Although there’s no native version of MT5 for Mac, here we’ve looked at the best ways to run and install MT5 on a Mac including on the latest M1/M2 Macs and macOS Sonoma, Ventura and Monterey.
Before going through any of the ways of using MT5 on a Mac, we strongly recommend taking a look at TradingView (FREE) as an alternative to MT5.
We found TradingView is even BETTER than MT4 & MT5 for doing technical analysis of currency markets and day trading from your Mac desktop.
We also ranked it the best Forex trading platform due to its ease of use and powerful trading tools.
TradingView works in a browser so it works easily on both Intel and Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs including the M2 MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chip.
You can even link TradingView to your trading account so that you can trade directly without leaving the app.
You can start using TradingView for free here to test it for yourself.
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Is There MT5 For Mac & M1/M2 Macs?
A fully compatible native version of MT5 for Mac does not exist but you can still download MT5 for Mac from the developer MetaQuotes which has adapted it to work on Macs.
However, there is a catch to this.
When you download and install the official MT5 for Mac application, it is bundled with a Windows emulation software called “Crossover” which is based on the open source “Wine” Windows emulation software.
This adapted version of MT5 works on both Intel Macs and the latest Apple Silicon M1 & M2 Macs including M1/M2 MacBook Pros.
However, we don’t recommend running MT5 on a Mac this way.
The main reason is because the Windows emulation software MT5 is bundled with on can be very unstable.
This is particularly true on Apple Silicon M1 & M2 Macs so you’ll find that MT5 crashes a lot or doesn’t work well.
Some features also don’t work in this version of MT5 such as adding indicators and the application in general is very slow and looks dated.
You’ll also frequently see messages that “MetaTrader needs to be updated” which are quite annoying when running the official MT5 download on a Mac.
Why Doesn’t The Official MT5 For Mac Work Well?
The main reason that MetaTrader 5 does not work well on Macs is that MetaTrader is a 32-bit application and the latest versions of macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur and Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs do not support 32 bit apps anymore.
The last version of macOS to support 32-bit applications was macOS 10.14 Mojave. Since macOS 10.15 Catalina, Macs no longer support 32-bit applications.
This is why the developer MetaQuotes has had to bundle the MT5 download with the Crossover and Wine Windows emulation software.
However, although Crossover and Wine along with a free tool in macOS called Rosetta are able to translate MT5 to work on 64-bit systemsm the process is very complex and results in a lot of errors and instability.
Even MetaQuotes states on its website:
Note that Wine is not a fully stable application. Thus, some functions in the applications you start under it may work improperly or not work at all.
As a result, MetaQuotes also provides an alternative to using Crossover to install MT5 on 64-bit versions of macOS Catalina onwards by using the PlayOnMac emulator instead.
Like Crossover, this also works on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs but we also do not recommend using PlayOnMac to install MT5 on a Mac because the installation process is long and complicated.
It is also subject to the same problems as Crossover including instability, crashes and a lack of full functionality.
The good news is there are other ways to install or use MT5 on a Mac which provide much greater functionality and stability.
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With this in mind, here are the best ways to use MT5 on a Mac in 2023 in order of ranking.
1. MT5 On Mac With Parallels
By far the the best way to install MT5 on a Mac is to first install Windows on your Mac and then use the Windows version of MetaTrader 5.
This gives you the full functionality of the Windows version with no limitations and much greater stability unlike the wrapped versions provided by MetaTrader which use Crossover or PlayOnMac.
Unlike with MT4, this method also works to use MT5 on M1/M2 Macs too.
This is because Apple Silicon Macs can only run Windows ARM which is not compatible with MT4 but does work with MT5.
There are various ways of running Windows on a Mac but we strongly recommend using Parallels to install MT5 on a Mac.
In fact, Parallels is the only way to run Windows on a Mac that is officially endorsed by Microsoft.
Parallels is the easiest way to install Windows on a Mac and it’s also regularly updated to work with each release of macOS.
Parallels allows you to run Windows and macOS simultaneously so that you can easily switch between the two operating systems at any time.
In Parallels, you can run either the standard Windows version of MetaTrader 5 or a branded version of MT5 that you’ve downloaded from a forex broker platform.
Here’s how to install MetaTrader 5 on a Mac using Windows in Parallels.
- Download Parallels for Mac. The setup process to install Windows 11 is very easy and should take no more than 30 minutes. Parallels will even download and install Windows 11 on your Mac for you.
