Brokers usually offer MT4, MT5 and cTrader, but it is difficult for traders to choose。Pepperstone offers this practical guide to help you。

In order to begin the trading journey, several key aspects must be considered。In addition to choosing the right broker, you should also consider what trading platform to use。In most cases, the trading platform is equipped with a variety of functions, from basic charting tools to in-depth news sources and high-quality research information for advanced traders。Some platforms are even designed to meet the needs of specific markets, such as the foreign exchange market, stocks, options or futures。

The choice of trading platform usually depends on your choice of forex broker, you will be asked to select the online platform you want to use before you start trading。In Pepperstone, you can choose from three platforms: MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and cTrader。

All three available platforms are well-known in the trading community, so as a trader, it is important to understand the characteristics of each platform so that the platform you choose can complement and support your trading activities。The following Pepperstone for you to explain the advantages of MT4, MT5, cTrader, to help you choose:

MetaTrader 4 (MT4)

MT4 is arguably the most popular trading platform in the industry today, and is often referred to as the "standard" trading platform because it has almost all the basics needed to start trading in various financial markets (including Forex, stocks, etc.)。Almost all trusted brokers offer MT4, which makes it easy for traders around the world to use MT4。

According to Pepperstone, choosing MT4 can bring many advantages, namely:

• Highly customizable: The platform can be easily customized according to your trading style, needs and preferences。
  Support EA: Build and run your EA with MetaQuotes Language 4 (MQL4)。
  Wide range of indicators: You can choose from 28 indicators and EAs in the broker's smart trading tools。
  Thousands of other online tools: Instantly insert the required number of additional tools into the platform。
  Automatic Cartographer: Use this tool to identify key market movements in real time。
  85 indicators pre-installed on the desktop application: many tools to help you better understand market trends and movements。
  Automated trading: 24 / 5 non-stop trading。
  Backtesting capability: Test your EA before trading it for best results。
  MQL4 Programming Language: Join the vast community of MQL4 users to get a variety of signals and research from other traders。

It is worth mentioning that the platform is suitable for all devices, including desktops, tablets and mobile phones。You can trade for free and enhance your experience with tools, live quotes, updated news and analytics。

If you like the above advantages, please follow the steps below to access MT4 in Pepperstone:

1. Open an account and log in to download the MT4 software from the secure client area, you will see the download page and complete instructions。
   After running the software, you will be asked to enter login credentials such as account number, password and server name。
   To start browsing the platform and open new trades, be sure to familiarize yourself with the basics of the platform to avoid unnecessary losses。

If you have trouble entering details, you can try the following methods:

• Copy and paste the password to eliminate the possibility of input errors。
  Manually type the server IP address。
  Press the backspace key on the server and manually enter "edge.pepperstone.com "; for example, Edge 03 = edge03.pepperstone.Com。
  If any of the above methods do not work, please contact customer service。Pepperstone's customer service team can be reached via live chat, email and phone。

MetaTrader 5 (MT5)

Following the great success of its predecessor, MT5 is equipped with more powerful tools and a wider range of functions。MT5 is not solely focused on Forex trading, but is designed to meet the needs of a wider audience by offering a variety of time frames, pending orders and analysis tool options。The platform is suitable for beginners and advanced traders, especially loved by stock and commodity traders。

Compared with MT4, MT5 has several advantages, such as:

• Advanced platform customization: MT5 has a slightly better user interface and customization features to make it easier to navigate。
  21 time frames available: This is a huge benefit, especially for scalpers and advanced traders who want to conduct an in-depth analysis of the market。
  38 built-in indicators: more tools and indicators to take your trading to the next level。
  Allow hedging: This ability can help you minimize risk and increase potential returns。
  Basic Economic Calendar: Get the hottest macroeconomic news in real time and use the data to better analyze the market。
  Access Autochartist and smart trading tools: Improve trading results with various tools and charts。
  Wide range of pending orders: In addition to stop and limit orders, MT5 allows traders to use stop and limit orders。
  Optimize processing of EAs and indicators: Faster processing times help you stay ahead of the market。
  Easier to code with MQL5: Although there is currently more research and guidance due to the popularity of MQL4, many traders are starting to switch to MQL5 because it is more efficient
• Easy to use for beginners: MT5 even has a built-in MQL5 community chat to ensure traders stay connected。

Although MT5 offers more features and new tools that MT4 does not have, it is not built to replace MT4。In fact, the two go hand in hand and complement each other.。Pepperstone offers both platforms, giving traders everything they need based on their unique trading style。

You can access MT5 using the same steps as MT4 above, download the software and log in with your Pepperstone account credentials。

cTrader

Developed by Spotware, cTrader is one of the largest trading platforms outside the MetaTrader series and aims to provide simple and complex functions, making it an excellent choice for basically any trader with different levels of expertise。

cTrader deserves your attention for several reasons, namely:

• Highly intuitive: The platform offers a clean design, perfect for those just starting out on their trading journey。
  Advanced trading customization: With cTrader Automate, you can customize the platform according to your needs。
  Designed to replicate the institutional trading environment: for advanced traders, this can be a huge advantage because of access to various functions such as market depth。
  Fast execution: faster processing time for trading with EA and indicators。
  Risk management and order function: The platform will show you your spread and margin amount before you start trading。You can also monitor your performance on the "Analysis" tab, including your total profit / loss, exposure to certain markets, and current holdings。
  Multiple take profit orders can be opened at once。
  There are many educational videos in the platform: click on the "Help" menu in the upper left corner to access this feature, covering all the basics needed to operate the platform。
  Detailed order record: You can view complete information about the order, such as base currency dollar value and spread。
  Using the C # programming language with an open API: You can write your own scripts or modify your code with C #。
  Support for multiple languages: English, Russian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Turkish, Hungarian, and German。

Conclusion

All in all, Pepperstone offers three powerful trading platforms to suit different trading styles。All available platforms are completely free and can be used on a variety of devices, including desktops, tablets, mobile devices and web applications。Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, so be sure to choose the right one according to your needs and preferences。

Generally speaking, MT4 is a great choice for forex traders because it is very simple and efficient; it provides a wide range of indicators and combines high customization and backtesting functions。MT5 is more suitable for those who trade with various assets and need more advanced features。At the same time, cTrader is a good choice for experts; the platform is designed by traders for traders and provides a user-friendly interface, which can be customized through various settings and detachable charts。

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Pepperstone is amulti-asset broker, providing services such as cryptocurrencies, indices, and foreign exchange。The broker is known for high-quality software solutions, ultra-low prices, fast execution speeds of 30 milliseconds and innovative crypto products。