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MT5 to NinjaTrader Trade Copier

The MT5 to NinjaTrader Trade Copier is a local trade copier that replicates manual and Expert Advisor trades from MetaTrader 5 to NinjaTrader 8 in real time, with both platforms running on the same computer or VPS. It converts MT5 hedging positions to NinjaTrader's netting model, syncs stops and targets as OCO orders, scales position size with a lot multiplier, and includes prop firm trading limits. The copier runs as an MT5 indicator (Sender) and a NinjaTrader indicator (Receiver).

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Overview

How the MT5 to NinjaTrader Trade Copier Works

The MT5 to NinjaTrader Trade Copier is a local trade copying solution that replicates trades from MetaTrader 5 to NinjaTrader 8 in real time. It runs as two indicators on the same computer — a Sender in MetaTrader 5 and a Receiver in NinjaTrader 8. Two components work together — then follow one trade through the four stages.

Prefer a visual walkthrough?See the copier presented from start to finish on one showcase page.
Open the showcase →
Source platform

MT5 Indicator (Sender)

Running as an indicator on MetaTrader 5, the Sender monitors all trade activity on the instrument it is attached to — whether placed manually or generated by an automated Expert Advisor. Each executed order is captured and transmitted locally to the NinjaTrader side in real time. The same MT5 chart remains free to run your own Expert Advisor alongside it.

Target platform

NinjaTrader Indicator (Receiver)

Running as an indicator inside NinjaTrader 8, the Receiver listens for incoming signals from the MT5 side and executes the corresponding trades in your NinjaTrader terminal automatically. Trades it opens can be closed manually on the chart at any time without interrupting the copier.

1Capture
MT5 Indicator (Sender)
Manual and EA tradesEvery executed trade on the instrument, or one EA only with a Magic Number filter.
Your EA keeps the chartThe Sender is an indicator, so the chart stays free for your own Expert Advisor.
No ticker mappingPair charts by Sender ID, several instrument pairs in parallel.
Several MT5 accountsConnect them to one NinjaTrader 8 instance.
2Translate
Between platforms
Hedging to netMultiple MT5 tickets become one NT8 net position. A close in MT5 never opens a position in NT8.
Pending orders on triggerCopied as a market order the moment they trigger in MT5.
Lot multiplierScale MT5 lots to your NinjaTrader position size.
Reverse directionOptionally open a Sell in NT8 for every MT5 Buy.
3Execute
NinjaTrader Indicator (Receiver)
Latency on every tradeLogged per trade on the MT5 panel; 21.6 ms average in our test.
SL/TP as OCOStops and targets follow every change in MT5 (beta).
ATM strategiesCopy entries only and let an ATM strategy manage exits.
Close by hand anytimeThe copier keeps running.
Prop firm limitsDaily P/L limits, trading hours, maximum position, minimum balance and a news filter on the Receiver.See the Prop Firm Controls tab
4Monitor
Both platforms
Two-click position syncAligns NT8 with MT5 from the MT5 panel; the first click arms, the second confirms.
Log of the last 5 copiesLatency and result for each trade, including which limit blocked it.
Heartbeat and alertsA live connection heartbeat; a missed copy or a dropped link is flagged.

Full descriptions are in the Key Features and Prop Firm Controls tabs.

21.6 msaverage copy latency in our test
MT5 → NT8one direction
Localsame computer or VPS
Many → oneMT5 accounts to one NT8

Test on 29 September 2026: MT5 demo account into NinjaTrader 8 Sim101 on the same PC, five copied trades. This is copy latency — the time from the trade in MT5 to the NinjaTrader side acting on it. On a live account the exchange adds its own fill time. During your trial the MT5 panel shows the figure for your own machine.

Local operationBoth MT5 and NinjaTrader must be running on the same computer. All trade replication takes place locally without the use of external servers.
One direction onlyCopying is only possible from MetaTrader 5 to NinjaTrader 8. Due to technical limitations of the platforms, simultaneous two-way trade copying is not supported. For the reverse direction, see the NinjaTrader to MT5 Trade Copier.
Remote trade copyingA server-based version copies trades between different machines. It is not available via subscription — contact us for a tailored solution.

For you if

  • Your EA or manual system lives in MT5 and the account you want it on is a NinjaTrader 8 futures or prop account.
  • Your MT5 account hedges and you need several MT5 positions kept as one matching NinjaTrader position.
  • You run several MT5 accounts and want them on one NinjaTrader 8 without a license per account.
  • You want limits enforced by software and a delay you can read per trade.

