All sections on this page
- Platform availability at FCA-regulated brokers
- Which forex trading platform is best in the UK?
- Mainstream platforms
- Proprietary platforms
- Specialist platforms
- Which platform should you choose, by trader type
- How we test the 12 platforms
- Mobile trading apps
- Automated, copy and social trading
- FCA regulation and trading platforms
Mainstream platforms
These four platforms are broker-independent: the software is the same everywhere, so the broker behind it decides your pricing and protections. Availability for each is recorded in the matrix further down.
MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
Running since
2005
Strength
Deepest expert-advisor library
Who it suits
Legacy EA and indicator strategies
About MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
MT4 has run since 2005 and still carries the deepest library of expert advisors and custom indicators. It is forex-first, light and simple to learn, with nine timeframes and hedging on by default. Newer brokers increasingly launch on MT5 instead, so MT4 support is a point to confirm rather than assume.
Who it suits: traders whose strategy depends on a specific legacy expert advisor or indicator.
UK brokers offering MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
Pepperstone
FxPro
CMC Markets
IG Markets
City Index
OANDA
Forex.com
FXCM
Admirals
Axi
Capital.com
HYCM
Swissquote
ThinkMarkets
Tickmill
Trade Nation
Vantage
MetaTrader 5 (MT5)
Timeframes
21
Strength
Multi-asset MetaTrader generation
Who it suits
Multi-asset backtesters, MQL5 automation
About MetaTrader 5 (MT5)
MT5 is the multi-asset MetaTrader generation, with 21 timeframes, level-two depth of market, a multi-thread strategy tester and a built-in economic calendar. It is not backward compatible with MT4 expert advisors, so the two are a choice rather than an upgrade path.
Who it suits: multi-asset CFD traders and backtesters who want native depth of market and MQL5 automation.
The MT4 vs MT5 comparison sets the two side by side.
UK brokers offering MetaTrader 5 (MT5)
cTrader
Strength
Depth of market, clean order entry
Automation
cTrader Automate (C# cBots)
Who it suits
Scalpers and algo traders on raw accounts
About cTrader
cTrader pairs level-two depth of market with a clean order-entry workflow. Its automation environment, cTrader Automate, runs C# cBots, and cTrader Copy handles position mirroring inside the platform.
Who it suits: scalpers and algorithmic traders on raw or ECN accounts where execution speed outranks charting.
UK brokers offering cTrader
Pepperstone
FxPro
TradingView
Strength
Deepest charting layer
Execution
Via a connected FCA broker
Who it suits
Chart-led traders with a live broker link
About TradingView
TradingView is a charting layer with native trading at a handful of FCA-regulated brokers and embedded charts at others. It is not itself a broker: an FCA-regulated firm executes and holds every trade placed through it.
Who it suits: chart-led traders who want TradingView's analysis tools with a live broker connection.
UK brokers offering TradingView
Pepperstone
Eightcap
FxPro
Capital.com
City Index
Forex.com
FXCM
OANDA
Saxo
Swissquote
Trade Nation
Vantage
How the four mainstream platforms compare
Feature by feature, with availability from our FCA broker shortlist.
| Feature |  MT4 |
 MT5 |
 cTrader |
 TradingView |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Released | 2005 | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 |
| Developer | MetaQuotes | MetaQuotes | Spotware | TradingView Inc |
| Programming language | MQL4 | MQL5 | C# | Pine Script |
| Timeframes | 9 | 21 | 26 | Custom intervals |
| Depth of market | No | Yes | Yes | Broker-dependent |
| Strategy tester | Single-thread | Multi-thread | Built in (cTrader Automate) | Pine strategy tester |
| Economic calendar | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hedging | Default | Broker-optional | Yes | Via broker |
| Algo community | Largest EA library | Growing | cBots (C#) | Community scripts |
| New broker licences | Mostly closed since 2018 | Open | Open | Open |
| UK brokers offering it | 18 of 27 | 12 of 27 | 2 of 27 | 14 of 27 |
| Best for | Legacy EAs | Multi-asset algo | Scalping and DOM | Charting |
Availability counts come from our broker dataset and update on each build. Each platform name links to our full broker list for it.
