Best trading platforms with advanced charting and automation
Verdict
- For charting plus automation, our pick is Pepperstone's Razor account, which combines TradingView for charting with MT5, MT4 and cTrader for automated trading on one ASIC-regulated account.
- Automation at Pepperstone covers expert advisors on MT4 and MT5, C# cBots through cTrader Automate, and API trading; a free VPS is available to eligible or professional clients.
- Smart Trader Tools add order and analysis windows to MetaTrader, such as Trade Terminal, Correlation Matrix and Smart Lines; Pepperstone's pages give two different counts for the suite.
- If you want charting and automation in a single program rather than two, cTrader is the closest fit at Pepperstone, and the cheapest on Razor FX at USD 6 per round turn.
Few platforms are best at both. TradingView leads on charts; MetaTrader and cTrader lead on automation. The practical solution is a broker that gives you all of them on the same account, which is why we recommend Pepperstone.
Pepperstone's charting and automation stack
Pepperstone Group Limited (ASIC, AFSL 414530) offers TradingView, MT4, MT5, cTrader and its own platform on the Razor account, which averages 0.1 pips on EUR/USD. You can chart and set alerts in TradingView and run an automated strategy on MT5 or cTrader against the same balance. Pepperstone also lists API trading for traders who build their own systems.
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Which platform does what
| Platform | Charting strength | Automation | Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|
| TradingView | Chart-led workflow, TradingView indicators and alerts | Not listed by Pepperstone for automated execution | Razor |
| cTrader | Built-in charting and depth of market | cTrader Automate, C# cBots | Standard, Razor |
| MT5 | MetaTrader charts, plus Smart Trader Tools | Expert advisors (MQL5) | Standard, Razor |
| MT4 | MetaTrader charts, plus Smart Trader Tools | Expert advisors (MQL4) | Razor |
| API | Your own front end | Full custom systems | Ask Pepperstone |
Running automation reliably
- VPS: Pepperstone offers a free VPS to eligible or Pro clients, so EAs and cBots keep running when your computer is off.
- Leverage limits: automated systems still trade within ASIC retail caps (1:30 on major FX, 1:20 on major indices and gold, 1:2 on crypto).
- Costs on high trade counts: cTrader is USD 6 per round turn on Razor FX; MT4, MT5 and TradingView cost USD 7.
- Stops: Pepperstone offers no guaranteed stop-loss in Australia, so build slippage into your system's risk rules.
Other brokers' charting and automation options
Capital.com, our second choice in Australia (AFSL 513393), offers TradingView, MT4 and MT5 next to its own platform, but not cTrader. Brokers that list both cTrader and TradingView include IC Markets (AFSL 335692) and FP Markets (AFSL 286354); FP Markets also lists Iress. IG's UK and Dubai sites list ProRealTime, L2 Dealer, TradingView, MT4, MT5 and APIs. Check that the platform is available on the Australian entity you'd join.
Sources
Can I automate trades from TradingView at Pepperstone?
Pepperstone lists automation through MT4/MT5 expert advisors, cTrader cBots and API trading. Use TradingView for charting and alerts.
Which language are cTrader bots written in?
C#, through cTrader Automate.
Is the VPS free for everyone?
No. Pepperstone offers it to eligible or professional clients; ask whether your account qualifies.
Automated strategies can lose money fast, especially with leveraged CFDs, and past performance in back-tests does not guarantee results. This is general information, not advice.