cTrader vs MetaTrader 5
cTrader and MetaTrader 5 are both trading platforms you reach through a broker, so account access, instruments and trading costs depend on the broker you choose. cTrader documents an FX/CFD focus, C# or Python algorithms with free cloud hosting, Market Replay on Windows and an Open API; MetaTrader 5 is a free multi-asset terminal with MQL5, a Strategy Tester with real-tick and forward testing, a built-in economic calendar and a Python package.
| Difference | cTrader | MetaTrader 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Access and broker | Licensed to brokers, who choose whether to offer it. Quotes come from each broker's liquidity providers, and each broker sets its own instruments. 36 | Free terminal; a broker is chosen in the first step of opening an account, demo included. Symbols, their parameters and price history are set by the broker. MetaQuotes states it does not provide brokerage services. 352 |
| Markets | Described as “FX/CFD-centred globally”. Crypto is available by default, with the list set by the broker. Exchange-traded futures are not standard; some brokers offer CFDs on futures-tracking instruments. Stocks, ETFs and options are not documented generically. 36 | Forex, stocks and exchange instruments, and futures are stated target markets, available if your broker offers them. ETFs, options, crypto and CFDs are not stated generically. 15 |
| Platforms | Windows 7 to 11, macOS 12.0 and up, a web app and iOS and Android apps. No Linux desktop app is listed. Mobile apps carry trading features only; algo tools are in the Windows and Mac apps. 73 | Windows, a WebTerminal with no installation, iOS and Android. The macOS installer runs MetaTrader inside Wine (Catalina 10.15.7 or newer); Linux links to an install article rather than a native installer. 26 |
| Automation language | cTrader Algo builds cBots and indicators in C# or Python. The cTrader cloud is “a free hosted execution environment for cBots”. 83 | Automated strategies are MQL5 Expert Advisors, tested in the Strategy Tester. The official MetaTrader5 Python package reads data from and sends trade requests to a running terminal. 47 |
| Strategy testing | cBot backtesting and optimisation in the Windows and Mac apps. 5 | Strategy Tester with single tests, optimisation, forward testing and a real-tick mode (“No simulation is performed”). 4 |
| Replay and practice | Market Replay on cTrader Windows replays m1 bars or ticks for manual trading without affecting funds in live or demo accounts. Mac and Web support not confirmed. 4 | Visual testing mode replays an Expert Advisor test with pause, speed control and jump-to-date; unavailable during optimisation. No manual bar replay was documented. 4 |
| Alerts and calendar | Price alerts appear only in a search summary of the help pages; not confirmed on the vendor's site (checked 13 Oct 2026). No economic calendar was documented. 10 | Alerts on price levels or time, by sound, email or mobile push. A built-in economic calendar covers “the main macroeconomic indicators of different countries”. 81 |
| API | Open API for anyone registered with a cTrader-affiliated broker: JSON or Protobuf, official C# and Python SDKs, 50 requests per second (5 for historical data) per connection. 9 | Python package connected to a running terminal for data and trade requests. No native webhook alerts were documented. 7 |
| Copy trading and export | Copy trading through cTrader Copy. Account statements export from the History tab as HTML or .xlsx. 16 | Bars and ticks downloaded from the broker can be saved as CSV. Trading history reports appear only in a search summary; not confirmed on the vendor's site (checked 13 Oct 2026). 59 |
| Cost, demo and extras | No platform price is published and no official page read says it is free to traders. Spreads and commissions are set by the broker. Broker demo accounts expire 15, 30, 45 or 90 days after the last log-out. Store items are priced individually (examples at $59 and $99) with a 14-day money-back guarantee with Nuvei. 362 | Free download with no subscription plans for traders; demo accounts work without real money. Spreads, commissions and any market-data subscriptions come from the broker. Paid MQL5 extras exist, but their prices were not read. 23 |
When cTrader fits better
cTrader fits better if your broker offers it and you trade forex, CFDs or crypto, want to write automation in C# or Python, or want cBots kept running in a free hosted cloud. Market Replay on Windows suits manual practice on historical ticks without touching your balance, and the Open API documents rate limits and official SDKs for building your own tools. Confirm with your broker what the platform costs you, since no platform price is published.
When MetaTrader 5 fits better
MetaTrader 5 fits better if your broker offers it and you want a free terminal that also lists stocks and futures as target markets, an economic calendar and alerts inside the platform, or a Strategy Tester with real-tick and forward testing. It also suits traders who already work in MQL5 or want CSV export of broker price history. On macOS it runs inside Wine, and Linux has no native installer.
Using both, or neither
Both depend on the broker for instruments, history and costs, so the practical choice often follows which platform your broker supports. A trader can run demo accounts on both, at brokers that offer each, to compare symbol settings and order handling before committing money. Neither documents a trade journal with analytics in the sources reviewed, so a separate journal fills that gap.
See every documented fact side by side
Sources
cTrader
- Spotware cTrader (B2B) (opens in a new tab)
- cTrader hub and Store (opens in a new tab)
- Platforms FAQ (opens in a new tab)
- Market Replay (opens in a new tab)
- Optimise a cBot (opens in a new tab)
- cTrader FAQ (opens in a new tab)
- Download page (opens in a new tab)
- cTrader Algo documentation (opens in a new tab)
- Open API documentation (opens in a new tab)
- Trade Watch (cTrader Web) (opens in a new tab)
MetaTrader 5
- MetaTrader 5 trading platform (opens in a new tab)
- Download page (opens in a new tab)
- Opening an account (opens in a new tab)
- Strategy testing (opens in a new tab)
- Market Watch (opens in a new tab)
- Installing on macOS (opens in a new tab)
- MetaTrader 5 Python integration (opens in a new tab)
- Alerts (opens in a new tab)
- Trading history report (opens in a new tab)