MetaTrader vs TradingView

MetaTrader's software is free to download and use, but live trading costs are set by the broker that distributes it. MetaQuotes states that MetaTrader 5 features, including trading, analysis, copy trading and automated trading, are accessible for free, and its licence agreement says the product is provided free of charge rather than sold. Paid extras sit around the platform: the MetaTrader VPS is listed at 15 USD for a 1-month plan on the mql5.com VPS page, with a 24-hour free trial, and Market sellers pay a 20% commission on each sale. The vendor's two VPS price pages disagree on longer terms, for example 13 versus 14 USD per month for three months. TradingView's Essential plan is $12.95 per month billed annually, and its Basic plan is free with 1 chart per tab. All figures come from vendor pages, last checked in October 2026.

MetaTrader 5 runs natively on Windows 10 or 11, and on macOS and Linux it runs under Wine, according to MetaQuotes' download pages. The macOS installer downloads and configures Wine and requires macOS Catalina (10.15.7) or later. A web terminal works in any browser, but on the MetaQuotes site it is demo-only; real trading uses a broker-hosted terminal. Mobile apps are distributed through the App Store, Google Play, Huawei AppGallery and an APK file. Programs are written in MQL5 for MetaTrader 5, an object-oriented language based on C++ concepts, and in MQL4 for MetaTrader 4. TradingView scripts are written in Pine Script, and TradingView is delivered on the web, iOS and Android and as a desktop app offered for Windows, macOS and Linux. All figures come from vendor pages, last checked in October 2026.

MetaTrader 5 includes a Strategy Tester built for expert advisors, while TradingView offers Deep Backtesting only on its Premium and Ultimate plans. According to MetaQuotes, the MetaTrader 5 tester is multi-threaded and multi-currency and supports real ticks, with Every tick, 1 minute OHLC and Open prices only modes, optional genetic optimization and built-in forward testing; the MetaTrader 4 tester is single-threaded. Expert advisors run without trader participation, and a virtual server can be rented from the platform to keep them running 24/7. TradingView's Deep Backtesting is capped at 2 million bars per calculation, and Pine Script has a checkmark on all five plans. For analysis, MetaTrader 5 lists 38 built-in indicators and 21 timeframes (MetaTrader 4: 30 and 9), against TradingView's 400+ built-in indicators and 100K+ community indicators. All figures come from vendor pages, last checked in October 2026.

MetaTrader has copy trading through Signals and a Market for paid robots and indicators, while TradingView's community is built around shared scripts. MetaTrader Signals copies trades in real time from one account to another, requires an MQL5.community account and lets provider and subscriber use different brokers. Providers offer access for free or for a fixed monthly fee. Market products have a free trial version, sellers pay a 20% commission, and MetaQuotes states the Market has more than 2,000 trading robots and indicators for MetaTrader 5, a vendor claim not independently measured. The Code Base offers thousands of free robots and indicators. TradingView lists 400+ built-in indicators and 100K+ community-powered indicators. Technical questions go to the MQL5 Forum, and TradingView's pricing page lists support levels by paid plan. All figures come from vendor pages, last checked in October 2026.

MetaTrader gives no trading access on its own: real trading is done only through a broker, and each web terminal is assigned to a specific broker on its domain. MetaQuotes describes MetaTrader 5 as a multi-asset platform for forex, stocks and futures, with availability depending on the broker; its comparison table lists forex, futures, options, stocks and bonds for MetaTrader 5 and forex only for MetaTrader 4. The execution mode, Instant, Request, Market or Exchange, is set by the broker, and MetaQuotes publishes no commission or spread schedule. TradingView's trading section lists trading through selected brokers, paper trading, chart trading and DOM trading on all plans, and its broker pages say commissions are fees brokers charge. Its Help Center lists major stock exchanges, global currency pairs, worldwide indexes and 70 crypto exchanges. All figures come from vendor pages, last checked in October 2026.

MetaTrader is not a broker: MetaQuotes describes itself as a software development company that does not provide investment or brokerage services. MetaQuotes Ltd is registered in the Republic of Cyprus with its office in Limassol, and its licence agreement is governed by Cyprus law, with disputes under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Cyprus courts. MetaQuotes also says it may not hold complete or current information on each listed broker's regulatory status and does not guarantee broker quality, so a trader should check the broker directly. It states that MetaTrader 4 licences are no longer available for purchase by brokers and that further conceptual updates will be released only for MetaTrader 5. Brokers control support and administration of their own servers. TradingView's service is provided by TradingView, Inc. under New York law, and its market data is licensed for display only. All figures come from vendor pages, last checked in October 2026.