Copy trades from MT5 to cTrader when your strategy or EA runs on MT5 and the account you want to grow, at a broker or a prop firm, runs cTrader. Heron Copier reads the MT5 master and repeats every open, modification, partial close and close on the cTrader slave.
The platforms measure size differently. MT5 trades in lots, while cTrader stores volume in units. The copier shows cTrader volume as lots and converts it for you, but each cTrader broker sets its own minimum volume and volume step, and sizes below the minimum are not copied. Check the sizing on small accounts. Symbol names often get simpler on the way: MT5 brokers like suffixes such as EURUSD.raw or NAS100.cash, while cTrader brokers usually use plain names such as EURUSD or US30. Remove the suffix or map the names with aliases. On the cTrader side you enter your cTrader ID username or email and password, the broker and the account number to copy to.
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 MT5 to cTrader copying
- Add your MT5 account as the master in the dashboard. Connect it with your MT5 account number, password and broker server.
- Add your cTrader account as the slave and pick the master it copies from. Connect it with your cTrader ID (username or email) and password, plus the broker and account number.
- 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 MT5 and cTrader
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.
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#.
For everything else about each platform, see the MT5 Trade Copier and cTrader Trade Copier pages.
MT5 vs cTrader
| Detail | MT5 (master) | cTrader (slave) |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | MetaQuotes | Spotware |
| Markets | Forex, CFDs, and at some brokers stocks and exchange-traded futures | Forex and CFDs on indices, metals, commodities and crypto, depending on the broker |
| How Heron Copier connects | MT5 account number, password and broker server | cTrader ID (username or email) and password, plus the broker and account number |
| Position model | Hedging or netting, set by the broker per account | Hedging or netting, set per account |
| Trade size | Lots (usually 0.01 lot steps) | Volume in units, shown as lots in the copier |
| Symbol names | Broker-specific, often with suffixes such as EURUSD.raw or NAS100.cash | Broker-specific; usually plain names such as EURUSD or US30 |
| 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, .ex5 Expert Advisors | Yes, .algo cBots |
Things to check before you start
- MT5 and cTrader 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 cTrader slave to check that every copied position is still open on the master.
- Trades opened by your EAs are copied too. Use the magic number whitelist or blacklist on the slave to copy only some EAs.
- cTrader brokers set their own minimum volume and volume step. Sizes that fall below the minimum are not copied, so check the volume sizing on small accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Can one MT5 master copy to several cTrader accounts?
Yes. Add as many cTrader 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 MT5 and cTrader 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 cTrader to MT5 instead?
Yes. Every trading platform Heron Copier supports can be a master or a slave. See the cTrader to MT5 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.
