What is the best trading platform for Mac?
Is a Mac good for trading?
Can you trade forex on a MacBook?
Yes, you can trade forex on a MacBook by either using the web or desktop version of the trading platform from your device. Even the smallest MacBook, the 12-inch, can be used for forex trading, in addition to the hardier MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models.
How do I trade forex on a Mac?
To trade forex, you will need to set up a live forex account online, fund it, then either install desktop software on your computer or proceed to use the web version of the trading platform.
Once you identify the currency pair you want to trade and the trade direction (long or short), you can create an order by specifying the amount of currency (e.g., 10,000 units is one mini lot). Be sure to have enough margin available depending on your risk/reward targets and use a stop-loss and limit to manage risk.
Is MacBook Air good for forex?
The MacBook Air is an ideal laptop for those trading on the go, such as when working remotely or traveling. At 2.8 pounds (1.29 kilos), it is lighter than most MacBook Pros, yet still powerful enough to run nearly any trading platform.
It's important to keep in mind that desktop-based platforms that require installation on your MacBook Air may consume more memory and battery, compared to using the web version of the forex trading platform offered by your broker.
I've found that with the right settings, you can get at least 6 hours of battery life when using a MacBook to trade forex (provided that the condition of your battery is good and can hold a charge like a new battery).
Which software is best for trading?
The best trading platforms cover all the bases, offering low commissions, a wide range of markets, news, research, powerful charts, and plenty of trading tools in a user-friendly software design. The following forex brokers offer the best software for trading:
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Saxo Bank - SaxoTraderGO - best platform suite and mobile app
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IG - IG Trading - best smartphone app
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CMC Markets - NextGeneration - best platform technology
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Interactive Brokers - TraderWorkstation (TWS) best for professional traders
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TD Ameritrade - thinkorswim - best desktop platform
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FXCM - Trading Station - best for algorithmic traders
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eToro - eToro Platform - best for social copy trading
ForexBrokers.com's comparison tool can help narrow down the options important to you when choosing a broker.
Is MetaTrader available for Mac?
Unfortunately, MetaTrader only runs natively on Windows. MetaQuotes Corporation does have what appears to be a Mac version of MetaTrader, but it requires a Windows Emulator in order to actually work on a macOS device. If you are looking for MetaTrader 4 for Mac, you can download the installation file directly from the developer here (and the MT5 version is available here). Once you launch the software, the Wine Gecko Installer will look for a Gecko package (which is needed for MetaTrader to run on your Mac), and if not found it will give you the option to download and install it.
Pro tip: Many brokers that offer MetaTrader for Mac provide it as an installation file, but their .dmg files have the emulator packaged together with the application to create the Windows simulated environment. You can also install an emulator yourself, and then from within that Windows virtual machine install the Windows version of MetaTrader on your Mac.
The most established Windows emulators for Mac are Parallels Desktop software, which requires a paid subscription, or VMWare, which allows you to install other Windows applications on your Mac in a virtual environment. There are also free, open-source emulators, but they can be less stable, such as Wine version 6.1 and PlayOnMac version 4.3.
Is MT4 good on Mac?
MT4 offers dozens of plugins by default, and there are thousands more available from third-party providers and within the MQL5 community. Traders love its charting and technical analysis capabilities, and MetaTrader is one of the most popular investment trading platforms across the globe.
However, you might not be a fan of MT4 on Mac, as it provides a sub-par MetaTrader experience compared to the Windows version — unless you are running an emulator that can perfectly simulate the Windows environment.
Having tested MT4 on my Mac using the Parallels Desktop software, I can report that it felt just like the Windows version with no noticeable differences. However, I can't say the same when using the WINE emulator – which is best avoided.
How do I get the Stocks app on my Mac?
The Stocks app is a program and widget that is available by default on MacOS, version Mojave 10.14 and later, and can be customized in the notifications center or by launching the app. Search for "Stocks.app" on your Mac using the finder lookup tool, and launch the program to see stock quotes powered by Yahoo Finance, charts, and news headlines from various top-tier providers like the Wall Street Journal and CNBC.
Does Apple have a trading platform?
Apple’s only “trading” platform is for trading your used devices – not for investing in financial markets. The closest thing to an official Apple financial markets trading platform would be Apple Pay (available for web and iOS devices), but it does not yet support investing or trading securities.
Is Apple good for day trading?
Almost every Apple computer comes now by default with a fast processor, powerful video card, plenty of storage, and enough RAM to satisfy even the most demanding trading platforms used for day trading.
Pro tip: When building a trading rig for Mac trading software, Apple desktop and laptop computers can be configured to be very powerful and can easily cost several thousand dollars depending on setup (i.e., 64GB of RAM, 4.0 GHz processor, 1 TB SSD). In almost all cases, that will be more than is necessary for trading platforms, even if you have a decade-old Apple computer with base model specifications.
Which Mac is best for day trading?
