Checked on: 2026-08-17 | Broker terms, regulation, and pricing can change. Always verify at the official PU Prime site before opening an account.

Affiliate Disclosure: HNL Growth may earn a commission if you open an account through our links, at no additional cost to you. Risk Warning: CFDs and leveraged forex products are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 62.2% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Trading forex and CFDs may not be suitable for all investors. Consider your objectives, experience, and risk appetite before trading, and ensure you understand the risks involved. Broker Disclosure: PU Prime is a live, regulated multi-entity broker (not a simulated prop-firm evaluation) — trades are executed with real capital in live market conditions, subject to normal market risk. Which PU Prime entity holds your account depends on your country of residence and determines your leverage cap and protections.

Last verified: August 2026 | Editorial Team

MetaTrader 4 Explained: What It Is and Who Still Needs It

Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you open an account through our links, at no extra cost to you.

MetaTrader 4 (MT4) is a third-party trading platform developed by MetaQuotes and released in 2005 — it is not a broker. PU Prime provides MT4 access across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and a browser-based web terminal. The platform itself is free; your actual trading costs are determined by the broker and account type you choose: spreads, commissions, and overnight swaps. MT4 remains a widely used choice among traders running Expert Advisors (EAs) and those with an existing MQL4 strategy toolkit. MT5 is generally the stronger option for multi-asset workflows and advanced order types. Both platforms are available at PU Prime.

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What MT4 Is and Why It Still Matters

MT4 is a trading platform, not a company and not a broker. MetaQuotes built and released it in 2005, and brokers around the world license it to provide their clients with a charting and order-execution environment.

A common source of confusion: negative reviews attributed to "MetaTrader 4" online almost always reflect the broker through whom someone traded — execution quality, withdrawal handling, customer service — not the platform software itself. MT4 is the tool; the broker is the service.

The platform has a straightforward value proposition: it runs Expert Advisors reliably, supports the MQL4 programming language, and has two decades of community-built indicators and strategies behind it. For discretionary traders and algo traders with MQL4 code, there is no functional reason to switch platforms unless a specific MT5 feature — more timeframes, more order types, or multi-currency backtesting — is required.

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MT4 at PU Prime — Availability and Account Overview

PU Prime offers MetaTrader 4 as a fully supported platform option. According to the official MT4 page, access is available across:

• Windows desktop — direct download from puprime.com/mt4/
• Mac desktop — available via download; see the official page at puprime.com/mt4/ for the current installation method, as delivery details may vary
• Web terminal — browser-based, no installation required; access via puprime.com/mt4/
• iOS — download from the App Store
• Android — download from Google Play

PU Prime supports four account types on MT4: Cent, Standard, Prime, and ECN. Each has a different cost structure suited to different trading volumes and experience levels. Full cost detail is in the Trading Costs section below.

MT4 access by device

Device	Download required	EA support	Full indicator library	Strategy Tester
Windows desktop	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mac desktop	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Web terminal	No	No	Limited	No
iOS (App Store)	Yes	No	Limited	No
Android (Google Play)	Yes	No	Limited	No

Download MT4 from PU Prime's official platform page

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Download, Install, and Connect — Step by Step

Windows installation

1. Go to puprime.com/mt4/ and select the Windows download.
2. Run the installer (.exe) and follow the on-screen prompts — the process takes under two minutes.
3. Launch MT4. A server selection screen appears on first open.
4. Type "PU Prime" in the server search field. Select the correct server for your account type (live or demo). Your server name is confirmed in your PU Prime welcome email — use that value exactly.
5. Enter your account number (login ID) and password from your PU Prime welcome email.

Mac installation

1. Navigate to puprime.com/mt4/ on your Mac and select the Mac download option. The official page is the authoritative reference for the current Mac delivery method, which may differ from the Windows process.
2. Follow the installation instructions provided on the page.
3. Once installed, the login steps are identical to Windows above.

Web terminal — no download needed

The MT4 web terminal runs in a standard browser and requires no software installation. It is useful on work or shared computers where you cannot install applications, or when you are travelling without your primary device. Access it at puprime.com/mt4/.

