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cTrader & TradingView

Beyond MT4/MT5, cTrader and TradingView are powerful platforms used by professional traders worldwide. Each has unique strengths for different trading styles.

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Live OANDA:XAUUSD Chart — Example Powered by TradingView

TradingView — The Charting Standard

TradingView is the most popular charting platform in the world with over 50 million users. It works in any browser — no download needed.
  • Access from any device: desktop browser, iOS app, Android app
  • Over 100+ built-in indicators and 100,000+ community scripts (many free)
  • Drawing tools: all standard tools plus some unique to TradingView
  • Multi-chart layouts: view 2, 4, 6, or 8 charts simultaneously
  • Paper trading: practice trading in TradingView without real money — free
  • Alerts: set price alerts, indicator alerts, drawing alerts — get notified on phone/email
  • Social: follow other traders, share ideas, comment on setups — great for learning

Pro Tip: Use TradingView for analysis and charting, then execute trades in your broker's MT4/MT5. Most serious traders use TradingView charts with their broker platform for execution.

Pine Script Basics

Pine Script is TradingView's own scripting language for creating custom indicators and strategies.
  • Very simple syntax — much easier than MQL5
  • //@version=5 at the top declares Pine Script version 5
  • indicator("My Indicator") — declares an indicator
  • plot(close) — plots the closing price on chart
  • ta.sma(close, 20) — 20-period simple moving average
  • Publish to TradingView community or keep private
  • Free account: 1 Pine Script indicator. Paid: unlimited scripts

cTrader — The ECN Platform

cTrader is popular with ECN brokers and offers cleaner execution than MT4/MT5.
  • Cleaner, more modern interface than MT4/MT5
  • Level 2 pricing: see actual bid/ask volumes at different price levels
  • Detachable charts: pop out multiple charts to different screens
  • cBot (cAlgo): automate strategies using C# programming language
  • FIX API access for institutional-level connectivity
  • Better handling of partial fills and execution transparency
  • Popular brokers: IC Markets, FxPro, Pepperstone all offer cTrader

Platform Comparison

Feature MT4 MT5 cTrader TradingView
Timeframes 9 21 26 16+
Automation MQL4 (EAs) MQL5 (EAs) C# (cBots) Pine Script (strategy)
Community Huge Large Medium Massive
Charting Basic Better Good Best
Execution Market/Limit Market/Limit ECN/Level2 Paper only
Cost Free Free Free Free/Paid
Best For Beginners, EAs Advanced EAs Scalpers, ECN Analysis, charting
Previous
MQL5 & MT5

Key Takeaways

  • TradingView: best charting, works in any browser
  • cTrader: superior for ECN execution and scalping
  • Pine Script: TradingView custom indicators language
  • cAlgo: cTrader automation language (C# based)
  • TradingView has the largest trader community
  • cTrader shows Level 2 market depth
  • Both support mobile trading apps
  • TradingView alerts: set once, get notified forever

All Free Topics

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