XM MT4 or MT5? The Official Comparison and Who Should Choose Which
XMTrading offers both MT4 and MT5 with EAs allowed on each. MT5 adds stock derivatives, more timeframes, indicators and order types, and faster multi-thread backtesting; MT4 is simpler and has a 0.01 lot minimum on Micro accounts, versus 0.1 lot on MT5.
By CB-Dogs Editorial4 min read
Disclosure: CB-Dogs receives an advertising (referral) fee — sometimes called an IB commission — from brokers for accounts opened or linked through us, and returns part of it to you as cashback, the same model used by cashback and points sites. This does not change your trading costs.
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If you are opening an XMTrading account, one of the first choices is the platform: MetaTrader 4 (MT4) or MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Both are offered, both allow EAs, and the right pick depends on what you trade and how you test. This guide uses XMTrading's own comparison table, turns it into practical advice, and covers the XMTD TraderPro app and what the choice means for cashback.
Key takeaways
- XMTrading offers MT4, MT5 and the XMTD TraderPro mobile app. EAs and robots are allowed on both MT4 and MT5.
- Only MT5 lists stock derivatives. MT5 also has 21 timeframes (MT4: 9), 6 order types (MT4: 4), an economic calendar and faster multi-thread backtesting.
- On a Micro account the minimum trade size is 0.1 lot on MT5 but 0.01 lot on MT4, which matters for small-size traders.
- The terminal time zone cannot be changed: server time is GMT+2 in winter and GMT+3 in summer.
- CB-Dogs cashback is based on the lots you trade, whichever platform you use.
The official MT4 vs MT5 comparison
This is XMTrading's own comparison, reproduced as a table.
| MT4 | MT5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Instruments | FX, precious metals, commodities, indices, crypto derivatives | The same, plus stock derivatives |
| Chart types | 31 | 44 |
| Timeframes | 9 | 21 |
| Historical data | Limited search period on the server | Unlimited |
| Tick history | Yes | Yes |
| Technical indicators | 30 | 38 |
| Backtesting | Single-thread (slow) | Multi-thread (fast) |
| Order types | 4 | 6 |
| Programming language | MQL4 | MQL5 |
| Economic calendar | No | Yes |
| Alerts | Limited (works only while the desktop terminal is running) | Yes |
| Signals service (copy signals) | No | Yes |
Both run on Mac, Windows, Android and iOS. XMTrading also offers the all-in-one XMTD TraderPro mobile app, covered below.
Who should choose which
Choose MT5 if:
- You want stock derivatives. XMTrading lists them for MT5 only.
- You backtest a lot. Multi-thread testing is much faster, and MT5's historical data is not limited the way MT4's server search period is.
- You want more timeframes, order types and indicators, a built-in economic calendar, or alerts that do not depend on a running desktop terminal.
Choose MT4 if:
- You already have MT4 EAs or indicators written in MQL4. MT5 uses MQL5, so you would need MT5 versions.
- You trade a Micro account and want the smaller minimum size: 0.01 lot on MT4 versus 0.1 lot on MT5. A Micro lot is 1,000 units, so 0.01 lot on MT4 is very small. See our XM Micro account review.
- You prefer a simpler platform with fewer options.
For EA users: XMTrading allows EAs and robots on both platforms, so the question is compatibility. Use the platform your EA was built for. If you are choosing for a new EA, MT5's faster backtesting is a real advantage. For the cost side of automated trading, see forex rebates for EA traders.
Does the platform change costs?
Account type sets the main trading conditions (spread, commission, leverage); compare them in XMTrading account types compared. One platform-specific detail is the Zero account commission: it is 10 USD per 100,000 USD traded, charged for the round trip at open on MT4, and charged at open and at close on MT5. The basis is the same; only the timing of the charge differs.
Server time and the terminal clock
The terminal time zone cannot be changed. Server time is GMT+2 in winter and GMT+3 in summer. This affects where daily candles are cut and when swaps are applied (00:00 server time, with triple swap on Wednesday for spot FX and metals). If you trade gold around session opens, convert times carefully; our gold trading hours guide covers this.
EAs are allowed on both
XMTrading permits EAs and robots on MT4 and on MT5. For the cashback side, XMTrading's publicly available partner terms exclude trades of 5 minutes or less and trades made only to generate commission (churning), so a very high-frequency EA may earn little or no cashback. Details are in XM trades excluded from cashback.
The XMTD TraderPro app
XMTD TraderPro is XMTrading's all-in-one mobile app. XMTrading describes it as offering 1,400+ instruments, price alerts, charts and indicators, and a unified profile for managing all your accounts. Additional accounts can also be opened from it. Think of it as a companion for monitoring and manual trades alongside MT4 or MT5.
Can I switch platform later?
You choose the platform when you open an account. If you later want the other platform, the straightforward route is to open an additional live account on it: XMTrading allows up to 10 live accounts on the same personal details. To keep earning cashback, open that additional account through the CB-Dogs link while logging in to your existing profile through it, then submit the new account number. The steps are in our additional account guide.
Does cashback differ between MT4 and MT5?
Cashback is based on the lots you trade, whichever platform you use. XMTrading's public partner terms describe commission per standard lot and do not distinguish platforms. CB-Dogs pays 60% of the IB commission XMTrading actually pays for your account, and rates depend on account type:
| Account type | Rebate / lot (USDT) |
|---|---|
| StandardSpread-based account, no commission. | 1.8 |
| MicroShown per micro lot (1,000 units), which is 1/100 of a standard lot, so the amount is 1/100 of the Standard amount. | 0.018(1 micro lot = 1,000 units) |
| KiwamiXM's tightened-spread account tier available in select regions. Our rebate for this account type is still being confirmed with XM and will be added here. | Rate to be confirmed |
| ZeroCommission-based account. Rebate is paid in addition to the raw spread, and the commission you pay is unaffected. Our rebate for this account type is still being confirmed with XM and will be added here. | Rate to be confirmed |
Provisional rate
So choose the platform for how you trade, not for cashback. For the full XM offering, see the XM broker page.
FAQ
Not in every case. MT5 has more timeframes, order types, indicators, an economic calendar and faster backtesting, and only it lists stock derivatives. MT4 has a smaller minimum size on Micro accounts (0.01 lot vs 0.1 lot) and suits existing MQL4 tools.
Risk warning: forex and CFD trading carries a high risk of losing money. Cashback does not offset trading losses. Nothing here is investment advice.
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