Core trading functions — placing and managing orders, viewing live charts, monitoring positions — are all available. EA execution, the full custom indicator library, and the Strategy Tester are desktop-only features (see the device table above).

iOS and Android setup

1. Search "MetaTrader 4" in the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) and install the official MetaQuotes application.
2. Tap the top-left menu and select Manage Accounts > Add new account > Login to an existing account.
3. In the search field, enter "PU Prime" to locate the correct server.
4. Enter your account number and password.

Entering PU Prime's server details at login

Selecting the correct server is the single most common cause of MT4 login failures. Live and demo accounts use different servers, and the server name must match your account type exactly.

What to do:

• Your PU Prime welcome email confirms your account number, password, and the server name assigned to your account. Use the server name from that email.
• In the MT4 server selection screen, type "PU" or "PU Prime" into the search box. The correct server(s) will appear in the dropdown.
• If you cannot locate your server name or it does not appear in the search results, contact PU Prime's 24/7 support team, who can confirm the exact server string for your account type and region.

Note: Server name strings are account-specific and are provided in your PU Prime welcome email. If you have not received this email, contact PU Prime support before attempting to log in.

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Platform Features That Affect Your Trading Workflow

Charting, timeframes, and indicators

MT4 provides nine timeframes — M1, M5, M15, M30, H1, H4, D1, W1, and MN — covering every standard interval from one minute to monthly. Three chart types are available: bar, candlestick, and line.

The platform ships with 30 built-in technical indicators. PU Prime's MT4 instance supports installation of custom indicators: place .ex4 or .mq4 files in the platform's Indicators folder, restart MT4, and find them under Custom Indicators in the Navigator panel.

Order types and one-click trading

MT4 supports four pending order types: Buy Limit, Sell Limit, Buy Stop, and Sell Stop. Market orders (Buy/Sell at current price) are also available. One-click trading can be enabled from chart settings, allowing direct order placement from the chart window — useful for scalpers who need minimal delay between decision and order submission. One-click trading bypasses the confirmation dialogue; enable it deliberately and be aware of the implication for accidental clicks.

Expert Advisors and automated strategies

MT4's EA support is a core reason the platform remains widely used among algorithmic traders. To attach an EA:

1. Open the Navigator panel (View > Navigator or Ctrl+N).
2. Expand the Expert Advisors folder.
3. Drag your chosen EA onto the chart of the instrument and timeframe you want it to run on.
4. Configure its input parameters in the dialogue that appears.
5. Confirm that "Allow live trading" is checked in the EA's settings if you want it to place real orders.

PU Prime confirms that MT4 fully supports Expert Advisors via the Navigator panel's drag-and-drop interface. Custom EA files (.ex4 or .mq4) are placed in the platform's Experts folder.

Backtesting with the Strategy Tester

The Strategy Tester lets you run an EA against historical price data before committing it to live or demo trading. The workflow below reflects the standard MT4 interface; refer to PU Prime's support documentation or their 24/7 support team if you encounter any differences.

1. Open the Strategy Tester: View > Strategy Tester (or press Ctrl+R).
2. In the Expert Advisor dropdown, select the EA you want to test.
3. Choose the Symbol (instrument) and Period (timeframe).
4. Set your Model — "Every tick" is most accurate for short-term strategies; "Open prices only" is faster for longer-timeframe EAs.
5. Define your Date range for the test period.
6. Click Start.

Results appear in the Results and Graph tabs. Key metrics to review include net profit, drawdown, number of trades, and profit factor. Backtesting reflects how an EA would have behaved on historical data under test conditions — it does not predict live performance, and live results can differ materially due to execution conditions, slippage, and changing market dynamics.

Note: MT4's Strategy Tester runs single-currency backtests. MT5's Strategy Tester supports multi-currency and multi-timeframe testing.

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Trading Costs on MT4 at PU Prime

MT4 is free to download and use. The trading costs you actually pay are set by PU Prime, not by the platform.

PU Prime offers structured cost tiers across its four account types. According to the official pricing page, the page publishes reference spread and commission figures by instrument category — though the official source notes that all listed values are for reference only and actual execution values should be verified within the MT4/MT5 platform or the PU Prime mobile app.