Not for you if

  • Your MT5 and NinjaTrader 8 run on different computers. This copier works locally, so both platforms must be on the same computer or VPS — for separate machines, see the server-based version above.
  • Your edge depends on the exact MT5 fill. NinjaTrader fills at another market’s price — a copier copies the decision, not the price.
  • Your strategy is written in NinjaScript. Then it can trade inside NinjaTrader 8 directly, without MT5 in the chain.
  • You’d rather pay once. This copier is available only with the subscription, not as a one-time license.

Not sure which side you’re on? Ask whether your exits would survive a different price than the one MT5 printed. If yes, run the trial on a sim account for a week and compare both trade logs.

Key Features

MT5 to NinjaTrader Trade Copier — Key Features

Every feature of the copier, grouped by the stage of the trade where it works: capture in MetaTrader 5, translation between platforms, execution in NinjaTrader 8, and monitoring on both sides.

What the Copier Translates Between MT5 and NinjaTrader 8

MetaTrader 5 and NinjaTrader 8 handle positions and orders differently. A copier that only forwards “buy 1” drifts out of sync the first time an EA hedges, a pending order triggers on one side only, or a stop has to exist on a platform that does not attach stops to positions. This is what the copier translates.

ObjectIn MetaTrader 5In NinjaTrader 8What the copier does
PositionNetting or hedging. A hedging account can hold a long and a short on one symbol.Netting only. One instrument, one net position.On a hedging account, the copier keeps the NinjaTrader position matched to your MT5 net. A close in MT5 never opens a position in NinjaTrader. Netting accounts are copied directly.
Stop loss, take profitAttached to the position.Two separate orders linked as OCO.Placed in NT8 as OCO orders, by distance, percent or price. Change them in MT5 and NT8 follows. SL/TP Sync is currently in beta.
Pending orderWaits on your broker’s CFD or index quote.Would wait on the futures quote, which does not move tick for tick with the MT5 quote.Not copied when placed. Copied as a market order the moment it triggers in MT5, so both sides agree on whether a trade is open.
Size and symbolLots, by the broker’s specification — for example, US500 or GER40.Contracts of a futures month — for example, ES DEC26 or FDAX.Lot Multiplier on the Receiver. Charts are paired by Sender ID, so there is no symbol map to maintain.
Out of syncA position closed by hand on one side, NinjaTrader restarted mid-trade, or the connection dropped for a few seconds.The MT5 panel shows in sync, out of sync or synced in reverse, and corrects a drift in two clicks — the second to confirm — without flattening what is already right.
1

Capture

MT5 Indicator (Sender)

Support for All Trade Types

The MT5 side monitors all trade activity on the instrument it’s attached to — whether placed manually or generated by an automated Expert Advisor — and replicates every executed trade to NinjaTrader. An optional Magic Number filter can also be used to copy trades from a specific EA only, rather than all activity on the instrument.

Run Your Own EA Alongside the Copier

The MT5 side of the copier runs as an indicator rather than an Expert Advisor, keeping the chart free to run your own Expert Advisor alongside it at the same time.

Multi-Symbol Support

No manual ticker mapping between brokers is required. Since different brokers label the same instrument differently, simply attach the Sender and Receiver to the corresponding charts in each platform using the same Sender ID — the copier handles the rest, including running multiple instrument pairs in parallel.

Multi-Account Support

Multiple MT5 accounts running on the same computer can connect to the same NinjaTrader 8 instance simultaneously. Each additional MT5 account does not require a separate NT8 receiver license. This is managed through separate Sender IDs and corresponding Receiver instances in NinjaTrader.

2

Translate

Between platforms

Hedging-to-Net Conversion

MetaTrader 5 supports both netting and hedging accounts, while NinjaTrader always uses a netting model. On MT5 hedging accounts, the copier converts hedging positions into NinjaTrader’s netting model — multiple MT5 tickets on the same symbol become one net position in NT8. A close in MT5 never opens a position in NinjaTrader. On MT5 netting accounts, the position is copied one-to-one.

Pending Orders

Pending orders are not copied at the moment they are placed. In MetaTrader 5 a pending order waits on your broker’s CFD or index quote, while in NinjaTrader it would wait on the futures quote, which does not move tick for tick with it. The copier therefore replicates a pending order as a market order the moment it triggers in MT5, so both sides agree on whether a trade is open.

