Which brokers let you run trading bots on MT5 or cTrader?
Verdict
- Pepperstone is our pick: both of the account types it offers Singapore residents run MT5 expert advisors and cTrader cBots, and Razor commission on cTrader is US$3.00 per side on FX against US$3.50 on MT5.
- IC Markets, FP Markets, FxPro and Fusion Markets also offer both platforms; XS, OANDA and Phillip Securities offer MT5 without cTrader.
- None of the brokers offering both MT5 and cTrader in our data holds a MAS licence. OANDA and Phillip Securities do, for MT5 only.
- Pepperstone serves Singapore from the Bahamas (Pepperstone Markets Limited, SCB SIA-F217) and has no MAS licence either.
MT5 bots are written in MQL5, cTrader bots in C#, and a bot built for one will not run on the other. So the useful list is which brokers support each platform, what they charge a bot per lot, and who supervises them in Singapore.
Pepperstone: both platforms on every account
On Pepperstone's international site, Standard and Razor accounts both include MT5 and cTrader (plus MT4), so you can run an expert advisor and a cBot side by side without opening a second broker account. For bots that trade often, cTrader is the cheaper home: Razor FX commission there is US$3.00 per side, or US$6 a round-turn lot, against US$3.50 per side on MT5. In an SGD account the MT5 rate is SGD 4.55 per side. Pepperstone adds a free VPS for eligible and Pro clients, Smart Trader Tools for MetaTrader and API access for models that live outside either platform.
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MT5 and cTrader support by broker
| Broker | MT5 | cTrader | Raw FX commission per side | MAS licence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | Yes | Yes | US$3.50 (MT5), US$3.00 (cTrader) | No; SCB Bahamas |
| IC Markets | Yes | Yes | US$3.50 | None found |
| FP Markets | Yes | Yes | US$3.00 | None found |
| FxPro | Yes | Yes | US$3.50 (Raw+) | None found |
| Fusion Markets | Yes | Yes | US$2.25 | None found |
| XS | Yes | No | US$3.00 (Elite) | None found |
| OANDA | Yes | No | Not in our data | Yes |
| Phillip Securities | Yes | No | None on Phillip MT5 FX | Yes |
MT5 or cTrader for your bot?
- Choose MT5 if you are buying a ready-made expert advisor built for MetaTrader.
- Choose cTrader if you write your own code in C# or want the lowest Pepperstone commission.
- At 200 round-turn lots a month, Pepperstone's cTrader rate saves US$200 over MT5 with no other change.
- Spread matters as much as commission: Pepperstone's Razor EUR/USD averages 0.1 pips; Phillip's MT5 quotes major pairs from 0.6 pips with no commission.
Sources
Platforms and commissions from each broker's site.
Can I run the same bot on MT5 and cTrader?
No. MT5 expert advisors and cTrader cBots use different languages; a bot has to be rewritten to move between them.
Does Pepperstone's Standard account support cTrader?
Yes, on the international site Singapore residents use. Standard has no commission and averages 1.1 pips on EUR/USD.
Is there a MAS-licensed broker with cTrader?
Not in our data. OANDA and Phillip Securities are MAS-licensed and offer MT5, but neither lists cTrader.
Automated CFD trading is high risk: bots can lose money quickly, and leverage enlarges every loss. Not investment advice. Commissions and platform lists are as published and may change.