As the middleman between traders and the market, the success of any Forex Brokerage business is dependent on the sophistication of its server infrastructure and systems. With that being said, when it comes to choosing the right server to host either MT4 or MT5 platforms, it is crucial for Forex Brokers to meet certain specification requirements in order to provide traders a powerful service.
In this article we will compare MT4 and MT5 platforms and outline the necessary server requirements for hosting both.
What is MT4
Developed by MetaQuotes and released in 2005, MetaTrader4 (MT4) is an online trading platform used primarily for Forex trading. Its versatility, simple user interface and customizability have made it one of the most popular online trading platforms, predominantly used for automated trading.
MT4 has become an integral component for many traders, especially for utilizing expert advisors (EAs) and technical advisors, which are readily available to purchase for traders without programming skills. Overall, the platform is extremely reliable and intuitive for both experienced and novice traders, and available across multiple devices.
What is MT5
Launched by MetaQuotes in 2010, MetaTrader5 (MT5) is a multi-asset platform used for Forex trading as well as Stocks and Futures. As MT5 was designed for trading beyond just Forex, it can connect to these centralized exchanges. The platform gives traders access to technical analysis tools, automated trading and copy trading, and is often preferred by experienced traders who trade multiple types of assets.
MT4 vs. MT5: Comparison of Features
Choosing between MT4 and MT5 is a lot more than just weighing up pros and cons. A common misconception is that MT5 is an updated version of MT4, but that’s just not the case. MT4 was designed specifically for Forex traders, whilst MT5 has broader applications for stocks, CFD and future trading, as well as Forex. Traders deciding between the two platforms should first consider their overall trading goals and whether they want access to markets beyond Forex.
Both platforms use their own custom programming languages, MQL4 and MQL5, each providing different capabilities and trading customizations. It can be said that MT4 is preferred by beginner traders due to its simplicity, with nine different time frames to choose from for chart analysis, compared to MT5’s 21 time frames that would be crucial for more experienced traders.
In addition to that, MT4 offers only four basic order types providing the ability to buy stop, sell stop, buy limit, and sell limit orders. MT5 provides those 4 as well as buy stop limit and sell stop limit orders, which are frequently used by seasoned traders and ultimately offer greater flexibility.
Trading Server Requirements
It is recommended to install both MT4 and MT5 on dedicated servers; more specifically two dedicated servers each located in different data centers. One to be used as the main server and the other as backup, with all data from the main server being backed up in real time. The backup server should be configured similarly, if not identically, to the main server.
Trading Server Requirements for MT4
Server requirements for MetaTrader 4 are as follows:
Minimum Requirements | Recommended Requirements | |
CPU | Intel i7 4th Gen Quad Core | Intel Xeon Quad Core E3 or E5 |
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
HDD | 2 x 1 TB HDD (RAID 1) | 2 x 480 GB SSD (RAID 1) for Trade and History server2 x 1 TB HDD (RAID 1) for backup servers |
Network | 100Mbps Internet connection for both download and upload | 1Gbps Internet connection for both download and upload |
Operating System | Windows Server 2016 Standard 64-bit | Windows Server 2019 Standard 64-bit |
Trading Server Requirements for MT5
Server requirements for MetaTrader 5 are as follows:
Minimum Requirements | Recommended Requirements | |
CPU | Intel i7 4th Gen Quad Core | Intel Xeon Quad Core E3 or E5 |
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
HDD | 2 x 1 TB HDD (RAID 1) | 2 x 480 GB SSD (RAID 1) for Trade and History server2 x 1 TB HDD (RAID 1) for backup servers |
Network | 100Mbps Internet connection for both download and upload | 1Gbps Internet connection for both download and upload |
Operating System | Windows Server 2016 Standard 64-bit | Windows Server 2019 Standard 64-bit |
Managed MT4 & MT5 Server Hosting with NetShop ISP
NetShop ISP is a multi-award winning Data Center Services and Hosting Provider with global infrastructure that spans across Europe, Asia Pacific and the United States. Our data centers are located in major financial hubs, and ensure reliable and secure hosting for MT4 and MT5.
With over a decade of industry experience, our team is on hand to answer your questions.
Copyrights: MT4 and MT5 software are intellectual property of MetaQuotes Ltd.