Hire an MT5 programmer at barmenteros FX to build custom MetaTrader 5 Expert Advisors, MQL5 indicators, and trading scripts. We are an independent, EU-based development team that has shipped production MQL4 and MQL5 systems since 2011 — fixed-price, with the complete source code delivered to you.
Get a Free Project Quote → a detailed fixed-price quote within 48 hours, no obligation
What You Get
Every MT5 programming project delivers the same concrete package — no vague “we’ll build something” promises:
- A fully compiled `.ex5` file, ready for immediate MetaTrader 5 deployment.
- The complete MQL5 source code — you own it outright, with no license lock-in on the code itself.
- A fixed-price quote agreed before any work starts. No hourly billing, no scope creep.
- Plain-language documentation of inputs, logic, and known limitations.
- Post-delivery support to fix any defect against the agreed specification.
Need to keep your finished EA from being copied or redistributed? That is what LicenseShield, our MQL license-protection tool, is built for.
How It Works
- Send your specification. Entry and exit rules, risk parameters, instruments, and timeframe. The clearer the spec, the faster and cheaper the build.
- Receive a fixed-price quote within 48 hours. We confirm scope, edge cases, and your broker’s account mode before quoting — so the price holds.
- Development and testing. We write production MQL5, then test it in the Strategy Tester and on a demo account against your acceptance criteria.
- Delivery and support. You receive the `.ex5`, the source, and documentation, plus support to resolve any defect against the spec.
What MT5 Development Actually Involves
MQL5 is not MQL4 with a higher version number. MetaTrader 5 uses a position-based execution model, and that single difference rewrites how an Expert Advisor manages trades.
In MQL4, every trade is an independent order with its own ticket. In MQL5, execution runs through the `CTrade` and `CPositionInfo` Standard Library classes, and the account’s mode decides everything downstream:
- Hedging mode — each position stays independent, the way MT4 behaves. Opposing trades on the same symbol coexist.
- Netting mode — all trades on one symbol aggregate into a single net position. Two “separate” EURUSD entries become one position with one volume and one average price.
An EA written for the wrong mode does not throw an error — it silently manages the wrong volume. Confirming netting versus hedging is the first thing we check on every MT5 project.
For the language behind it all, see our guide to the MQL5 language itself.
When MT5 Is the Right Choice
MT5 is the right platform when you trade more than spot forex — it natively handles stocks, futures, and exchange instruments MT4 cannot. It also fits when your broker is migrating off MT4, or when you need depth of market, the economic calendar, or the netting accounts prop firms increasingly require.
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Broker offers MT4 only | Stay on MT4 — no MT5 development needed |
| Broker offers both MT4 and MT5 | MT5 for new projects; MT4 if existing EAs work in production |
| Trading multi-asset (stocks, futures, indices) | MT5 — MT4 does not support these natively |
| Need multi-threaded Strategy Tester optimization | MT5 — MT4 Strategy Tester is single-threaded |
| Broker is phasing out MT4 | Plan the migration properly — rushed rewrites miss critical edge cases |
| Existing MT4 EAs working in production | No urgency to migrate — MT4 remains functional |
If you only trade forex on an MT4 broker with no migration deadline, MT4 may still be the simpler, cheaper path — see our MT4 programming services. Not sure which platform your strategy belongs on? Tell us the instruments and broker, and we will recommend the one that costs less to build and maintain.
Who This Is For
Good fit:
- Traders with a defined strategy who need it automated reliably on MetaTrader 5.
- Firms moving from MT4 to MT5 who need a proper architectural migration, not a recompile.
- Multi-asset traders running forex, indices, and futures from one platform.
- Prop-firm and netting-account traders who need execution logic that respects aggregated positions.
Not the best fit:
- Anyone expecting a robot that promises profits. We build the execution; the market decides the outcome, and we make no profitability promises.
- “Copy this EA” requests with no specification or ownership rights.
- Sub-$200 projects expecting full multi-instrument EA development.
What Makes Our MT5 Programmers Different
We engineer for the production layer — the gap between a backtest that passes and an EA that survives a live broker. Since 2011, barmenteros FX has delivered MQL4 and MQL5 systems as an accountable, EU-based team you can reach directly, not an anonymous marketplace gig that disappears after delivery.
A recent migration shows what that means. A client’s MT4 EA passed every backtest, then mismanaged risk in its first live session on MT5. The original code assumed every order was independent; on the client’s netting-mode broker, two EURUSD entries collapsed into one position, and the stop-loss logic sized against the wrong volume. We rebuilt the execution layer around `CPositionInfo` and re-validated it on a demo account before it touched real money again.
That is the work separating a compile from a deployment: broker account modes, state that survives a terminal restart, execution timing, and edge cases that never appear in the tester. You own the source code we deliver, and the quote you approve is the price you pay.
Related reading: four MT5 migration failures that pass the backtest, and how we debug or rescue existing MQL5 code.
Pricing
All MT5 work is fixed-price, quoted before development starts, and includes source code, the compiled file, documentation, and post-delivery support.
- Custom MT5 EAs — start at $200 for simple single-strategy automations.
- Standard projects — $400–$2,500 for multi-asset support, netting/hedging handling, or crash-resilient state persistence.
- MT4 to MT5 migrations — start at $300, depending on the existing codebase.
- Custom MQL5 indicators — start at $150.
Request a Free Quote → send your specification and receive a detailed fixed price within 48 hours.
Once your EA is delivered, here is how to install it on MetaTrader 5.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hire an MT5 programmer?
At barmenteros FX, custom MT5 EA development starts at $200 for simple single-strategy automations. Standard projects — multi-asset support, netting/hedging mode handling, or crash-resilient state persistence — range from $400–$2,500. MT4 to MT5 migrations start at $300. Custom indicators start at $150. All quotes are fixed-price with no hourly billing. We send a detailed quote within 48 hours of receiving your specification.
How long does MT5 Expert Advisor development take?
Simple single-strategy MT5 EAs typically take 1–2 weeks. Standard projects with multi-asset support, netting/hedging mode handling, or state persistence requirements run 2–4 weeks. Complex multi-instrument systems take 4–8 weeks. MT4 to MT5 migrations depend on the complexity of the existing codebase — budget 2–6 weeks for a proper architectural rebuild. The key variable is how clearly the strategy is specified before development starts.
Can you convert my existing MT4 EA to MT5?
Yes. MT4 to MT5 migrations start at $300. Migration is a full rewrite, not a recompile. The OrderSend and OrderModify functions from MQL4 do not exist in MQL5 — they are replaced by CTrade class methods and position-centric logic. Before writing any code, we confirm whether your broker account runs in hedging mode (each position independent, like MT4) or netting mode (opposing positions cancel each other out). That decision determines the entire execution architecture.
What is the difference between an MQL4 and MQL5 programmer?
Both work with C-family languages, but the execution models are fundamentally different. An MQL4 programmer works with MT4’s order-based model — each trade is an independent order with its own ticket. An MQL5 programmer works with MT5’s position-based model, using the CTrade and CPositionInfo Standard Library classes for execution. On netting-mode accounts, all trades on the same symbol aggregate into a single position. At barmenteros FX, we write production code in both platforms.
What happens to my EA if my broker switches from MT4 to MT5?
Your MT4 EA will not run on MT5 — it requires a proper migration, not a recompile. If your broker is transitioning to MT5, plan the migration before the deadline. Rushed rewrites miss critical edge cases, particularly around netting vs hedging mode and state persistence. Contact us early to assess scope — we handle these transitions regularly and can provide a clear timeline and fixed price before any work begins.