Proprietary platforms
A proprietary platform exists at one broker only, so choosing the software chooses the firm. The trade-off is tighter integration, with risk tools, multi-asset access and pricing in one place, against zero portability if you leave.
CMC Markets Next Generation
Next Generation is CMC's own build, with advanced charting and pattern recognition across a wide multi-asset CFD range. CMC also runs MT4, but the proprietary platform is the reason to pick the broker. See the CMC Markets review for scores and costs.
IG platform
The IG platform pairs the broadest market range on this list with ProRealTime access for chart-led traders. It suits committed multi-asset traders who want depth over the tightest forex pricing. See the IG Markets review for the full breakdown.
Plus500 WebTrader
Plus500's web and app platform is the cleanest retail build in the set, with built-in risk tools and one simplified pricing model. It suits occasional traders who want a plain interface over feature depth. See the Plus500 review for detail.
eToro
eToro layers a social feed and CopyTrader over its own platform, so you can mirror another trader's positions on the same FCA account. Costs are the trade-off, since accounts are USD-denominated. See the eToro review for the numbers.
XTB xStation
xStation 5 is XTB's only UK platform after it dropped MetaTrader 4 from its offer, and it lists a large index and ETF CFD range. It suits traders happy on a single strong proprietary build. See the XTB review for the full picture.
Other proprietary and broker-specific platforms worth knowing:
- FxPro Edge, FxPro’s own build alongside its MetaTrader and cTrader accounts. See the FxPro review.
- FXCM Trading Station, paired with Capitalise.ai automation. See the FXCM review.
- ThinkMarkets ThinkTrader, the broker’s proprietary web and mobile platform. See the ThinkMarkets review.
- Trading 212’s app, a proprietary platform aimed at casual traders. See the Trading 212 review.
- Saxo’s SaxoTraderGO, a research-heavy multi-asset platform. See the Saxo review.
Specialist platforms
These platforms serve a narrow job rather than a broad market, and each reaches UK traders through one broker.
ProRealTime
ProRealTime is a charting and automation platform with ProOrder strategy support, available in the UK through IG Markets. It suits chart-led and semi-automated traders who want deeper charting than a standard broker platform, without moving to a full programmatic terminal. See the IG Markets review for how the connection works.
Capitalise.ai
Capitalise.ai is a plain-English, no-code automation layer offered on FXCM accounts. It lets rule-based traders build and run strategies from written conditions rather than code, which suits traders who want automation without MQL or C#. See the FXCM review for the account detail.
Trader Workstation (TWS)
Trader Workstation is Interactive Brokers' professional multi-asset terminal, with wide market access and an API for programmatic trading. It suits cross-asset and programmatic traders who need one terminal across many markets. See the Interactive Brokers review for scope and access.
Which platform should you choose, by trader type
The right platform follows how you trade, not the length of a feature list. These six profiles cover most UK traders.
Complete beginner
Start with a clean proprietary web platform such as Plus500’s, or a demo on MT4. Simplicity beats feature depth at the start, and a familiar interface lets you learn order entry and risk controls before you add charting or automation. Open a demo account first, whichever platform you pick.
Chart-led trader
TradingView natively, or ProRealTime through IG, gives the deepest charting. Both carry the drawing tools, multi-timeframe layouts and saved templates that a chart-first process needs, with a live broker connection behind the analysis.
Algorithmic trader
MT5 suits multi-thread backtesting and MQL5, while cTrader Automate handles C# cBots. Both let you develop, test and run strategies in one place; the choice comes down to the language you already work in and the asset classes you trade.
Scalper
cTrader or MT5 with depth of market on a raw account suits scalping, where execution speed and spread outrank charting. Confirm the account type as well as the platform, since raw pricing and one-click trading matter more than the interface. The best brokers for scalping UK page ranks the accounts behind each.
