TradeLocker builds its terminal around TradingView charts and a risk calculator that sizes a position from the risk in money or percent before an order goes in. TradeLocker itself says plainly that it is newer than MetaTrader and cTrader, and that its algorithmic trading tools are still growing. That honesty is useful: a firm on TradeLocker, or comparing it before signing, is usually weighing either more mature automation elsewhere, or a single vendor that also runs the CRM.
We build eTrader, so it opens this list, and we say so openly, including where eTrader falls short of what TradeLocker already does well.
1. eTrader
eTrader trades from the chart too, with pending orders, stop losses, take profits and alerts as lines a trader drags, up to four take-profit levels per position. It goes further on the firm side: the eTrader price feed (about 580 instruments, years of history), native MAM / PAMM and copytrading, a built-in Dealing Desk, and cloud robots and AI Traders that run with the computer off, all hosted by SGHK and managed by the firm.
Where TradeLocker still has an edge: it puts full TradingView charts directly inside the terminal, where eTrader's charting is its own, with built-in indicators, drawing and Fibonacci tools plus custom indicators through eTrader Code, but not the TradingView chart itself. eTrader is also the newer platform of the two, with a smaller third-party library, and robots are written in Tide rather than imported.
2. MetaTrader 5
MT5 has the largest trader base and robot library through MQL5, plus depth of market and a multi-threaded strategy tester, a much larger automation ecosystem than TradeLocker's own, by TradeLocker's own admission still growing. A firm moving off TradeLocker for automation reasons most often lands here or on cTrader.
3. cTrader
cTrader, from Spotware, brings Level II depth of market and C# automation through cTrader Algo, plus cTrader Copy for copy trading, on Windows, Mac, web, iOS and Android. It suits a trader who wants TradeLocker's clean modern feel with a deeper automation toolset underneath it.
4. DXtrade
Devexperts sells DXtrade as a white-label platform the firm brands as its own, a different kind of upgrade path than TradeLocker's own branded terminal: DXtrade puts the firm's own icon on the app, which TradeLocker does not offer in the same way.
5. Match-Trader
Match-Trade Technologies bundles Match-Trader with a client office, payments and prop firm tools, a fuller package than TradeLocker's platform-only offering, for a firm that wants one vendor covering both the terminal and the back office.
Why a firm even leaves a platform it likes
TradeLocker's own risk calculator and its TradingView charts are genuinely well liked by discretionary traders, so a firm rarely leaves purely on features. The more common trigger is scale: a prop firm running thousands of evaluation accounts wants a rules engine and payout automation wired directly to the platform rather than bolted on afterward, and a broker wants a dealing desk that shows toxic flow and exposure without exporting data to a separate risk tool by hand. Those needs point toward a bundle like eTrader or Match-Trader, or toward the CRM integrations MetaTrader and cTrader have had years longer to build out.
| Platform | Made by | Charting | Automation maturity |
|---|---|---|---|
| eTrader | SGHK | Own charts, built-in and custom indicators | Tide, cloud robots and AI Traders |
| MetaTrader 5 | MetaQuotes | Own charts | MQL5, the largest library |
| cTrader | Spotware | Own charts, depth of market | C# through cTrader Algo |
| DXtrade | Devexperts | TradingView integration on mobile | Smaller ecosystem than MetaTrader or cTrader |
| Match-Trader | Match-Trade Technologies | TradingView charts in the terminal | Lighter than MetaTrader or cTrader, by its own material |
What discretionary traders actually give up
Traders who picked TradeLocker specifically for its TradingView charts should check what any alternative's own charting looks like before assuming it is worse. eTrader ships six chart types, seven timeframes plus tick charts, market depth, drawing and Fibonacci tools and a trader's own indicators through eTrader Code, which covers most of what a discretionary trader actually uses day to day, even without TradingView's own chart engine embedded. cTrader and MetaTrader 5 both have mature native charting too. The honest question is whether a specific TradingView layout or community script is the reason a trader picked TradeLocker, in which case DXtrade's mobile TradingView integration or Match-Trader's TradingView charts are the closer match.
Whichever direction a firm goes, check the back office at the same time as the terminal. SGHK's Broker CRM and Prop Firm CRM connect to TradeLocker, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, DXtrade, NinjaTrader and Match-Trader as well as eTrader, so a switch does not have to mean a second CRM. Our guide to free versus paid indicators is a useful next read if the indicator library is your main concern.
"TradeLocker was honest that its automation is still growing. That is worth more than a platform that pretends it has no gaps."
— The SGHK Team
Key Takeaways
- TradeLocker's own strengths are TradingView charts inside the terminal and a built-in risk calculator.
- By its own account TradeLocker's automation tooling is still growing; MetaTrader 5 and cTrader offer more mature libraries.
- eTrader adds a price feed, native MAM / PAMM, copytrading and a dealing desk, without TradeLocker's embedded TradingView chart.
- DXtrade and Match-Trader both offer TradingView chart integration if that specific feature is the reason for the search.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to TradeLocker for a growing firm?
We recommend eTrader if the firm wants a bundle: the price feed, dealing desk, MAM / PAMM and copytrading come built in. A firm whose traders specifically want the TradingView chart embedded should also demo DXtrade or Match-Trader, both of which integrate TradingView charts.
Does eTrader have TradingView charts like TradeLocker?
No. eTrader ships its own charting: six chart types, seven timeframes, tick charts, market depth, drawing and Fibonacci tools, and custom indicators through eTrader Code, rather than an embedded TradingView chart.
Is MetaTrader 5 more mature than TradeLocker for automation?
Yes, by a wide margin. MQL5's library is the largest in the industry. TradeLocker states itself that its own algorithmic trading tools are still growing.
Can a firm run TradeLocker and eTrader at the same time?
Yes. SGHK's Broker CRM and Prop Firm CRM connect to TradeLocker, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, DXtrade, NinjaTrader and Match-Trader as well as eTrader, so one CRM can run both.
Does eTrader have a built-in risk calculator like TradeLocker?
The order ticket on every eTrader app shows required margin and free margin left, and stop-loss and take-profit are on every order, but check both platforms in a live demo if a specific calculator workflow is what your traders rely on.
About SGHK
SGHK is a FinTech company that designs and builds its own software for the trading industry: the eTrader trading platform, Launch your Broker and Launch your Prop Firm. Every product is written, hosted and supported in-house and licensed to trading firms, with the CRMs branded to them, all hosted by us in the cloud, managed by each firm and built to scale across clustered servers as our clients grow. Everything is encrypted, and each firm is the only one with access to its data and its clients' data.