Best MT4 Broker 2026: The Desk’s Top Picks Reviewed
The desk’s regulated broker pick
Vantage
FCA and ASIC regulated, segregated client funds, the desk’s default for a private account you fully own and can withdraw from at will. Confirm current terms on Vantage’s own site.
Open a Vantage account (FCA + ASIC) →
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The two MT4 brokers the desk actually uses in 2026
Six brokers tested live this week. Spreads, execution, withdrawal speed and platform stability all cross-referenced. These are the two the desk opened real accounts with. Picks verified Fri 15 May 2026.
Blueberry Markets
ASIC regulated. Raw-spread MT4 from 0.0 pips. The desk’s preferred broker for macro and swing trading.
Free, no card, ASIC regulated. Suggested starting size: $500
Star Trader
ASIC regulated. Raw-spread ECN MT4. Built for active intraday forex and index traders.
Free, no card, ASIC regulated. Suggested starting size: $500
71 to 80% of retail CFD accounts lose money. Trade only with capital you can afford to lose. Some links on this page are affiliate links, the desk earns a commission if you open an account, this does not change our ranking.
The desk’s MT4 ranking in 30 seconds
- Blueberry Markets, ASIC, best for macro and swing traders, MT4 raw spreads from 0.0 pips.
- Star Trader, ASIC, best for active intraday and scalping, MT4 raw-spread ECN.
- Vantage Markets, FCA + ASIC + FSCA, best for UK and tier-1 regulation seekers.
- IC Markets, ASIC + CySEC, best for algo trading and cTrader users who also want MT4.
The MT4 broker comparison, side by side
| Broker | Regulation | Best for | Spreads from | Platforms | Min deposit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blueberry Markets | ASIC | Macro traders, the desk overlay | From 0.0 pips raw | MT4 / MT5 / cTrader | $100 | Open Free Account |
| Star Trader | ASIC | Active intraday + scalpers | From 0.0 pips raw | MT4 / MT5 | $100 | See spreads |
| Vantage Markets | FCA, ASIC, FSCA | UK + tier-1 regulation seekers | From 0.0 pips raw | MT4 / MT5 / TradingView | $50 | See spreads |
| IC Markets | ASIC, CySEC, FSA | cTrader + algos + MT4 at depth | From 0.0 pips raw | MT4 / MT5 / cTrader | $200 | See spreads |
| PU Prime | ASIC, FSCA | Small accounts, high leverage | From 0.0 pips raw | MT4 / MT5 | $20 cent / $50 | See spreads |
| VT Markets | ASIC | Mid-tier raw-spread | From 0.0 pips raw | MT4 / MT5 | $100 | See spreads |
How much should you actually deposit?
The advertised minimum on most of these brokers is $100, but $100 will not let you trade MT4 properly. At $100, sizing a single EURUSD position with sensible 1% risk per trade puts your stop at less than 5 pips, you will be stopped out by normal noise on the chart.
The suggested starting size is $500. At $500, 1% risk per trade is $5, which lets you place a 0.01 lot EURUSD position with a 50 pip stop, room enough for the chart to breathe. $500 is the floor the desk recommends to anyone serious about giving MT4 a fair test.
Below $500 you are not really trading, you are guessing. Above $500 you have the room to apply real risk management. This is the same rule the desk applies on its own accounts.
How the desk evaluated each MT4 broker
Six brokers. Real accounts opened on each. Spreads pulled live during London session this week, cross-referenced against published rate cards and BrokerChooser audit data. Execution tested with 0.5 lot market orders on EURUSD and GBPUSD. Withdrawal speed measured on a £500 request. Platform stability checked on Windows + Mac + iOS MT4 native apps.
The ranking below is the desk’s verdict for traders opening a new MT4 account in 2026. The two top picks (Blueberry, Star Trader) are the ones the desk routes its own MT4 strategies through.
Blueberry Markets, the desk’s MT4 broker of choice
Blueberry Markets, ASIC regulated. Best for macro and swing traders. Raw-spread MT4 from 0.0 pips with the MACRO MASTERY desk overlay.
Blueberry Markets ranks first because the spread + execution + withdrawal combination is the cleanest the desk found on MT4. EURUSD raw spreads sat at 0.1 pips average through the London open. Withdrawals to UK bank cleared in under 24 hours on the desk’s test request. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) regulation matters here, ASIC is one of the strictest retail regulators globally and Blueberry is a direct ASIC licensee, not an offshore-only shop with an Australian rep office.
Where Blueberry stands out: the broker integrates with the MACRO MASTERY desk overlay, so swing-trade ideas published in the desk’s daily macro pulse can be set up on Blueberry MT4 without a second platform. The advertised minimum deposit is $100, but the desk recommends opening with a $500 starting size so position sizing lets you take 1% risk per trade with a sensible stop. EAs run on MT4 with no restrictions, scalping permitted.
Star Trader, for active intraday and scalpers
Star Trader, ASIC regulated. Best for active intraday traders. MT4 raw-spread ECN.
Star Trader’s raw-spread MT4 account is built for traders running multiple intraday round-turns per day. ASIC regulated, deep raw-spread liquidity, commission $7 per round-turn on the ECN account. Scalping is permitted, although the desk recommends checking the broker’s published scalping policy before deploying high-frequency EAs.
EURUSD raw spreads tested at 0.0 to 0.2 pips during London session, GBPUSD at 0.2 to 0.5 pips. Withdrawal speed comparable to Blueberry. Advertised minimum is $100, the desk’s suggested starting size on Star Trader is $500, the same floor as Blueberry, for the same reason: at $500 you can size positions properly without forcing oversized risk per trade. The reason Star Trader sits at number two and not number one is the platform overlay, the desk routes macro / swing through Blueberry but routes any intraday scalp strategy through Star Trader.
