fine on whichever of these their broker offers.
Side by side
| MT4 | MT5 | TradingView | cTrader | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best at | Trading robots (EAs), broker choice | More markets and timeframes | Charts and analysis | Raw pricing, depth of market |
| Markets | Mostly forex and CFDs | Forex, CFDs, sometimes exchange-traded | Depends on broker connection | Forex and CFDs |
| Automated trading | MQL4 Expert Advisors | MQL5 Expert Advisors | Alerts and Pine scripts | cBots (C#) |
| Feel | Dated but familiar | Familiar, more features | Modern, web-first | Modern, clean |
How to choose
- New to trading: any of them. Pick the broker first.
- Want to run trading robots: MT4 or MT5.
- Chart-heavy analysis: TradingView, if your broker connects to it.
- Want to see order-book depth: cTrader.
Every BrokersNest profile lists the platforms each broker supports. Filter by platform on our compare page.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Most retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