Customizable Lot Scaling

Use the Lot Multiplier parameter on the NinjaTrader side to scale position size independently of the original MT5 trade size. Set it to 1.0 for identical sizing, or adjust it when lot specifications differ between brokers.

Reverse Direction Copying

Optionally mirror trades in the opposite direction between platforms — a Buy opened in MT5 can automatically open a Sell in NinjaTrader, and vice versa, with no additional configuration beyond enabling the setting.

3

Execute

NinjaTrader Indicator (Receiver)

Copy Latency on Every Trade

The copier measures its own delay: the MT5 panel logs how long each copied trade took to reach the NinjaTrader side, together with the average of the last five. Trades are transferred locally between MetaTrader 5 and NinjaTrader 8 without any external servers.

29 Sep 202621.6 msaverage of 5 trades: 16, 22, 13, 1 and 56 ms
30 Sep 202612 msmedian of 23 trades, range 1–53 ms

MT5 demo account into NinjaTrader 8 Sim101, same PC. This is copy latency — the time from the trade in MT5 to the NinjaTrader side acting on it. The simulation account fills instantly; on a live account the exchange adds its own fill time. During your trial the panel shows the figure for your own machine.

SL/TP Sync from MT5 to NT8 (Beta)

Stop Loss and Take Profit levels set on an MT5 position are automatically copied to NinjaTrader 8 as OCO orders. When you modify or remove SL/TP in MT5, the change is reflected on the NT8 side within milliseconds. Three copy modes are available: Distance (recommended for most setups), Percent, and Price (for identical instruments and brokers). SL/TP Sync is enabled in the NT8 settings, is currently in beta, and cannot be combined with ATM strategies.

ATM Strategy Integration

Attach a NinjaTrader ATM strategy to receiver-opened trades directly through Chart Trader — select the ATM strategy you want to use, and it’s applied automatically to every trade the copier opens. In this mode, only entries are copied from MT5; exits, including Stop Loss and Take Profit, are managed by the selected ATM strategy.

Uninterrupted Copying

The receiver runs as a NinjaTrader indicator, not a strategy. A trade opened by the copier can be closed manually directly on the chart at any time without interrupting the copier — it keeps running and continues copying every subsequent trade.

Custom Order Names

Custom order name fields on the NT8 receiver can be left blank. When left empty, trades opened by the copier appear in the NinjaTrader trade log without any name tag.

4

Monitor

Both platforms

Position Sync with Two-Click Correction

The MT5 indicator panel shows whether MT5 and NinjaTrader positions are currently in sync, out of sync, or synced in reverse — for example after a position was closed by hand on one side, NinjaTrader restarted mid-trade, or the connection dropped. When a mismatch is detected, a sync action becomes available directly on the panel. The first click arms it and the second confirms it, so it never fires by accident. The copier calculates the position difference, adjusts NT8 with a single order, and resubmits any missing SL/TP orders — without flattening existing correct positions.

MT5 Indicator Panel

Shows the connection status with NinjaTrader — turning red with a warning if the link drops — together with the connected NinjaTrader account, its realized and unrealized PnL, and current position. The panel also displays the sync state between MT5 and NinjaTrader positions: when they are out of sync, a sync button appears, and a confirmation click brings NinjaTrader back in line.

NinjaTrader Chart Overlay & Transaction Log

Shows the connection status and the connected MT5 account, followed by a transaction log of the last five copied trades with per-trade latency and the average across them. Each trade shows its outcome, colour-coded: green for filled, red for blocked — with the limit that blocked it — rejected, timed out or already closed, with the reason shown for each. When prop trading limits are enabled, the status of each active limit is displayed as well.

Execution Timeout

If NinjaTrader does not confirm a copied trade within the configured time window, the trade is flagged as timed out and a notification is shown — instead of the copier waiting silently. The timeout is set on the NinjaTrader receiver (5 seconds by default).

Connection Heartbeat & Loss Detection

A connection heartbeat shows that the link between the platforms is alive before a trade depends on it. The MT5 indicator alerts you immediately if the link to NinjaTrader drops — the connection status turns red and a warning is displayed, so a broken connection never goes unnoticed while you trade.

