MetaTrader 4 vs 5 for Copying: What Actually Differs
MetaTrader 4 and 5 both copy fine — for copying, the differences that matter are account mode, symbol naming, and what copies identically. Here's the breakdown.
28 Jun 2026 · 4 min read
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 are both trading terminals from the same vendor, and a trade copier works with either. For copying specifically, only a few differences actually matter: the account mode, how each platform names and sizes symbols, and what copies identically versus what needs adapting. This isn't about which platform to trade — only how each behaves when its trades are repeated.
The two platforms, briefly
MT4 is the older, forex- and CFD-focused terminal; MT5 is newer and multi-asset, with more order types and timeframes. Most importantly for copying, MT5 supports two account modes (hedging and netting) while MT4 accounts behave like hedging accounts — each new order opens its own position.
Account mode: netting vs hedging
A hedging account keeps each position separate, so you can hold several positions (even opposing ones) in the same symbol. A netting account keeps a single net position per symbol — a new opposing order reduces or flips the existing one rather than opening a second. MT4 is effectively hedging; an MT5 account is one or the other.
This matters because the follower's own account mode decides how a copied order settles: on a hedging account each copied order is held as its own position, while a netting account merges same-symbol orders into one net position. MetaTrader applies that mode when the order is placed — so the same source trade can sit as separate positions on a hedging follower and as a single net position on a netting one.
Symbols and contract sizes
The same instrument can be named differently across brokers and platforms (EURUSD vs EURUSD.r vs EURUSDm), and contract conventions can differ too. When you copy across platforms or brokers, the follower's broker has to recognise the symbol and the size has to line up. Mismatched names are the most common reason a cross-broker copy fails — covered in symbol mapping across brokers.
| For copying | MetaTrader 4 | MetaTrader 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Account mode | Hedging-style (multi-position) | Hedging or netting (per account) |
| Asset focus | Forex + CFDs | Multi-asset (FX, indices, futures…) |
| Order actions copied | Open / close / modify SL-TP | Open / close / modify SL-TP |
| Cross-platform copy | MT4 → MT5 works | MT5 → MT4 works |
Does the platform change the copy?
For the order actions themselves — open, close, partial close, stop-loss and take-profit changes — copying behaves the same on both platforms. The two real differences are account mode (applied by MetaTrader itself when the order is placed) and symbol naming (handled by a per-repeater remap). You can copy MT4 → MT5 or MT5 → MT4. There's no single "better for copying" platform — it depends on your broker, account mode and the instruments you trade.
Where Trepeat fits
Trepeat copies across MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 from the same dashboard, in either direction. It tracks and copies each trade as its own position — the hedging model MT4 and typical MT5 accounts use — so positions, partial closes and SL/TP changes mirror one-to-one, and a per-repeater symbol remap translates mismatched names on the fly. (On a netting follower, same-symbol orders merge into one net position, so a multi-position strategy won't mirror position-for-position there.) For the migration angle specifically, see the MT4 to MT5 trade copier; for how the lot is scaled to each account, see position sizing when copying.