Most platform demos are a guided tour: the vendor drives, shows the parts that work well, and moves past the parts that do not. A better demo is a test script the firm brings itself, run the same way on every platform on the shortlist, so the comparison is apples to apples instead of five different sales pitches. This is that script, built to run against MetaTrader 5, cTrader, DXtrade, Match-Trader and eTrader.
We build eTrader, so we hold ourselves to the same script below, including the steps where the answer is not flattering to us.
Before the call: what to bring
Book a live demo on a real demo account for each platform, not a recorded walkthrough. Bring the person who will actually operate the platform day to day, alongside the decision maker. Have your list of must-have integrations ready (your CRM, your KYC provider, your liquidity provider or feed) so you can ask about each one by name instead of a general "does it integrate."
The test script
| Step | What to do | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Open an account | Watch the vendor open a demo account from the CRM or account panel, start to finish | How many manual steps, and whether the trader password and any investor password arrive automatically |
| 2. Place a trade during volatility | Place a market order on a fast-moving symbol, ideally close to a scheduled news release | Fill speed, requotes or slippage, and whether the ticket shows required and free margin before you confirm |
| 3. Set stop loss, take profit and a trailing stop | Attach all three to an open position, then move the stop by dragging it on the chart if the platform allows that | Whether it takes a form or a drag, and whether multiple take-profit levels are supported on one position |
| 4. Check drawdown and daily loss calculation | Ask the vendor to show exactly how drawdown, daily loss and margin call are calculated and where a trader sees the number live | Whether the number updates in real time or only refreshes on a page reload |
| 5. Ask for dealing desk visibility | Ask to see the dealing desk or admin view: order flow, exposure per symbol, and how A-book or B-book routing is decided | Whether routing is visible and configurable, or a black box the vendor describes verbally |
| 6. Export trade history and account data | Ask for a CSV export of trade history and account statements on the spot | Whether the export happens immediately, on request only, or not at all from the trader side |
| 7. Test on mobile | Open the same account on a phone and place a small trade | Whether the mobile app has full order types and chart tools or a cut-down version of the desktop |
| 8. Ask about automation | Ask how a trading robot or indicator is written, tested and deployed, and what happens to a robot built for another platform | Whether it runs in the cloud or needs a VPS, and whether existing robots import directly or need a rewrite |
| 9. Ask what happens if you leave | Ask directly: if we stop using this platform next year, what do we keep, and how do we get it out | A clear answer about data export and account portability, versus a vague one |
Running the script on MetaTrader 5
MetaTrader 5 demos usually show depth of market, the multi-threaded strategy tester and the size of the MQL5 Market when you ask about automation. Push on step 5 and step 9: MetaTrader itself does not include a dealing desk or CRM, so the vendor showing you the demo is likely a bridge or CRM provider layered on top, and the honest answer to "what happens if we leave" depends on which of MetaQuotes' licensing terms and which third-party bridge you are actually running.
Running the script on cTrader
cTrader demos are strong on step 3 and step 7: chart based order management and Level II depth of market are core to the platform, and the mobile apps carry most of the desktop's order types. Push on step 5, since cTrader itself is the trading terminal, not the dealing desk or CRM. Ask specifically which vendor is providing the server, the routing and the CRM your firm would actually run day to day, since cTrader Server is usually licensed and operated by a separate provider from the firm's CRM.
Running the script on DXtrade
DXtrade is sold by Devexperts as a white-label platform the firm brands as its own, so step 1 and step 7 will show your own logo from the first screen, which is a real point in its favour if a fully branded app matters to you. Push on step 6 and step 9 specifically, since DXtrade's public pages do not detail data export policy in the same depth as its feature list; get the answer in writing during the demo rather than after you sign.
Running the script on Match-Trader
Match-Trader comes from Match-Trade Technologies as part of a wider package with a client office, payments and prop firm tools, so step 1 should show the whole account-opening flow inside one system rather than a handoff between vendors. Push on step 8: Match-Trader's automation tooling is lighter than MetaTrader's or cTrader's, by the comparison Match-Trade Technologies' own materials draw against those platforms, so ask what a trader who wants to run a robot actually does today.
Running the script on eTrader
On eTrader, step 1 runs through eTrader Business and the CRM API, with both the trader password and an investor, view-only password issued automatically if you use SGHK's own Broker CRM or Prop Firm CRM. Step 4 shows live in the account overview and in the eTrader Dealing Desk. Step 5 is where eTrader is different from MetaTrader and cTrader: the dealing desk, exposure, toxic flow and A-book, B-book and hybrid routing are native to the platform and visible from the broker dashboard, not a separate purchase. Step 6 exports to CSV on the spot, on web and Mac. Step 8 runs in eTrader's cloud with no VPS, but push us on the honest answer: a robot built for MetaTrader or cTrader is rewritten in Tide, not imported, because Tide is eTrader's own language. Step 9: your data exports as CSV or through the API at any time, and our own CRMs also connect to other trading platforms, so leaving eTrader does not mean leaving your CRM.
Reading the results
Score each platform on the same nine steps, in the same document, right after each demo while the details are fresh. A platform that handles steps 1 through 4 well but goes vague on step 5 or step 9 is telling you where the real limits are, whatever the sales deck says. Run the same script twice if two people on your team disagree about what they saw.
If you want to run this script against eTrader next, book a live demo and bring the checklist above. We would rather you test us this way than take our word for any of it.
"A demo where the vendor drives tells you what they want to show. A demo where you run your own script tells you what you are actually buying."
— The SGHK Team
Key Takeaways
- Run the same nine-step script on every platform demo: open an account, trade during volatility, set stops, check drawdown, ask for dealing desk visibility, export data, test mobile, ask about automation, and ask what happens if you leave.
- MetaTrader 5 and cTrader are trading terminals; press on who actually runs the dealing desk, CRM and data export for your specific setup.
- DXtrade and Match-Trader arrive more assembled; push on data export detail and automation depth respectively.
- On eTrader, the dealing desk and CRM API are native and visible from step 5 onward; the honest limit is step 8, where robots are rewritten in Tide rather than imported.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a firm bring to a trading platform demo?
A written test script run the same way on every vendor, a team member who will actually operate the platform day to day, a list of specific integrations to ask about by name, and a live demo account rather than a recorded walkthrough.
Which step in the demo do vendors most often skip?
Step 9: what happens if the firm leaves. Ask it directly, in the room, and get the answer on data export and account portability in writing before you sign anything.
Can this same checklist be used to demo eTrader?
Yes, and we ask firms to run it on us the same way. eTrader's dealing desk, CRM API and CSV export are visible during a live demo, and the honest limit worth pressing us on is automation: robots written for other platforms are rewritten in Tide, not imported directly.
How long should a proper platform demo take?
Long enough to run all nine steps on a live demo account, not a slide deck. Most firms need 45 to 60 minutes per platform to place a trade, check drawdown, see the dealing desk and ask about data export and automation properly.
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.