Account types on MT4 at PU Prime

Account type	Commission per lot	Minimum deposit	Best suited for
Cent	None	$20	New traders testing live conditions with minimal capital; also useful for EA testing at lower capital commitment
Standard	None	$50	Beginners and intermediate traders; spread-only pricing keeps costs simple
Prime	Per-lot commission applies	$1,000	Active traders who trade frequently and prefer tighter spreads with a commission structure
ECN	Per-lot commission applies	$10,000	High-volume traders; lower all-in cost per trade at scale

Important: Spread figures and commission rates are reference values. Actual spreads at execution may differ from reference values and widen during volatile or illiquid market conditions. For current spread and commission figures for each account type — including the Cent account — verify directly at puprime.com/spread-and-costs/ or within the MT4 platform before trading.

Understanding the cost structure: Standard and Cent accounts use spread-only pricing — no separate commission is charged per trade, and the broker's cost is built into the spread. Prime and ECN accounts charge a per-lot commission in exchange for access to tighter raw or near-raw spreads. At lower trading volumes, Standard's commission-free structure may produce comparable or lower all-in costs; Prime and ECN accounts typically deliver a cost advantage when trading volume is consistently high. These are structural observations about the account types, not projections of trading outcomes.

Overnight swap charges apply to positions held past the daily rollover time. Swap rates vary by instrument and direction. Check current rates within MT4 under Market Watch, or on the official pricing page.

Compare PU Prime account types and open an account

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MT4 or MT5 — Choosing the Right Platform at PU Prime

Both MT4 and MT5 are available at PU Prime. The choice comes down to your workflow and existing tools.

MT4 vs MT5 at PU Prime: key differences

Feature	MT4	MT5
Timeframes	9 (M1–MN)	21 (M1–MN)
Pending order types	4	6
Programming language	MQL4	MQL5
Position accounting	Hedging (netting optional)	Netting or hedging
Strategy Tester	Single-currency	Multi-currency
Asset class focus	Forex and CFDs	Forex, CFDs, stocks, and more
Available at PU Prime	Yes	Yes

When MT4 is the right choice:

• You have existing EAs or custom indicators written in MQL4 — these do not run on MT5 without rewriting or conversion
• Your strategy is forex-focused and you are not trading asset classes that require MT5-specific instruments
• You prefer the simpler interface and are comfortable with nine timeframes

When MT5 is the right choice:

• You want more granular timeframe options (21 timeframes, including M2, M3, M6, H2, H3, H6, H8, H12)
• You need two additional pending order types (Buy Stop Limit and Sell Stop Limit)
• You want multi-currency backtesting in the Strategy Tester
• You are trading a broader range of assets available through MT5 at PU Prime

The bottom line: If you have an existing MQL4 codebase or rely on MT4-specific community tools, stay on MT4. If you are starting fresh, MT5 is the more capable environment — PU Prime describes it as their flagship platform. Traders who do not use EAs and whose strategies work on both platforms will find MT5's additional timeframes and order types useful over time.

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MT4 on Mobile and in the Browser

What you can do on the MT4 mobile app

The iOS and Android MT4 apps cover the practical essentials for monitoring and managing positions away from your desk:

• View live charts with all nine timeframes
• Place, modify, and close market and pending orders
• Access a selection of built-in technical indicators
• Set price alerts with push notifications to your device
• Monitor open positions, account balance, equity, and margin level

What requires the desktop platform

This is worth understanding before planning a mobile-only workflow. The following capabilities are desktop-only on MT4:

• EA execution — EAs do not run on the mobile app. Your MT4 desktop must be running (or a VPS must be active) for automated strategies to operate
• Strategy Tester — backtesting is not available on iOS or Android
• Full custom indicator library — mobile supports a limited subset of indicators; your full .mq4/.ex4 custom indicator collection is not accessible
• Template management — saving and loading chart templates is a desktop feature

If you rely on EAs or extensive custom indicators, the mobile app is a monitoring and management tool, not a replacement for the desktop installation.

Using the MT4 web terminal

The web terminal supports live charts, order management, and basic indicators — EA execution and the Strategy Tester are not available. For traders on restricted devices — corporate computers, shared workstations, or travel situations where installing software is not practical — the web terminal is a functional option for discretionary order management. Access it at puprime.com/mt4/.

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Open a Demo Account on MT4

A PU Prime MT4 demo account uses real market prices in a simulated environment. It is the appropriate place to confirm your setup works, verify that your EAs attach and run correctly, and familiarise yourself with PU Prime's specific instrument selection and spread environment before committing real capital.

