IC Markets' four trading platforms and what each is best for.

IC Markets' four trading platforms and what each is best for.

Four trading platforms are available at IC Markets: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader and TradingView. The two MetaTrader platforms run on IC's Standard, Raw Spread and Raw Pro accounts; cTrader and TradingView share the Raw Spread cTrader account. Every platform has desktop, web and mobile versions. There is no "best" one, and IC's own Help Centre says so, but each suits a different kind of trader.

One practical rule shapes the whole decision. A trading account belongs to one platform: you can't open your MetaTrader 4 account in cTrader. To use another platform you create a new trading account for it in the Client Area, which is free and takes a minute.

MetaTrader 4Standard, Raw Spread, Raw Pro; up to 1:5000
MetaTrader 5Same accounts; the only IC platform with stock CFDs
cTraderRaw Spread cTrader; up to 1:1000; London servers
TradingViewConnects through the cTrader Raw account only
ServersMetaTrader: Equinix NY4, New York; cTrader: LD5, London
Cost of the platformsFree

The four platforms side by side

MetaTrader 4MetaTrader 5cTraderTradingView
IC accountsStandard, Raw Spread, Raw ProStandard, Raw Spread, Raw ProRaw Spread (cTrader)Raw Spread (cTrader)
Commission (Raw)$3.50 per lot per side$3.50 per lot per side$3 per $100k per side$3 per $100k per side
Max leverage1:50001:50001:10001:1000
Instruments2,250 on MetaTrader2,250, including stocks121cTrader's range
AutomationExpert advisors (MQL4)Expert advisors (MQL5)cTrader Algo (C#)Alerts and strategy tester
Order limit2002002,000cTrader's

MetaTrader 4: the default for EAs

MetaTrader 4 is the oldest and still the most widely used. IC's Help Centre calls it the most popular among traders, with a huge library of indicators and expert advisors and years of community support. It runs on Windows 7 or later and on Mac, plus iPhone, Android and a browser WebTrader.

Its limits show with age: fewer timeframes and order types than newer platforms, and no stock CFDs at IC. On MT4 the full Raw commission is charged when a trade opens. For a trader with existing MQL4 robots or indicators, it remains the easiest choice.

MetaTrader 5: the only way to trade IC's stocks

MetaTrader 5 is the newer version of MetaTrader, which IC describes as a multi-asset platform with more advanced charting and order management tools. At IC it matters for one more reason: stock CFDs are available only on MT5. IC says it offers more than 2,100 shares from the ASX, Nasdaq and NYSE there, and you ask support to add them to a funded MT5 account.

MT5 can't run MT4 robots, since MQL5 is a different language, and netting accounts are available on request. Commission is charged per side, when you open and when you close.

cTrader: cleaner design, deeper order control

cTrader is newer and built for manual and algorithmic day traders. IC's Help Centre lists the differences from MT4: advanced stop-loss and take-profit options, detachable charts, flexible timeframes, market sentiment, depth of market, and the choice to show volume in units or lots. Automation uses C# through cTrader Algo, and cTrader is the only IC platform that supports a FIX API connection.

It runs on IC's cTrader Raw account: $3 per side per $100,000 traded, servers in London, up to 2,000 open orders, and 121 instruments. That smaller product list and the 1:1000 leverage cap are the main trade-offs.

TradingView: trade from the charts

IC's TradingView integration runs through cTrader, and IC's Help Centre is explicit: you can only trade on TradingView with the cTrader Raw account. You fund it by transferring money from the Client Area. TradingView brings 400+ built-in indicators, 110+ drawing tools, alerts on 13 conditions and a strategy tester, synced across browser, desktop and mobile.

You can start on a TradingView demo while your live application is still pending, IC says. Open it from the Client Area or TradingView itself and connect through the Trading Panel.

Web and mobile

All four platforms have browser and mobile apps. On phones you can trade, chart and manage positions, but you can't install expert advisors or custom indicators on the MetaTrader mobile apps; those run on desktop or a VPS. IC also has its own IC Social app for copy trading on MT4.

Which IC platform should you choose?

  • MQL4 expert advisors: MetaTrader 4 on Raw Spread.
  • Shares as well as forex: MetaTrader 5, the only IC platform with stock CFDs.
  • Charting on TradingView: the cTrader Raw account, connected to TradingView.
  • Detailed order control or C# automation: cTrader.
  • Still unsure: open a free demo account on two platforms and use each for a week, as IC itself recommends.

Useful platform facts at IC

  • Server time is fixed. IC's charts run on GMT+2, or GMT+3 during daylight saving, so daily candles close at 5 pm New York time. You can't change the time shown on the platform.
  • Several accounts, one screen. MetaTrader 4's Multi Terminal lets you log in to several accounts at once, or you can install separate copies of MT4, one per login.
  • Same login, several computers. You can be logged in to the same MT4 account on different computers at the same time.
  • Read-only access. An investor password lets someone view your account and its history without trading it. Create it under Tools, Options, Server in MetaTrader.
  • Downloads. Get every platform from the downloads page in your Client Area, so you install IC's own versions with the right servers.
Pick the platform around your tools, not the other way round. If your indicators are in MQL4, stay on MT4; if you already live in TradingView, the cTrader account is the only route. Switching later means a new account and a new learning curve.
Abir KhanWriter, FX Recap
Illustrative case: Martina, 26, Rosario

Martina charted on TradingView for a year and opened an IC MT4 account because it was the default option. She kept switching between the two screens and missing entries. A cTrader Raw account, opened from the Client Area and connected to TradingView through the Trading Panel, solved it: she now places orders from the same charts she analyses. Her MT4 account stays for an old EA she still runs.

Frequently asked

What platforms does IC Markets offer?

MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader and TradingView, each with web and mobile versions. The MetaTrader pair runs on the Standard, Raw Spread and Raw Pro accounts; cTrader and TradingView use the Raw Spread cTrader account.

Can I use TradingView with IC Markets?

Yes, but only with the cTrader Raw account. IC's TradingView integration runs through cTrader. You fund the account from the Client Area and connect through TradingView's Trading Panel.

Is IC Markets MT4 or MT5 better?

MT4 is better for existing MQL4 robots and indicators. MT5 has more timeframes and tools and is the only IC platform with stock CFDs. Both use the same account types, commissions and leverage at IC.

Can I use one IC account on several platforms?

No. Each trading account is tied to one platform. Create a separate trading account for each platform you want to use; you can do this free from the Client Area.

Does IC Markets have a mobile app?

Yes. MetaTrader 4 and 5, cTrader and TradingView all have iPhone and Android apps, and IC has an IC Social app for copy trading on MT4. Expert advisors can't be installed on the MetaTrader mobile apps.

Does IC Markets offer FIX API?

Only on cTrader. IC's Help Centre says it doesn't offer FIX API connections into MetaTrader 4 or 5.