Popular Trading Platforms Used by Prop Firms in 2025
If you’re diving into the world of proprietary trading, one of the first things you’ll need to get familiar with is the trading platform your firm uses. Today, we’re taking a closer look at the platforms most used by prop firms — and why some are more favoured than others.
MT5: The Industry Standard
Without a doubt, MetaTrader 5 (MT5) remains the most widely used trading platform among prop firms. The reason? Its backend integration is simple and efficient, making it easy for firms to plug MT5 into their internal systems without too much hassle.
Many prop firms choose MT5 not just for its usability on the front end, but because of how seamlessly it works behind the scenes. It’s reliable, fast, and well-supported—making it the go to option for both firms and traders looking for smooth operations.
MT5 is great for adding EAs and automated trading assistance, and even full algo trading too.
Coding indicators for MT5 is fun and easy, and the MQL language reminded me a lot of C# language that I used to use in my game making days for the Xbox360, many years ago.
MT5 does show its age these days, with a clunky feel to use. Once you get used to the platform though, you may find yourself loving using it. I should emphasize the word `may` here!
TradingView: A Retail Favourite (With Limits)
When it comes to charting and analysis, TradingView is the platform of choice for retail traders. Its modern user interface, rich visual tools, and customization features make it a standout. You can easily draw trendlines, add indicators, mark-up charts, and make informed decisions visually.
But here’s the catch: TradingViews backend integration is not as user-friendly for prop firms. That is why most still rely on platforms like MT4 or MT5 to actually place trades. There is a huge selection of user made indicators, for free use, on the charts with TradingView. Which helps you when, for example, you want to highlight different session times or pretty much anything else you can think of, someone has normally coded an indicator for you to use with this platform.
If you choose to code your own indicator for TradingView, you will find coding in PineView is easy to use, although sometimes a little annoying at the same time. I have coded dozens of indicators over the years, and with the enhanced graphics ability here, you can get some nice looking indicators coded up quickly.
The Rise of Alternative Platforms
Some prop firms are starting to allow traders to use alternative platforms to place trades—a trend that’s gaining momentum. One such platform is cTrader, which offers a sleek interface and is becoming increasingly popular among both individual traders and firms.
My experience of cTrader is one of two halves, it’s a little bit of a mix between MT5 and TradingView in my opinion. A little bit clunky on the web-based charts, but very smooth on the dedicated app version. Both are perfectly usable still. The graphics charting is ok too, it could be better and more user friendly, but it works and does what it needs to do.
Placing trades feels good and is a great experience on cTrader. It does have a built-in risk calculator for placing trades, should you wish to use this.
Other emerging platforms include:
• TradeLocker – which is just a TradingView skin over. It is a nice platform, and I have enjoyed using it, although I have only recently been using it.
• TopStepX – which integrates TradingView charts into its proprietary setup for futures trading, allowing traders to place orders directly from within the platform.
TopStepX have done a great job here, with some great risk management options available, like automatically locking you out of the charts for the rest of the day, if you set a daily pause limit, or a max number of trades in the day. A slight issue here unfortunately, is the lack of indicators available to use within the platform again. Nor can you code your own indicators for use on this platform.
What Platforms Do I Use?
Personally, I use a combination of platforms depending on the firm and the type of trading I’m doing. These include:
• MT5
• cTrader
• TradeLocker
• TopStepX
Of course, the platform you end up using will depend on the prop firm you choose. Some offer multiple options: others are tied to a single platform.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re just getting started or are looking to switch firms, it’s important to understand not just what platforms are available—but why certain platforms dominate in the prop trading world. MT5 is still the king of execution and backend integration, but other options like TradingView and cTrader are carving out space in the industry as firms evolve and modernize their infrastructure.
Have experience with a platform you love (or hate)? Drop a comment below and share your thoughts!
Thanks
Stephen V