Copy trader
eToro CopyTrader or cTrader Copy mirror another trader’s positions automatically. eToro leads on the size of its social network, while cTrader Copy keeps the feature inside a raw-execution platform. The copy trading page compares the brokers behind each route.
Multi-asset CFD trader
MT5 or a proprietary multi-asset build such as the IG or CMC platform covers the widest instrument range on one account. A proprietary platform trades portability for a single integrated view of forex, indices, shares and commodities.
Opening the account
Opening an account takes a verification step and a deposit whichever platform you choose. Pick an FCA-authorised broker, complete identity and address verification under the broker’s onboarding checks, choose your platform and account type, then fund in GBP. Most traders start on a demo account to learn the platform before risking real money, and every broker here offers one.
How we test the 12 platforms
Platform verdicts on this page come from the same protocol as our broker reviews:
- Install and run each platform on demo.
- Check the order-entry workflow and one-click trading.
- Time chart loading and test stability under multiple layouts.
- Run the automation environment where one exists.
- Compare mobile parity against the desktop build.
- Confirm UK-entity availability against the broker’s published offer.
- Check the FCA entity on the Financial Services Register.
Every broker we rank is assessed on demo and live, GBP-funded accounts under the same process, and the full method sits on the methodology page.
Mobile trading apps
Every platform here ships a mobile app, but parity varies. MetaTrader’s apps cover charting and order management without the desktop expert-advisor environment; cTrader’s app carries depth of market; TradingView’s app syncs layouts with the browser version. Broker proprietary apps range from Plus500’s simplified build to IG’s near-full platform. Apps are ranked separately in best forex trading apps UK.
Automated, copy and social trading
Automation is platform-dependent. MT4 and MT5 run expert advisors, cTrader runs C# cBots, and ProRealTime runs ProOrder strategies, while a no-code route exists through Capitalise.ai on FXCM. Copy trading mirrors another trader’s positions through eToro CopyTrader or cTrader Copy. The automated trading, AI trading and copy trading pages rank the brokers behind each route.
FCA regulation and trading platforms
The FCA regulates brokers, not platforms. MetaQuotes and TradingView hold no FCA authorisation, and do not need it: the FCA-authorised broker behind your account carries the client-money rules, the retail leverage caps, negative balance protection, FSCS cover up to £85,000 and Financial Ombudsman Service access. Cryptocurrency CFDs are banned for UK retail clients, whatever platform a broker runs. Check any firm’s Firm Reference Number on the Financial Services Register before funding an account.
The FCA sets retail leverage caps by instrument under PS19/18, and they apply on every platform:
| Asset class | FCA retail leverage cap |
|---|---|
| Major currency pairs | 30:1 |
| Non-major pairs, gold and major indices | 20:1 |
| Other commodities and non-major indices | 10:1 |
| Government bonds from the UK, eurozone, US, Japan, Canada or Switzerland | 30:1 |
| Individual shares, and any asset not listed above | 5:1 |
Compare brokers by the factor that decides it
Different traders rank on different things. Start from the factor that decides it for you.
Start with the overall ranking
Our main UK list scores every FCA-regulated broker on cost and execution.
Cost decides it
The same trade costs different amounts on different account types. These lists rank on the all-in figure.
You are starting out
Simple platforms and demo accounts to learn on before any money is at risk.
What you trade decides it
Each market carries its own FCA leverage cap, so the by-asset pages rank brokers per instrument.
FAQs
What is the best forex trading platform in the UK?
Which is better, MT4 or MT5?
Do I need to pay for a trading platform?
What is the difference between a trading platform and a broker?
Does TradingView count as a broker?
Which trading platform is best for beginners in the UK?
Are trading platforms covered by the FSCS?
Related pages
About the author
Justin Grossbard is the co-founder and CEO at CompareForexBrokers. He has traded forex since 1998, leads UK broker research and has personally reviewed every FCA-regulated broker on this site. His work has appeared in Forbes, Kiplinger and Finance Magnates, and he holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and a Master of Marketing.