Exness Trading Platforms Compared
MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, the Exness Terminal in the browser and the Exness Trade app — what each one is built for, which to pick and how to log in.
Open Exness Account →Exness supports four trading platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, the browser-based Exness Terminal and the Exness Trade mobile app. Pick MT4 if an MQL4 expert advisor has to keep running, MT5 for backtesting and deeper analysis, the Terminal when nothing can be installed, and the app for trading and funding from a phone. Automation runs only in the desktop terminals, and the terminals need their own login, separate from the Personal Area.
Which Exness platform fits which trader
- How to choose in one line: a ready MQL4 expert advisor that has to keep running → MT4 desktop; backtesting and deeper chart analysis → MT5 desktop; a machine where software cannot be installed → Exness Terminal in the browser; trading plus deposits and withdrawals from a phone → the Exness Trade app.
- MetaTrader 4 — pick it when a specific MQL4 expert advisor or custom indicator has to keep working, or when the computer is old and short on memory: it is the lighter of the two desktop terminals.
- MetaTrader 5 — pick it for backtesting and deeper analysis: its strategy tester uses all CPU cores and can test several instruments at once, while the MT4 tester is single-threaded and works on one instrument.
- The instrument lists on MT4 and MT5 are not identical — some instruments are offered on MT5 only, so the contract specifications for the account type should be checked before the platform is fixed.
- Automation is desktop-only: MQL4 expert advisors run in MT4, MQL5 expert advisors run in MT5, the two languages are not compatible, and neither the browser Terminal nor the mobile app runs expert advisors at all.
- Exness Terminal — a browser platform with nothing to install: it suits a work or shared computer without admin rights, Linux and ChromeOS, and covers charting and one-click trading, but not automation.
- On a phone there are two routes: the Exness Trade app (trading, deposits and withdrawals, switching between accounts, price notifications) or the official MetaTrader mobile apps (trading only, no cashier).
- Two different logins: the Personal Area is entered with an email, while an MT4/MT5 terminal needs the trading account number, its trading password and the server name shown on that account's card in the Personal Area — each trading account is tied to one platform, and extra accounts can be opened for the other.
- All four are opened from the same Personal Area — the desktop terminals and the mobile app are downloads, the Exness Terminal opens straight in a browser. Trading CFDs carries risk of loss, and every platform can be run on virtual funds first to test the interface and a strategy.
Exness platforms side by side
| Platform | Suited to | Runs on | Automation | Key features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 | A specific MQL4 expert advisor or indicator that must keep running; older, low-memory computers | Windows natively; macOS and Linux through the browser version; iOS, Android | MQL4 expert advisors and scripts, desktop terminal only | 9 timeframes, 30 built-in indicators, 4 pending order types, single-threaded tester |
| MetaTrader 5 | Backtesting and deeper chart analysis | Windows natively; macOS and Linux through the browser version; iOS, Android | MQL5 expert advisors and scripts, desktop terminal only; MQL4 code does not run here | 21 timeframes, 38 built-in indicators, 6 pending order types, Depth of Market, economic calendar, multi-core tester |
| Exness Terminal | A work or shared computer without admin rights, Linux, ChromeOS | Any modern browser on Windows, macOS, Linux or ChromeOS | Not supported — manual trading only | No download, charting and one-click trading |
| Exness Trade app | Managing positions and funds away from a desktop | iOS, Android | Not supported — manual trading only | Trading, deposits and withdrawals, account switching, price notifications |
Frequently asked questions
MT4 or MT5 — which should a beginner choose?
MT4 has fewer menus and lighter hardware requirements, which helps on an older computer. MT5 is the newer of the two and carries more built-in tooling: 21 timeframes instead of 9, 38 built-in indicators instead of 30, plus Depth of Market and an economic calendar, and its strategy tester uses all CPU cores. Choose MT4 when a specific MQL4 expert advisor is required, since that code will not run on MT5.
Can expert advisors run in the Exness Terminal or the mobile app?
No. MQL4 and MQL5 automation runs only in the MT4 and MT5 desktop terminals. The browser Terminal and the mobile app are built for manual trading and position management — charts, orders, and in the app also deposits and withdrawals. An expert advisor also stops working whenever the computer running the terminal is switched off.
What is needed to log in to MT4 or MT5?
Three things, and none of them is the Personal Area email: the trading account number, that account's trading password and the server name. All three are shown on the account's card in the Personal Area, and the server differs from account to account, so it should be copied from there rather than picked from the list by guess.
Is a download required to start trading?
No. The Exness Terminal runs in any modern browser with nothing to install, and MetaTrader also has lighter browser versions of MT4 and MT5. Downloads are only needed for the MT4 and MT5 desktop terminals and for the mobile apps on iOS and Android.
Are Exness trading platforms free to use?
Yes — MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, the Exness Terminal and the Exness Trade app are all provided at no charge, on demo and on live accounts. Costs come from trading itself: the spread, and commission on the account types that charge it, not from the software.