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BrokersGuide

Best MetaTrader 4 (MT4) brokers

Regulated brokers offering the classic MT4 platform — the biggest ecosystem of tools and expert advisors. Free demos included.

6 regulated brokers ranked for this, each with a free demo. Rankings reflect our editorial criteria — verify the details before you deposit.

Top rated

Exness

#1
4.7

Ultra-fast withdrawals and tight spreads, huge in Asia.

  • Instant & automatic withdrawals, 24/7
  • Very low minimum deposit to go live
  • Tight spreads, including zero-spread accounts
Demo / min
$10
Spread from
0.0 pips
Leverage
1:2000
Fast withdrawalsLow depositScalping
Regulated by:FCA · CySEC · FSCA · FSA
Open free demoRead full review →

Forex/CFDs are leveraged products. Most retail accounts lose money.

IC Markets

#2
4.6

Raw spreads and deep liquidity for cost-sensitive traders.

  • True ECN raw-spread accounts
  • Excellent for algos / Expert Advisors
  • Deep institutional liquidity & fast fills
Demo / min
$200
Spread from
0.0 pips
Leverage
1:1000
Lowest spreadsAlgo tradingActive traders
Regulated by:ASIC · CySEC · FSA
Open free demoRead full review →

CFDs are complex instruments with a high risk of losing money rapidly.

Capital.com

#3
4.6

AI-assisted CFD platform with a $20 start and great education.

  • AI-powered trading insights
  • Low $20 minimum deposit
  • Standout beginner education
Demo / min
$20
Spread from
0.6 pips
Leverage
1:30 (retail)
BeginnersCFDsLow deposit
Regulated by:FCA · CySEC · ASIC · FSA
Open free demoRead full review →

CFDs are complex instruments with a high risk of losing money rapidly.

OctaFX

#4
4.2

Low-cost trading with local funding loved across SE Asia.

  • Popular local e-wallet & bank deposits
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees
  • Clean, modern in-house app
Demo / min
$25
Spread from
0.6 pips
Leverage
1:1000
Local fundingLow feesMobile-first
Regulated by:CySEC · FSCA · FSC
Open free demoRead full review →

Trading involves substantial risk and may not be suitable for everyone.

XM

#5
4.3

Beginner-friendly with generous education and micro accounts.

  • Start from just a few dollars
  • Excellent free education & webinars
  • Micro lots keep position sizes (and risk) small
Demo / min
$5
Spread from
0.6 pips
Leverage
1:1000
BeginnersTiny depositsLearning
Regulated by:CySEC · ASIC · FSC
Open free demoRead full review →

Forex/CFDs are leveraged products. Most retail accounts lose money.

FxPro

#6
4.4

Established multi-regulated broker with pro-grade execution.

  • No-dealing-desk execution
  • Multiple platforms incl. MT4, MT5 and cTrader
  • Strong, long-standing multi-jurisdiction regulation
Demo / min
$100
Spread from
0.6 pips
Leverage
1:2000
Serious tradersMulti-platformRegulation
Regulated by:FCA · CySEC · FSCA · SCB
Open free demoRead full review →

CFDs are complex instruments with a high risk of losing money rapidly.

MT4 has been the default retail trading platform for over fifteen years, and that longevity is the reason to choose it: the largest library of indicators and expert advisors, and the greatest chance that a tutorial matches your screen. Every broker below offers MT4 and a free demo — the platform costs nothing, so what you are really picking is the broker behind it.

When MT4 is the right choice over MT5

Choose MT4 if you depend on a specific third-party indicator or expert advisor, if you are learning from material written for it, or if you only trade forex and metals and want the lightest possible terminal. Choose MT5 if you want stocks and futures in the same platform, more timeframes, or its newer automation. The two are not compatible — an MT4 EA will not run on MT5, and that incompatibility is the single most common reason people end up back on MT4 after switching.

Expert advisors: what the marketplace does not tell you

MT4's EA ecosystem is its biggest advantage and its biggest trap. A backtest is not evidence: most published EAs are curve-fitted to historical data and fall apart on live spreads and slippage. If you buy or download one, run it on demo through at least one losing month before it sees real money, and check that your broker's entity permits automation at all. An EA that only works on a 0.0-pip demo spread does not work.

MT4 needs a broker to do anything

MT4 downloaded from MetaQuotes is an empty terminal. It needs a server address and login from a broker before it shows prices or accepts orders. Open a free demo with one of the brokers above and use the credentials they email you. If someone is selling 'MT4 with signals' as a bundled product, remember the terminal itself is free from every broker on this page.

Comparing brokers when the platform is identical

Since the software is the same, compare the things that are not: all-in cost at your lot size (spread plus commission plus overnight financing, not the banner number), which legal entity onboards you and whether it appears on any regulator's alert list, and how fast a real withdrawal clears. Test that last one by funding the minimum and withdrawing it in full before you size up.

Best MetaTrader 4 (MT4) brokers: quick answers

Which broker is best for MetaTrader 4?
The platform is the same everywhere, so decide on entity, all-in cost and withdrawal reliability. Open demos at two of the brokers above, load the pairs you actually trade, and compare the real ticket at your trading hour.
Is MT4 or MT5 better?
MT5 is technically newer with more markets and timeframes. MT4 has the larger ecosystem of indicators, expert advisors and tutorials. For forex and gold they are close enough that the broker matters more than the platform.
Is MetaTrader 4 free?
Yes. The terminal and the demo account are free from any broker that offers MT4. Costs on a live account come from the spread, commission and overnight swap.
Can I use MT4 on mobile?
Yes, there are iOS and Android apps, though charting is harder on a small screen. Many traders analyse on desktop and manage open positions on the phone. Test the app on mobile data before you rely on it.
Do all brokers still offer MT4?
No. MetaQuotes stopped issuing new MT4 licences to brokers, so some newer brokers are MT5-only. Every broker listed on this page currently offers MT4, but confirm on their site before you sign up for it specifically.

What "best" actually means here

MetaTrader 4 is ageing, no longer actively developed, and still the most widely supported trading platform in the world. It survives on one thing: an enormous ecosystem of Expert Advisors, custom indicators and community scripts built up over nearly two decades.

If you're not running robots or specific community indicators, MT5 does everything MT4 does and more. Choose MT4 for the ecosystem, not out of habit — and be aware you're picking a platform its own maker has stopped developing.

What we weigh

  • MT4 available on the account type you'd open, with EAs permitted rather than restricted
  • VPS options or low-latency hosting if you intend to run an EA around the clock
  • Execution model — ECN/no-dealing-desk matters more for automated strategies
  • Whether the broker is steering new clients to MT5, which tells you how long MT4 support will last

Check these yourself before depositing

  • Confirm automated trading is actually allowed on your account type before buying or building an EA.
  • Backtest on the broker's own historical data, since spreads and gaps differ between brokers.
  • Run any EA on demo for several weeks — most strategies that look profitable in a backtest aren't.

The trade-off nobody advertises

You're choosing a platform in maintenance mode for the sake of its add-ons. That's a reasonable trade if you use them, and a bad one if you picked MT4 because it's what a YouTube tutorial used.

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