A cTrader to MT5 trade copier suits traders who place trades or run cBots on cTrader but want the same trades on an MT5 account, often a prop firm challenge or a broker that only offers MetaTrader. Heron Copier connects to the cTrader master through your cTrader ID and repeats every open, modification, partial close and close on the MT5 slave. Trades placed by your cBots are copied like manual ones.
Two details need attention. First, symbol names: cTrader brokers usually use plain names such as EURUSD or US30, while MT5 brokers often add a suffix such as .raw or .cash, so set a suffix or aliases on the slave. Second, position model: both platforms can be hedging or netting. If the MT5 slave is netting, trades on the same symbol merge into one position, so use a hedging MT5 account if your cTrader strategy holds opposite trades on one symbol.
It runs in the Heron Copier cloud, with no VPS and nothing to install, or locally on your own VPS. Every paid license includes both.
How to set up cTrader to MT5 copying
- Add your cTrader account as the master in the dashboard. Connect it with your cTrader ID (username or email) and password, plus the broker and account number.
- Add your MT5 account as the slave and pick the master it copies from. Connect it with your MT5 account number, password and broker server.
- Choose one of the six volume sizing methods for the slave and, if the brokers name symbols differently, add a symbol suffix or aliases.
- Launch. Cloud accounts are usually online in under 60 seconds, and the dashboard shows every copied trade, balance and position live.
About cTrader and MT5
cTrader is Spotware's trading platform, popular with ECN brokers for its depth of market and detailed order handling. One cTrader ID gives access to accounts at different brokers, and automated strategies run as cBots written in C#.
MetaTrader 5 is MetaQuotes' successor to MT4, released in 2010. It adds more timeframes, a depth of market view and exchange-traded instruments, and runs Expert Advisors written in MQL5.
For everything else about each platform, see the cTrader Trade Copier and MT5 Trade Copier pages.
cTrader vs MT5
| Detail | cTrader (master) | MT5 (slave) |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Spotware | MetaQuotes |
| Markets | Forex and CFDs on indices, metals, commodities and crypto, depending on the broker | Forex, CFDs, and at some brokers stocks and exchange-traded futures |
| How Heron Copier connects | cTrader ID (username or email) and password, plus the broker and account number | MT5 account number, password and broker server |
| Position model | Hedging or netting, set per account | Hedging or netting, set by the broker per account |
| Trade size | Volume in units, shown as lots in the copier | Lots (usually 0.01 lot steps) |
| Symbol names | Broker-specific; usually plain names such as EURUSD or US30 | Broker-specific, often with suffixes such as EURUSD.raw or NAS100.cash |
| API speed | 500 requests per minute | 500+ requests per minute |
| Partial closes sent to slaves (as master) | Yes | Yes |
| Partial closes received (as slave) | Yes | Yes |
| Position resync on its slaves | Yes | Yes |
| Local version | Yes, plus the cloud version | Yes, plus the cloud version |
| EA / cBot hosting | Yes, .algo cBots | Yes, .ex5 Expert Advisors |
Things to check before you start
- cTrader and MT5 brokers rarely use the same symbol names. Set a suffix or explicit aliases on the slave, for example US30.cash=DJ30. Auto symbol mapping catches what is left as a last resort.
- Minimum volume and volume steps can differ between the two platforms. The default Equity-to-Equity sizing keeps risk in proportion, and per-symbol lot caps stop oversized trades.
- Turn on Position Resync if you want the MT5 slave to check that every copied position is still open on the master.
Frequently asked questions
Can one cTrader master copy to several MT5 accounts?
Yes. Add as many MT5 slaves as you need, each with its own volume sizing, symbol mapping and risk limits. In the cloud every account uses one cloud seat, and the local version has no account limit.
What if my cTrader and MT5 brokers name symbols differently?
Add a suffix such as .m, or explicit aliases such as US30.cash=DJ30, with a per-symbol lot multiplier where contract sizes differ. Symbols that still don't match go through auto symbol mapping as a last resort.
Can I copy from MT5 to cTrader instead?
Yes. Every trading platform Heron Copier supports can be a master or a slave. See the MT5 to cTrader trade copier.
What happens if a trade fails to copy?
Turn on failed trade copy notifications to get an e-mail alert. The account logs in the dashboard also show the reason, for example a symbol that doesn't exist on the slave or a size below the minimum.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, 7 days with 2 cloud accounts. During the trial a slave copies every trade at a fixed 0.01 lot; a paid license unlocks the other sizing methods.