Prop Firm Controls

Prop Firm Trading Limits on the NinjaTrader Receiver

Built-in risk controls for trading on evaluation and funded prop firm accounts, configurable directly on the NinjaTrader receiver. Once a limit is reached, new entries are blocked and, where flatten is enabled, the position on the instrument is closed; the transaction log names the limit that blocked a trade. When prop trading limits are enabled, the status of each active limit is shown on the NinjaTrader chart overlay.

Prop trading limitsExample status
Daily loss limit−$1,240 / −$1,500
Close to limit
Daily profit limit+$0 / +$2,000
Active
Allowed trading time09:30 – 15:45
Inside window
Maximum position3 / 5 contracts
Active
Minimum account balance$48,760 / floor $47,500
Above floor
News filterUSD high-impact event in 4 min
New entries blocked
Illustrative values. Limits and behavior are set on the NinjaTrader receiver.

Daily P/L Limit

Set independent daily loss and daily profit limits on the NinjaTrader account’s realized plus unrealized P/L, each with its own threshold and optional flatten.

Daily loss or profit reaches its threshold→New entries blocked; optional flatten

Allowed Trading Time

Restrict new entries to a defined time window, based on your computer’s local time, with optional flattening when the window ends.

Entry arrives outside the window→Entry blocked; optional flatten

Maximum Position

Cap the NinjaTrader position on the instrument, in contracts, to keep position size within your prop firm’s requirements. This limit never closes positions.

Position reaches the cap→New entries blocked

Minimum Account Balance

Define a floor for the account balance including unrealized P/L, with the option to flatten the position on the instrument if the balance drops below it.

Balance drops below the floor→New entries blocked; optional flatten

News Filter

Block new entries around scheduled economic events from the automatically downloaded calendar, with the option to flatten the position on the instrument when a news window begins. Events are filtered by currency, impact level, and minutes before and after the event.

Event inside the blackout window→New entries blocked; optional flatten
Limits don’t make copying allowed. The limits help you avoid breaking a rule by accident. They don’t make copying itself allowed: prop firms treat trade copying differently, and copying your own setups onto your own accounts is usually viewed differently from following someone else’s signals. Check your firm’s current rules first. More in Automated Trading on Prop Firm Accounts.
Getting Started

System Requirements & Installation

What you need to run the trade copier, how the subscription works, and how to install the MT5 Indicator (Sender) and the NinjaTrader Indicator (Receiver).

System Requirements

Source platform
MetaTrader 5 (Desktop), updated to the latest available version — MT5 Indicator (Sender)
Target platform
NinjaTrader 8 (Desktop) — NinjaTrader Indicator (Receiver)
Environment
Both platforms running on the same computer or VPS, Windows 10 or Windows 11
MT5 broker & account
Any MetaTrader 5 broker, netting or hedging account; Forex, CFDs, Futures and other instruments
MT5 settings
DLL imports allowed for the Sender indicator

Local version. Copying between different machines requires the server-based version, available on request.

Subscription Terms

All-Access Subscription
This product is available on a monthly subscription basis. Access to all Nordman Algorithms indicators and trade copiers, billed monthly, renews automatically.
Free trial
5 days. No charges apply during the trial period. If not cancelled within 5 days, the subscription starts automatically.
Cancellation
Cancel at any time. If you need help cancelling, contact us and we will assist you.
Multiple MT5 accounts
Each additional MT5 account connected to the same NinjaTrader 8 instance does not require a separate NT8 receiver license.
Server-based version
Not available via subscription — provided on request.

Installation

  1. Subscribe

    Start the 5-day free trial or subscribe on this page. The subscription renews automatically each month and can be cancelled at any time.

  2. Download the product

    The copier is not sent by email. Open (top right of this page), enter the email address used for your subscription, and click Download. A .zip archive downloads to your computer.

  3. Unpack the download

    Extract the downloaded archive. It contains two separate files — one for each platform:

    Downloaded archive (.zip)MT5 Indicator (Sender) — .ex5 file for MetaTrader 5NinjaTrader Indicator (Receiver) — .zip archive for NinjaTrader 8
  4. Install the MT5 Indicator

    In MetaTrader 5, go to File → Open Data Folder, open MQL5 → Indicators and copy the .ex5 file there. Restart MetaTrader 5 or refresh the Navigator, then attach the indicator to the chart of the instrument you want to copy and allow DLL imports on its Common tab — the indicator uses them to verify your license.

    Before installation: make sure your MT5 terminal is updated to the latest available version.

  5. Import the NinjaTrader Indicator

    In the NinjaTrader 8 Control Center, go to Tools → Import → NinjaScript Add-On and select the NinjaTrader .zip archive from inside the unpacked folder. Do not unzip it.

