Three Platforms, Three Execution Models

[Shadow Trader]

MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and cTrader can all connect to the same broker, yet their order handling differs in ways that affect scalping.

MT4 uses a simpler order model with the execution mode set by the server, often instant or market. Requotes appear under instant execution when price moves between request and processing. MT5 introduced a distinction between orders, deals, and positions, along with selectable filling policies and a depth-of-market view on supported symbols. Its architecture also handles multi-threaded testing and larger tick histories.

cTrader was designed around market execution with a visible depth view, and its Automate API exposes order and position events differently from MQL. Slippage tolerance can be set per order, giving the trader a direct say in how much price deviation is acceptable at fill.

Because the same approach can behave differently across platforms, comparisons should account for the broker's server configuration as much as the terminal itself. Testing identical small-size trades on each platform in similar conditions, and recording fill price against requested price, is a clean way to see the differences instead of relying on reputation.