Vantage Markets, the UK + tier-1 regulation choice
Vantage Markets, FCA + ASIC + FSCA regulated. Best for UK traders who want UK FCA regulation on their account.
If you specifically want the UK Financial Conduct Authority covering your account, Vantage Markets is the desk’s pick. The FCA entity (Vantage Global Prime LLP, FRN 590299) is the only one of the six brokers covered here with full FCA retail authorisation. ASIC regulation on the Australian entity, FSCA on the South African entity.
Vantage runs MT4, MT5 and now native TradingView integration on the same account. Raw-spread account starts from a $50 minimum, EURUSD raw spreads at 0.0 to 0.3 pips through testing. Lloyd’s of London supplementary client-fund insurance up to $1m per client is the differentiator, no other broker on this list carries that.
IC Markets, for traders who want cTrader as well as MT4
IC Markets, ASIC + CySEC + FSA regulated. Best if you want both MT4 and cTrader on the same account.
IC Markets is the broker most algo and cTrader traders default to, but their MT4 offering is also worth a look. Raw-spread MT4 from 0.0 pips, EURUSD round-turn at one of the tightest all-in costs in the institutional retail tier. Minimum deposit $200, higher than Blueberry or Star Trader.
One note on regulation: UK retail clients are typically routed to the Seychelles entity (FSA), not the ASIC or CySEC entity. If FCA or ASIC regulation specifically matters to you, Vantage Markets or Blueberry is the better pick. If you want maximum raw-spread depth and you are comfortable with the offshore entity, IC Markets ranks high.
PU Prime, for small accounts and high leverage
PU Prime, ASIC + FSCA regulated. Best for small accounts and high leverage. Cent-account from $20.
PU Prime makes the list for one specific archetype, the trader with a £100 to £500 account who wants high leverage and a cent-account option to size positions properly. ASIC regulated on the Australian entity, FSCA on the South African entity, with the offshore (Seychelles) entity allowing up to 1:1000 leverage. The UK Financial Conduct Authority has issued a warning on the Seychelles entity, the desk includes PU Prime for the cent-account-and-high-leverage archetype with that caveat documented.
Related from the desk
- VT Markets Review 2026: The Macro Trader’s Honest Verdict
- Star Trader vs FP Markets: Honest 2026 Comparison
- Blueberry Markets Review 2026: Macro Trader Verdict + CPA
- Best Forex Broker New Zealand 2026: FMA Regulated, Honest Verdict by Trader Type
- Best Forex Broker UAE 2026: SCA Regulated, Honest Verdict by Trader Type
Frequently asked questions about MT4 brokers in 2026
Is MT4 still worth using in 2026?
Yes. MT5 has been the official upgrade for over a decade and MT4 is no longer being developed, but the MT4 ecosystem of EAs, indicators and broker liquidity remains the deepest in retail trading. Every broker on the desk’s six-broker shortlist still offers MT4 alongside MT5.
Which MT4 broker has the cheapest spreads?
On EURUSD raw-spread accounts, Blueberry Markets and IC Markets are the cheapest on the desk’s testing, both averaging 0.1 pips raw plus a round-turn commission of $6 to $7. Star Trader is competitive at 0.0 to 0.2 pips. Vantage Markets is 0.0 to 0.3 pips.
Can I run an Expert Advisor (EA) on MT4 with all of these brokers?
Yes, all six brokers support EAs on MT4 with no platform restrictions. If you need a VPS for 24/5 EA execution, Vantage Markets, IC Markets and Blueberry Markets all offer a free VPS once your account balance and trading activity hit their threshold.
Do these brokers also offer MT5?
Yes. Every broker on this list offers MT4 and MT5 on the same client account, so you can switch platforms without opening a new account.
Which MT4 broker accepts US clients?
None of the brokers on this shortlist accept US-resident retail clients. US retail forex regulation effectively limits MT4 to a small group of NFA / CFTC-licensed brokers, the desk does not currently rank in that segment.
How much should I deposit to start with MT4?
The suggested starting size is $500. The advertised minimum on Blueberry and Star Trader is $100, but at $100 you cannot apply real position sizing, 1% risk per trade on a $100 account is $1, which forces you into oversized risk if you want a sensible stop. At $500 you have room to apply proper 1% risk with a 30 to 50 pip stop on EURUSD. Treat $500 as the floor for testing MT4 fairly, not the advertised $100.
Can I open an account in GBP?
Yes on Blueberry Markets, Star Trader, Vantage Markets, IC Markets and VT Markets. PU Prime account base currencies are USD / EUR / AUD by default with GBP available on request.
The desk’s verdict
For most readers on this page in 2026, Blueberry Markets is the right starting point on MT4. ASIC regulated, raw-spread MT4 from 0.0 pips, free desk overlay, withdrawal speed inside 24 hours, $100 minimum.
If you trade actively intraday with multiple round-turns per day, Star Trader is the desk’s second pick for the lower commission cost on the ECN account.
If you specifically want UK FCA regulation, Vantage Markets is the pick.
Open the desk’s MT4 broker of choice
ASIC regulated, raw-spread MT4 from 0.0 pips, withdrawal in under 24 hours. Open the account free in 60 seconds, fund it with the desk’s recommended $500 starting size to size positions properly from day one.
Blueberry Markets
ASIC regulated. Raw-spread MT4 from 0.0 pips. The desk’s preferred macro broker.
Free, no card, ASIC regulated. Suggested starting size: $500
Star Trader
ASIC regulated. Raw-spread ECN MT4 for intraday traders.
Free, no card, ASIC regulated. Suggested starting size: $500
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