    Import only the NinjaTrader archive. Importing the downloaded archive that also contains the MT5 file causes an import error in NinjaTrader 8.

  6. Set up the copier

    Attach the Receiver to the corresponding NinjaTrader chart, use the same Sender ID on both sides, and follow the step-by-step setup in the Instructions tab, including all settings and features.

  7. Test on a demo account

    Before using the copier on a live account, thoroughly test all features on a demo account to make sure you fully understand its behavior under different market conditions.

    Live accounts: only proceed after you are fully confident in its operation and limitations.

Updating: When a new version is released, download it again through , unpack the archive, replace the existing .ex5 file in MetaTrader 5, and import the new NinjaTrader .zip archive the same way as during installation.

Questions, errors or issues while using the system? Contact support, Monday to Friday.

Instructions

Setup and Settings Guide

Step-by-step installation of the MT5 Indicator (Sender) and the NinjaTrader Indicator (Receiver), how the two are paired and connected, how MT5 positions are carried over to NinjaTrader, every setting with its default value, and where to find the logs if something goes wrong. Requirements and subscription details are in the Getting Started tab.

  1. Sender first

    Install the Sender in MetaTrader 5 and attach it to the chart of the symbol you want to copy.

  2. Receiver second

    Import the Receiver into NinjaTrader 8 and add it to the chart of the matching instrument.

  3. Same Sender ID

    Enter the same Sender ID on both sides and select the NinjaTrader account to trade on.

  4. Check the status

    Both charts show “Connected” when the pair is linked and ready to copy.

  5. Test on demo

    Copy a few trades on a demo or Sim account before going live.

1. Install the MT5 Sender

The downloaded archive contains the Sender for MetaTrader 5 (an .ex5 file) and the Receiver for NinjaTrader 8 (its own .zip archive). Unpack the downloaded archive first.

  1. Copy the Sender to the Indicators folder

    In MetaTrader 5, click File → Open Data Folder, open MQL5 → Indicators and paste the Nordman_MT5_NT8_Sender .ex5 file there.

    MetaTrader 5 File menu with the Open Data Folder option
    File → Open Data Folder. Click to enlarge.
  2. Refresh the Navigator

    Open the Navigator (View → Navigator or Ctrl + N), right-click Indicators and choose Refresh. The Sender appears in the list.

    MetaTrader 5 View menu with the Navigator option
    Opening the Navigator. Click to enlarge.
    MetaTrader 5 Navigator showing the Nordman MT5 to NT8 Sender indicator
    The Sender under Indicators. Click to enlarge.
  3. Attach the Sender to the chart

    Drag the Sender onto the chart of the symbol you want to copy, or right-click it and choose Attach to a Chart. On the Common tab, allow DLL imports — the Sender uses them to verify your license. On the Inputs tab, enter your license email and a Sender ID (see the Sender settings below).

    The Sender runs as an indicator, so the same chart stays free for your own Expert Advisor.

    Before installation: make sure your MT5 terminal is updated to the latest available version.

2. Install the NinjaTrader Receiver

The Receiver is a NinjaTrader 8 indicator, not a strategy. It becomes active as soon as it is added to the chart — there is no separate Enable step, and it does not appear on the Strategies tab of the Control Center.

  1. Import the Receiver archive

    In the NinjaTrader 8 Control Center, go to Tools → Import → NinjaScript Add-On and select the NordmanMT5NT8Receiver .zip archive from the unpacked folder. Do not unzip it. NinjaTrader confirms with “NinjaTrader successfully imported all scripts contained in the NinjaScript Archive File.”

    NinjaTrader 8 Control Center Tools menu with Import and NinjaScript Add-On
    Tools → Import → NinjaScript Add-On. Click to enlarge.

    Import only the NinjaTrader archive. Importing the downloaded archive as a whole causes an import error, because it also contains the MT5 file.

  2. Add the Receiver to the chart

    Right-click the chart of the matching instrument, choose Indicators, select NordmanMT5NT8Receiver and click Add.

  3. Set the account and the Sender ID

    At minimum, enter your license email, choose the NinjaTrader account in Account Name, and enter the same Sender ID as on the MT5 side. Click OK — the Receiver starts working right away.

3. How Sender ID Pairs the Charts

Each Sender watches one symbol in MT5 and sends its executions over a local connection to the Receiver with the same Sender ID. Only one Sender can use a given ID at a time; use letters and numbers only.