Unless you want a desktop Mac that sports multiple monitors, and is nearly powerful enough to mine cryptocurrency, Apple's flagship MacBook Pro laptop has powerful specs and is a great choice for day trading — even when you choose the base version with no upgrades.
Depending on the year of the model, most versions come with 16GB of RAM, and the latest Macbook Pro iterations have even faster processors. I use a 16-inch (2019 model) MacBook Pro with a 2.3 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9 Processor, 16GB of 2267 MHz DDR4 RAM, and an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M Graphics card with 4GB of dedicated RAM.
Having run the most demanding trading platforms from over 40 brokers, I can say that Mac devices are ultra-reliable, and perfect for day trading and running desktop trading software, or having numerous browser tabs open while logged into your brokerage accounts.
Can I use TradeStation on a Mac?
The current version of the TradeStation platform is designed for Windows; the developer suggests using an emulator such as Parallels Desktop to run it in a virtual environment on a Mac. I've personally found that Parallels version 16 works very well for running the TradeStation desktop trading platform on macOS (version 10.5 or later).
How do you trade on a Mac?
Trading on a Mac computer is no different than on any other computer, except that if you want to install a desktop-based platform, you must be sure there is a compatible Mac version. Otherwise, you'll be limited to using web-based trading platforms and mobile apps. Many of the best brokers offer Mac versions of their desktop software, or their web-based versions are excellent alternatives.
ForexBrokers.com 2022 Overall Ranking
Here are the Overall rankings for the 39 online brokers who participated in our 2022 Annual Review, sorted by Overall ranking.
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IG
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Saxo Bank
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CMC Markets
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Interactive Brokers
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TD Ameritrade
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FOREX.com
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XTB
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City Index
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Swissquote
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eToro
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AvaTrade
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FXCM
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Plus500
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OANDA
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Admiral Markets
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IC Markets
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Capital.com
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Markets.com
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XM Group
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Pepperstone
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FP Markets
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FxPro
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Tickmill
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Fineco Bank
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HYCM (Henyep)
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DooPrime
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HFM
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BDSwiss
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Vantage
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TMGM
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Trading 212
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Moneta Markets
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Trade Nation
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BlackBull Markets
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ACY Securities
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Eightcap
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ThinkMarkets
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VT Markets
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easyMarkets
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Exness
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Spreadex
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IronFX
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RoboForex (RoboMarkets)
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Trade360
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GKFX
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AxiTrader
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Vestle
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FXOpen
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TeleTrade
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OctaFX
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Forex4you
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LegacyFX
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FXPrimus
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Alpari
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GBE brokers
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TopFX
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ATFX
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UFX
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Libertex (Forex Club)
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Xtrade
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Tradeo
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More Forex Guides
2022 Review Methodology
For our 2022 Forex Broker Review we assessed, rated, and ranked 39 international forex brokers over a three-month time period resulting in over 50,000 words of published research.
Each broker was graded on 113 different variables, including our proprietary Trust Score algorithm. This innovative scoring system ranks the level of trustworthiness for each broker based on factors such as licenses, regulation and corporate structure. Read about Trust Score here.
As part of our annual review process, all brokers had the opportunity to provide updates and key milestones and complete an in-depth data profile, which we hand-checked for accuracy.
Ultimately, our rigorous data validation process yields an error rate of less than .1% each year, providing site visitors with quality data they can trust. Learn more about how we test.
Forex Risk Disclaimer
There is a very high degree of risk involved in trading securities. With respect to margin-based foreign exchange trading, off-exchange derivatives, and cryptocurrencies, there is considerable exposure to risk, including but not limited to, leverage, creditworthiness, limited regulatory protection and market volatility that may substantially affect the price, or liquidity of a currency or related instrument. It should not be assumed that the methods, techniques, or indicators presented in these products will be profitable, or that they will not result in losses. Read more on forex trading risks.
About the Author
Steven Hatzakis
Steven Hatzakis is the Global Director of Research for ForexBrokers.com. Steven previously served as an Editor for Finance Magnates, where he authored over 1,000 published articles about the online finance industry. Steven is an active fintech and crypto industry researcher and advises blockchain companies at the board level. Over the past 20 years, Steven has held numerous positions within the international forex markets, from writing to consulting to serving as a registered commodity futures representative.
John Bringans
John is the Editor of ForexBrokers.com and BrokerNotes.co. An experienced media professional, John brings over six years of experience in key leadership roles at newsroom outlets. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from San Francisco State University, and has a fast growing knowledge base of the financial services industry. John helps ensure that articles are accurate, clear, and concise, while assisting the research and editorial teams in the production of content across Reink Media Group domains.
Joey Shadeck
Joey is the Content Strategist and Research Analyst at BrokerNotes.co. He has nearly ten years of experience in the finance industry, and he uses his expertise to obtain and verify data, conduct research, and analyze and validate our content. He has been an active trader and investor for close to ten years, and holds dual degrees in Finance and Marketing from Oakland University.