MetaTrader 4: what it is and how to download it safely
MetaTrader 4 is a computer and phone program for looking at price charts and placing trades through a broker. It is a tool, not a broker and not a source of income. It does not make money for you.
- Kind MetaTrader 4Charting and trading platform
Installed on a computer or phone and connected to a broker. The broker, not the platform, holds the money and executes the orders.
- Kind MetaTrader 4Broker terminal
Opened in the broker’s own web page. Nothing to download; the account and the funds are with the broker.
Downloading the app
You can get MetaTrader 4 for a computer or for Android and other phones. The safe place is the developer's official site or your own broker's official site. The phone file is often called an apk, and the computer file may come in a sixty four bit version for modern machines.
Check the web address in your browser before you download. A link from a stranger or a modified build can harm you. A demo download lets you practice without real money.
MT4 or MT5
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 are two different programs from the same developer. MT4 is older and is still used by many brokers. MT5 is newer and has more chart timeframes and more order types.
Which is better depends on what your broker offers and what you need. Ask your broker which one it supports. This site does not sell either program.
What it can do
- Show price charts on a computer or phone
- Let you place and manage trades through your broker
- Run on a demo account with practice money
- Offer chart tools and simple alerts
What it cannot
- It does not hold your money or pay you
- It does not promise profit or protect you from loss
- It does not give advice or signals
- It does not work without a broker connection
Risks
- You can lose moneyTrading carries risk, and you can lose some or all of the money you put in.
- Fake downloadsA modified app from a strange link can steal your details or your money.
- Wrong settingsA wrong order size or a misclick can cause a loss in seconds.
How to check it yourself
Use only official sites
Download only from the developer's site or your broker's own site. Type the web address yourself and check it before you press download.
Refuse strange links
Never install a file sent by a stranger on chat or social media. Never use a modified build.
Start on demo
Use a demo account first to learn the buttons with practice money. Read the risk note your broker gives you.
This page explains how a platform works. It does not rate it or rank it.