If you’re thinking about getting into stock trading, day trading or crypto trading on your Mac, then you may wonder whether Macs or MacBooks are good for trading stocks or day trading.
The good news is the answer is a definite “Yes” although without doubt, there’s still less trading software on a Mac vs Windows PC computers.
However, the best trading software around TradingView (FREE) has a Mac desktop app as do more specialized tools like Motivewave.
The reason why there’s still more stock trading tools and platforms available on Windows is obvious.
Macs still only represent a little over 10% of the computer market compared to Windows which still dominates.
It definitely has nothing to do with performance though. Both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs can easily handle the most important requirements of traders such as:
- The ability to have multiple browser tabs or trading apps open
- A high quality display or monitor – all new Macs have incredibly high definition Retina displays with True Tone technology which adapts to your ambient lighting.
- An accurate trackpad or mouse
- Lightweight design for trading on the move
- Long battery life so that you don’t miss a trade due to a sudden flat battery
With this in mind, here are six reasons Macs and MacBooks are ideal for trading compared to Windows PCs.
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1. Mac Trading Software & Platforms
There’s an increasing number of trading software for Mac available nowadays and the number is growing all the time.
Many trading apps and software are Cloud based meaning you can use them in any browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Safari.
The best apps like TradingView offer both a Mac desktop app and a web version so you can choose how to access it.
It even allows you to trade from your Mac by connecting it to popular brokers so even if a broker doesn’t have a Mac desktop client, you can use it via TradingView too.
Other popular technical scanners which work in the Cloud such as TrendSpider and Trade Ideas are both online and can be used on a Mac in any browser.
2. Macs Can Run Windows
You can easily run Windows on a Mac and switch between macOS and Windows at the same time.
Virtual environments such as the incredibly easy to use Parallels allow you to install Windows on your Mac for free and switch between macOS and Windows instantly.
If you are looking for a free virtual machine, VMware Fusion is also a great option.
This gives you the best of both worlds so that you can continue to enjoy using Windows trading software you simply don’t want to leave behind when you switch to Mac.
It means for example that can run MT4 and MT5 on a Mac as MetaTrader isn’t available for macOS.
It’s not so simple on the other hand to run macOS on a Windows PCs. This is known as making a “hackintosh” and there’s no official software than can help you do it.
3. Reliability
Anyone that’s used both Macs and Windows PCs will tell you that Macs are more reliable than Windows PCs in the long run.
The macOS infrastructure is far more stable than Windows, it doesn’t slow down as much over time and there are far less security and stability issues compared to Windows.
Traders using Windows spend more time dealing with bugs, performance issues, malware and virus threats that could be spent analyzing the market and making trades.
4. Cost Effectiveness
The cost of a Mac may be roughly twice that of a PC laptop but it’s a drop in the ocean if you’re making serious money trading.
You’re also getting a machine with a much higher build quality in a Mac which will last longer than a PC laptop.
You can expect the average MacBook to last at least 10 years by which time you would probably have gone through 2 or 3 Windows PCs or laptops.
You’ll probably find stories of people that are still using Macs even longer than this although as the hardware becomes more obsolete, they usually can’t run the latest versions of macOS which poses software compatibility issues.
In the long run, a Mac is a better long term investment even if the initial outlay is bigger.
5. Speed
Macs are generally quicker to boot than Windows PCs which inevitably slow down over time as they get bloated with Windows updates, security software and other programs.
Time is of the essence in trading and being first to the trade can make the difference between a profitable trade and nothing.
Apple Silicon Macs with the M-series chips are even quicker than the older Intel Macs making trading snappier than ever.
6. Integration with iOS
Increasingly, more and more trading is being done via mobile devices.
There’s no competition between Windows and Macs when it comes to mobile integration between macOS and iOS.
The introduction of Continuity in macOS makes it easy to pick up where you left off on your iPhone.
So for example, you can monitor stocks on your iPhone or iPad using Apple Stocks and then carry on with Apple Stocks on your Mac later.
With Sidecar in macOS Catalina, you can now also turn an iPad into a second trading monitor if you wish.
The less time as a trader you spend trying to get your devices to communicate, the more time you can spend on trading.
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