Research note

MT4 vs MT5: pick a platform before you pick a bonus

August 19, 2026 · Peak Pips desk

The ticket you will actually click matters more than a welcome credit. Check which platform the entity offers, then demo it.

  • Education, not a signal
  • Check the register yourself
  • Leverage can wipe a deposit

A welcome bonus does not help if you cannot find the order ticket. Platform fit is a research step, not a preference badge. Open the entity’s own site and see whether you get MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, or a web desk — then demo the one you will use.

What actually differs on the ticket

MT4 is still common for simple FX and gold tickets. MT5 adds more order types and a different market-watch layout. Neither is “safer”. A licence covers the firm, not the terminal skin.

If a review says a broker is “best for MT5” but the account form only lists MT4, believe the form.

Demo both if you can

One session on each platform tells you whether you can place a stop, find swap, and read history without hunting. Our note on demo vs live still applies: a green demo curve is not a withdrawal.

Then check the entity

Platform first is not licence last. Confirm the legal name on the regulator register, then use our tools page only to watch price — never to copy a trade. Peak Pips does not run your account.

This is editorial. It is not advice, a broker pitch, or a call to deposit. Confirm licences and costs on the firm’s own site.