MT4 vs MT5: Which Is Better for UK Traders in 2026?

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MT5 is the newer and more capable platform, with multi-asset support, more timeframes and a built-in economic calendar, while MT4 keeps the larger expert-advisor library and a simpler interface. A UK trader who relies on a specific legacy EA usually stays on MT4; one who wants multi-asset charting and faster backtesting moves to MT5.

Summary

MT5 is the stronger choice for most UK traders: multi-asset support, depth of market, twenty-one timeframes and a faster multi-thread strategy tester. MT4 still wins if your workflow depends on a particular legacy expert advisor or indicator. Both come from MetaQuotes, and the head-to-head table below settles the rest.

Quick comparison: MT4 vs MT5 head-to-head

The table sets out the practical differences. Most rows favour MT5 on capability, but the EA library and default hedging keep MT4 relevant.

Feature set is per MetaQuotes’ published platform documentation, and broker availability is per each firm’s UK pages. Hedging on MT5 is account-type dependent, so confirm the setting with the broker before assuming it.

Where MT5 clearly wins

MT5 was built for more than forex, and that shows in daily use. Multi-asset trading, the twenty-one timeframes, native depth of market and the multi-thread strategy tester all give a UK CFD trader more to work with than MT4 offers. The built-in economic calendar puts data releases inside the platform rather than in a separate tab, which matters when a number moves the market you are in. The best MT5 broker UK page ranks the FCA-regulated brokers that offer the platform on raw accounts.

Where MT4 still wins

Two things keep traders on MT4. The expert-advisor and indicator library is far deeper, so a strategy written for a specific MT4 tool may have no MT5 equivalent. Hedging is also on by default, while MT5 makes it broker-dependent, so a trader who runs opposing positions on the same instrument finds MT4 simpler. The platform is lighter and quicker to learn, which suits a trader who only needs charting and order entry. If that describes you, the best MT4 broker UK page ranks the FCA-regulated brokers that still support it.

Which should a UK trader choose?

Pick MT4 if your workflow depends on a particular legacy expert advisor or indicator, or you want the simplest path to charting and order entry. Choose MT5 if you trade multiple asset classes, want depth of market and the built-in calendar, or run backtests that benefit from the faster multi-thread tester. One practical nudge: MetaQuotes has largely stopped issuing new MT4 licences since 2018, so newer UK brokers tend to launch on MT5, and the long-term momentum is with the newer platform.

Will MT4 be phased out?

No, not on a fixed date, but the support floor is now dated. MetaQuotes ended support for older desktop builds on 1 July 2025, setting minimum connectable versions of MT4 build 1440 (released 21 February 2025) and MT5 build 4755 (released 13 December 2024); terminals below those builds can no longer connect to broker servers (MetaQuotes announcement, corroborated by FX News Group, 2025). MT4 itself continues and brokers still run it, but new-feature development is MT5-only, so the platform is maintained rather than advanced. Keep your terminal on the current build and the practical answer is that MT4 keeps working for as long as your broker offers it.

MT4 and MT5 on the Apple App Store

Both apps were removed from Apple’s App Store on 23 September 2022 and reinstated on 6 March 2023, after a roughly six-month suspension, once MetaQuotes tightened the vetting on new broker licences (Finance Magnates and WikiFX, 7 March 2023). For a UK iPhone user today, both MT4 and MT5 are installable from the App Store again, so the 2022 removal is history rather than a current limitation. Expert advisors still run on the desktop terminal or a VPS, not on the mobile apps.

Which UK broker for MT4 or MT5

The platform question usually ends as a broker question, since not every FCA-regulated broker runs both. The three brokers below do, and each links to its full review. Every FCA entity and Firm Reference Number was checked on the FCA register on 10 July 2026.

Compare regulatory detail across 3 FCA-regulated brokers.

Broker	FCA entity (FRN)	MT4	MT5	Best for
Pepperstone	Pepperstone Limited (FCA FRN 684312)	Yes	Yes	Running both platforms on one Razor raw account
FxPro	FxPro UK Limited (FCA FRN 509956)	Yes	Yes	NDD execution on either platform
ThinkMarkets	TF Global Markets (UK) Limited (FCA FRN 629628)	Yes	Yes	Raw ThinkZero pricing on either platform

One absence to note: XTB removed MT4 from its UK offer in March 2024 and now runs its own xStation platform only, so it no longer belongs in a MetaTrader comparison.