- Once you’ve installed Windows on your Mac, download the Windows version of MT5. Then simply follow the installation instructions to install MetaTrader 5 on as if you were installing it on a PC. If the installation fails, then it’s because of changes made to the latest versions of the MT5 installer. You can try using this older download of MT5 and then when it’s installed, update to the latest version by going to “Help” -> “Check Desktop Updates” -> “Latest Release version”.
Running MetaTrader 5 on Mac this way gives you all the benefits of the Windows version of MetaTrader, including adding indicators and other add-ons such as MetaTrader Market.
It’s also far more stable than the official MT5 Mac download from MetaQuotes.
You can try Parallels for free now to start using MT5 on a Mac.
You can also check out our full review of Parallels for more.
Pros:
- Easy to install and setup
- Much more stable that the official MetaTrader 5 Mac download
- Allows you to run Windows and macOS simultaneously
- The best way to run Windows on a Mac
- Runs both Windows 10 and Windows 11
- Allows you to use all MT5 features like Windows users
- Works on both Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs and Intel Macs
Cons:
- After Parallels free trial requires subscription
- No 24 hour trading unless you leave MT5 open on your Mac 24/7
2. MT5 on a Mac With Boot Camp (Intel Macs Only)
Boot Camp is a free utility in macOS that also allows you to install Windows or an older version of macOS on a separate partition on your Mac hard drive.
Like with Parallels, once you’ve installed Windows using Boot Camp, you can install the Windows version of MT5 on your Mac.
This isn’t as convenient as using Parallels however as you can’t run Windows and macOS at the same time. You have to boot your Mac in either macOS or Windows to use it.
Boot Camp also is also not available for Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs.
Unlike Parallels though, Boot Camp is free to use and allows you to install Windows 10 for free on a Mac and run Windows 11 for free on a Mac.
You can find full instructions on how to install Windows on a Mac using Boot Camp here.
Pros:
- Boot Camp is free to use
- Allows you to install Windows 10 and Windows 11 for free
- Allows you to run the Windows version of MT5
- More stable and more features than the official MT5 for Mac download
Cons:
- Does not allow you to run macOS and Windows simultaneously
- Not available for Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs
- No 24 hour trading unless you keep MT5 running on your Mac 24/7
3. MT5 On a Mac With a VPS Server
There are several companies such as VPSForexTrader that offer Virtual Private Servers (VPS) which allow professional traders to trade faster using dedicated 24/7 servers.
Since you’re connecting to MT5 on a remote Windows PC, it works on both Intel and Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs.
This provides a direct ISP connection to a private server so you can enjoy better hardware to trade faster, without any interruptions 24 hours a day.
These servers are private and for your use only so you don’t have to share bandwidth or processing power with other users, thus providing a faster and more stable trading environment.
VPS servers also allow you to run MetaTrader in the Cloud so all you need to do is subscribe to one of their plans and then use a remote desktop software to connect to MetaTrader remotely.
A VPS provider usually charges a monthly fee for use of a virtual private server and the cost differs depending on the power of the servers you subscribe to.
The more powerful the server, the more instances of MetaTrader you can install and the more processing power you have.
Here’s how to run MetaTrader 5 on a Mac using a VPS Server.
- Sign-up for VPS server such as VPSForexTrader.
- Download a remote desktop application. There are many different remote desktop software for Mac but you can use the free Microsoft Remote Desktop tool for connecting to a VPSForexTrader server.
- When you sign-up for a VPSForexTrader account, you’ll be sent an IP address with a port, username and password that you need to enter into the Microsoft Remote Desktop settings.
- Then simply click “Start” at the top of the app.
- You’ll then see your VPS Server desktop where you’ll be able to install and run multiple versions of MetaTrader depending on the account you’ve signed-up for.
Pros:
- Hosted in the Cloud so nothing to install
- Allows you to run multiple versions of MT5
- Works on both Intel & M1/M2 Macs
- Allows you to trade 24/7
Cons:
- Requires a subscription to a VPS server
- Requires remote desktop software
4. Use MetaTrader 5 WebTrader
If you don’t need MetaTrader 5 installed on your Mac desktop, an easy way to use MT5 on a Mac is to use the MetaTrader 5 web platform which is the Cloud version of MetaTrader 5.