To open a demo account, visit puprime.com/how-to-open-a-trading-account/ and select the demo account option at the registration stage. You can also open a demo directly from within MT4 by going to File > Open an Account and following the prompts. For current demo account terms — including duration, expiry, and any trading restrictions — check the official account documentation or contact PU Prime's 24/7 support team before relying on a demo environment for extended strategy testing.

Before you go live on MT4: a pre-trading checklist

Complete these steps on demo before funding a live account:

• Open a PU Prime MT4 demo account and log in successfully
• Confirm the correct server name from your welcome email and verify your connection is stable
• Place at least 20 demo trades across your target instruments
• Attach your EA or custom indicator on demo and confirm it behaves as expected
• Run a basic backtest in the Strategy Tester on your intended strategy
• Review the spread and commission structure on your chosen account type at puprime.com/spread-and-costs/
• Set a price alert on at least one instrument and confirm push notifications arrive on your device
• Check margin requirements for your standard position size before live trading
• Review PU Prime's risk disclosure and identify which regulatory entity covers your jurisdiction

Open a free MT4 demo account at PU Prime

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Is PU Prime Regulated?

PU Prime has been operating as a CFD broker since 2015 and holds licences from multiple regulatory authorities. According to the official regulation page, the broker is authorised and regulated by several financial authorities, with the full list of specific licences published on that page.

What this means for you: The regulatory protections, leverage limits, and client fund handling requirements that apply to your account depend on which entity services your jurisdiction — not the overall group structure. Offshore entities and onshore entities operate under materially different regulatory frameworks. The level of investor protection — for example, whether a compensation scheme applies, or what negative balance protection rules are in force — varies by entity and jurisdiction. PU Prime's website acknowledges this explicitly, noting that certain entities are not established or operating in all home jurisdictions.

How to verify independently: Each regulator maintains a public register. To confirm PU Prime's current licence status, visit the relevant regulator's website directly and search using the registration details listed on puprime.com/regulation/. Cross-referencing against the official register is more reliable than relying solely on the broker's own disclosure.

Before depositing, confirm:

1. Which PU Prime entity will hold your account
2. Which regulatory body oversees that entity
3. What client fund protections apply under that regime in your jurisdiction

Open an account with a regulated broker

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Common Questions About MT4

Is MT4 free to download and use? Yes. The MT4 platform itself costs nothing to download or run. Trading costs are broker-imposed: spreads, commissions, and overnight swap charges. PU Prime provides MT4 at no platform fee.

Is MT4 a broker or a platform? MT4 is a trading platform developed by MetaQuotes. It is not a broker. PU Prime is the broker — the regulated entity that provides your account, holds your funds, routes your orders, and sets the trading conditions. MT4 is the software interface through which you execute trades.

MT4 or MT5 for beginners? Either works for basic trading. MT5 is PU Prime's flagship platform and offers more features, including additional timeframes and order types. MT4 is worth choosing if you want to use an existing MQL4 EA or indicator, or if you specifically prefer the hedging-first position accounting model that MT4 uses by default.

Can I use MT4 on a Mac? Yes. PU Prime provides MT4 for Mac. See puprime.com/mt4/ for the current installation method before downloading.

What is an Expert Advisor? An Expert Advisor (EA) is an automated script written in MQL4 that runs inside MT4 and can place, modify, and close trades according to programmed rules — without manual input during execution. EAs run on the desktop MT4 installation (or a VPS running MT4). They do not execute on the mobile app or web terminal.

How do I recover lost MT4 login credentials? Your MT4 account number and server name are in your PU Prime welcome email. If you have lost your password, use the password recovery function on PU Prime's website or contact their 24/7 support team. Avoid multiple failed login attempts — repeated failures can trigger a temporary account lock.

What markets can I trade on MT4 at PU Prime? PU Prime's MT4 instance provides access to forex pairs, indices, commodities, metals, shares, ETFs, bonds, and synthetic indices — including 24/7 gold trading (XAUUSD247). The full instrument list is available at puprime.com/spread-and-costs/.

Does the demo account expire? Demo account duration and reset policies should be confirmed directly with PU Prime before relying on a demo environment for extended testing. Contact their 24/7 support team or check the account terms on the official website for current details.

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Risk warning: CFDs and leveraged forex products are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Consider whether you understand how these products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your capital. Check the entity, terms and protections that apply in your jurisdiction before trading.