Comparison
New MetaTrader 5 white labels have been reported as unavailable since 2022, and prop firms that want MT5 now need a direct MetaQuotes licence. Here is what that route involves, based on public reporting, and how FirmForge compares.
By Arthur Chan. Last updated 26 October 2026
FirmForge is our product. Competitor details come from their public websites as of October 2026; check current terms with each vendor.
MetaTrader 5 is the multi-asset trading platform made by MetaQuotes. MetaQuotes describes it as "a full-cycle platform that includes all elements that a company may need" to run a brokerage, and sells licences straight to brokers at three tiers: Entry, Standard and Enterprise [1].
The package covers desktop, web and mobile terminals, a manager back office, gateway APIs for exchanges and liquidity providers, signals-based copy trading, and MQL5 algo trading with a strategy tester [1]. MetaQuotes does not list a client CRM, KYC, payments, a challenge engine, an IB system or MAM/PAMM as its own products [1], so operators buy those elsewhere.
Operators look for an MT5 white label alternative because the cheap route, a white label sublicensed from an existing broker, has largely closed, the direct route takes paperwork and time, and MT5 still needs a separate CRM, portal and challenge engine.
We found no formal MetaQuotes policy on white labels or prop firms. This section relies on press and consultancy reports, not MetaQuotes' own terms.
In October 2022 Atomiq Consulting reported that "MetaQuotes has effectively discontinued white labels". New brokers were expected to take a full MT5 licence, which meant a financial licence plus a bank account in the licensed company's name. Existing prop firms were initially grandfathered [2].
In February 2024 Finance Magnates reported that brokers giving prop firms MetaTrader access under their own licences stopped doing so; Blackbull Markets and Purple Trading cut off prop partners such as Funding Pips over active US accounts. MetaQuotes did not comment publicly [4]. Finance Magnates later described the episode as an early-2024 overhaul of "gray-labeling of MT5 and MT4 licenses" [3].
By 2025 some prop firms were back on MT5 with their own licences. Instant Funding returned on a main label licence, and Finance Magnates reported that MetaQuotes now sees prop firms as potential key clients [3]. Funding Pips returned in March 2025 with a direct licence; the report says MetaQuotes imposes no restrictions provided firms buy directly, not through broker white labels, and do not serve US clients [5].
A February 2026 consultancy guide lists what applicants are asked for: a company with forex or financial markets activities, a corporate account at a traditional bank (EMIs and digital banks are not accepted for the reference letter), KYC on directors and owners, a domain in the company name and proof of a physical address. It says several prop firms incorporated in Saint Lucia to get MT5 back [6]. Another blog says a forex and CFD licence is needed [7], which conflicts with that guidance. Neither has been confirmed by MetaQuotes.
MetaQuotes does not publish prices [1]. Finance Magnates reported a 25 percent MT5 fee increase in 2025 [3], and the consultancy guide estimates a full server licence at $5,000 to $20,000 a month [6].
| Feature | FirmForge | MetaTrader 5 (direct licence) |
|---|---|---|
| What's included | Client portal, web trade room, back-office CRM, KYC, payments, payouts and, on prop platforms, a challenge engine | Terminals, server, manager back office, gateway APIs, signals, MQL5 [1] |
| Deployment | Hosted SaaS: register, add your branding, then point DNS | You license and run the MT5 server [1] |
| Pricing model | Flat monthly fee, $400 (Custom) up to $1,499 (Professional), Enterprise quoted separately, no setup charge | Pricing not published [1]. A reported 25% increase in 2025 [3] |
| Setup time | The platform exists minutes after you pick a plan; most operators launch within the day | Not stated by MetaQuotes; depends on licence approval [1][6] |
| Platforms supported | A proprietary FirmForge engine with a browser-based trade room; MetaTrader is not offered | MetaTrader 5 desktop, web and mobile terminals [1] |
| Prop challenge engine | Native engine with multiple phases, drawdown limits, daily loss limits, payouts and certificates | Third-party, for example Match-Trader Prop CRM [8] or Brokeree Prop Pulse [9] |
| CRM and back office | Client records, lead desks with routing, task lists, a log of staff activity | Manager back office [1]; client CRM from other vendors |
| Copy, MAM and IB | Copy Trading ($99) and MAM/PAMM ($149) as monthly Marketplace add-ons, plus an optional IB/Affiliate Portal | Signals and copy trading [1]. MAM/PAMM and IB not listed [1] |
| Own domain and branding | Branded with your company's logo, colours, domain and sender address; FirmForge stays invisible to clients | Licence held by your company; new white labels reported unavailable since 2022 [2] |
MT5 is the right call in these cases:
FirmForge suits operators who would rather not assemble a MetaTrader stack:
FirmForge sells software only; it is neither a broker nor a liquidity source. Moving away from MetaTrader leaves your licensing and compliance duties exactly where they were.
See also the best white-label trading platforms and every comparison.
Public reports say new white labels stopped around 2022 and that since 2024 prop firms need their own direct licence. MetaQuotes itself has issued no formal policy, so check the position with MetaQuotes directly.
No. Trading on FirmForge happens in its in-house engine and web-based trade room, and the charts are built on the TradingView Charting Library. Where traders will only accept MT5, a direct MetaQuotes licence makes more sense.
A 2026 consultancy guide lists a company with financial markets activities, a traditional bank account, KYC on owners, a company domain and a physical address. Other sources differ, and MetaQuotes has not published requirements.
MetaQuotes does not publish MT5 prices; third-party estimates for a server licence run from $5,000 to $20,000 a month before CRM and prop tools. FirmForge charges a flat plan fee starting at $400 monthly, and there is no setup charge.
FirmForge supplies the technology only and holds no broker or regulatory status. Any licence you need depends on where and how you operate, so get local legal advice.
Every demo login (client, admin, manager) works without an account. Plans carry one flat monthly fee and no setup charge.
Numbers in square brackets refer to these sources, all accessed 26 October 2026. Sources 2 to 7 are third-party reports, not MetaQuotes statements.
Last updated 26 October 2026.