Although you won’t have MT5 installed on your Mac desktop, you get all the functionality of MetaTrader and it works instantly in any web browser including on Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs.
MetaTrader 5 for the web allows you to do all the things you can do in the desktop version including placing any type of market and pending orders, trade currencies, stocks and futures.
You can also do in-depth market analysis with 30 technical indicators and 24 graphical objects to choose from.
You can choose to use a demo account or you can also link it to your broker account with a username and password.
Other features of the web version of MetaTrader 5 include:
- Real and demo accounts
- Netting and hedging position accounting systems
- Pending and stop orders
- 3 chart types and 9 timeframes
- Real-time quotes in Market Watch
- Dark theme
Note that many brokers also offer their own branded version of MetaTrader 5 for the web which works in exactly the same way but is customized for their platforms.
Examples include FXTM, XM WebTrader, IC Markets, Hugosway and Fortrade.
You can start using MetaTrader 5 for the web on your Mac now in any browser.
Pros:
- MT5 web version doesn’t require any installation
- Works in any browser on any version of macOS
- Works on M1 & M2 Macs
- Links to broker accounts
- Allows you to trade with a demo account
Cons:
- Can’t be used offline
5. Download a Broker MT5 For Mac
Many brokers that also offer their own MT5 web version also offer a desktop download which is bundled with exactly the same Windows emulation software as the official MetaQuotes version.
In general, we don’t recommend these versions of MT5 for Mac as they have the same problems as the official MT5 for Mac download i.e. instability, crashes and a lack of features.
However, if you’re already signed up to brokers such as Milton Prime and XM Markets they offer their own version of MT5 which works on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
Once you’ve downloaded and installed their versions of MT5 on a Mac, simply log-in with your broker username and password to start trading with MT5 on a Mac.
Pros:
- Convenient if you’re already signed up to the broker
- Works on Intel and Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs
Cons:
- Has the same problems as the official MT5 for Mac download from MetaQuotes
- Some brokers don’t offer a version that work on M1/M2 Macs
Hi, I installed latest copy of parallels and Windows ARM and MT5 doesn’t work. It can’t ven be isntalled. I tried using the broker’s copy and the one direct from the metatrader website and both can’t even be installed. I am running mac mini m2 and wonder how you got yours working though?
It seems that this is due to a change in the latest MT5 installer. The older versions of the MT5 installer do work however and Parallels has provided a copy of this installer here. Once installed, you can then update it to the latest version by going to “Help” -> “Check Desktop Updates” -> “Latest Release version”.
Not sure how old this article might be. It’s dated in 2023 but seems like it is much older or the author is not current on trading software. MT5 is a really piece of crap as far as the GUI. It’s like Windows 98. I seriously doubt that the author knows much about Forex. If you are going to go to this much trouble to run windows software then you should use cTrader which is far far superior to MT5. cTrader has features unique to Forex. Further it is easy to find advanced features that are Forex oriented. The only reasons to use any of MT’s horrible software is that there is a huge bot building community or if you have no other option due to broker platform offerings. cTrader uses MS C# as a programming language for the bots. So with MT you are just left with horribly counterintuitive software that would take months to learn. cTrader can have you up and running in a couple of days. One of the issues though is likely available brokers. You can trade Oanda and a few others on Trading View however Trading View is really expensive if you want to trade Forex. Trading View is mostly oriented towards high commission equities brokers not Forex. The only exception is if you are a Price Action trader. In that event you can use anything.
Thanks for your comments. Even though you might not like the MT5 interface, the fact is a lot of Forex traders still want to use it on Mac as it’s by far the most well know platform out there. TradingView is a much better alternative for stock trading although it’s true that when it comes to Forex, it’s a specialized area that cTrader does very well. However, both MT5 and cTrader have web versions that can be used on Mac at least.
Nice article. Of course, any MT5 for Mac offered by brokers is essentially the same set-up, using WINE as a shell emulator/translator.
Also, VMWare Fusion is an alternative to Parallels, now finally released in Nov. 2022. It is just as capable, and in some ways superior to Parallels, backed by a company that has a huge business in virtualization/hypervision development ($13 Billion in Revenue vs $100 Million). And Fusion Player is STILL FREE for personal use!
And Tradingview is GREAT! I’ve contributed many ideas that were implemented in the earlier years of development. Who knew that web-browser-based trading software could be so powerful and well developed. (They also have a desktop version for Mac now but I have not tried it yet.)