  • One symbol per Sender. A Sender on AUDCAD does not copy EURUSD trades. If several AUDCAD charts are open, a Sender on one of them tracks executions on all of them. To copy several symbols, run one Sender–Receiver pair per symbol, each with its own Sender ID.

  • Several MT5 accounts. Several MT5 accounts on the same computer can copy into one NinjaTrader 8 instance. Each account’s Sender uses its own Sender ID, and a matching Receiver in NinjaTrader handles that account’s trades.

Symbol to copyPairSender ID in MT5Sender ID in NinjaTrader
EURUSDSender #1 → Receiver #1EURUSD01EURUSD01
US500Sender #2 → Receiver #2Nordman002Nordman002
Trades follow the Sender ID, not the symbol. Changing the symbol on either chart can send trades to an unintended instrument. The Receiver trades whatever instrument its chart shows: if the Sender is on GBPUSD and the Receiver chart is switched to GOLD, opening 1 lot of GBPUSD in MT5 opens 1 lot of GOLD in NinjaTrader. Keep both charts on their intended symbols.

4. Check the Connection

Attach the Sender first. It shows “Disconnected” until the Receiver with the same Sender ID is added in NinjaTrader — that is expected.

Connected on both chartsThe pair is linked and the copier is ready. Every copied trade then appears on the MT5 panel with its latency and result.
Still DisconnectedThe most common causes:
  • the Sender ID does not match on the two sides;
  • another copier is already running with the same Sender ID.

5. How MT5 Positions Are Copied

The Sender copies executions — the deals MT5 records when an order is filled. This is what happens to market orders, pending orders, partial executions and MT5 hedging positions on the NinjaTrader side.

Market orders

Copied as soon as they execute in MT5. Copying runs locally on your computer, so the speed depends on system load; the MT5 panel shows the copy latency of every trade.

Pending (limit and stop) orders

Placing, modifying or cancelling a pending order in MT5 is not copied. When the order triggers and is filled, the fill is copied to NinjaTrader as a market order.

Why: Bid/Ask prices differ between platforms and brokers, so a limit order could trigger on one side but not on the other and leave the two positions out of sync. Copying on execution keeps both sides in agreement on whether a trade is open.

Partial executions and partial closes

If MT5 fills an order in several parts, each fill is copied separately with its own volume. A partial close of an MT5 position reduces the NinjaTrader position by the closed volume, multiplied by the Lot Multiplier.

Changes to Stop Loss and Take Profit of an open position are not executions; they are copied only when SL/TP Sync is enabled.

MT5 netting and hedging accounts

MetaTrader 5 accounts are either netting or hedging; NinjaTrader 8 always nets all trades on an instrument into one position.

On a netting MT5 account, both platforms follow the same model and the position is matched one-to-one.

On a hedging MT5 account, several independent positions (tickets) can be open on one symbol, including in opposite directions. The copier follows the net of all MT5 tickets on the symbol, multiplied by the Lot Multiplier. New entries move NinjaTrader to the new net position, including a reversal. A close in MT5 never opens a position in NinjaTrader: if closing a ticket moves the MT5 net through zero, NinjaTrader is closed to flat but not reversed.

Three tickets#1 Long 1.0 lot
#2 Long 1.0 lot
#3 Long 2.0 lotsNinjaTrader: Long 4
New ticket#4 Short 5.0 lots
Net: 4.0 long − 5.0 short = Short 1.0NinjaTrader: Short 1
Close #4MT5 net returns to Long 4.0
The close crosses zeroNinjaTrader: Flat — out of sync

Example with Lot Multiplier = 1.0. Closing a ticket that does not cross zero — for example #1 in the first step — simply reduces the NinjaTrader position. When the positions are out of sync, the MT5 panel shows it and offers a two-click position sync that brings NinjaTrader to the MT5 net position.

6. Settings Reference

All settings of the Sender and the Receiver, grouped as they appear in each platform, with their default values.

01

MT5 Sender

Indicator inputs
ParameterDefaultDescription
License Email—The email address used for your subscription. Required — the copier does not work without it.
Sender ID1234Identifies the Sender–Receiver pair on this computer. Enter the same value on the NinjaTrader side. Only one Sender can use a given ID at a time; use letters and numbers only.
Magic Number−1Which MT5 trades are copied: −1 — all market trades on the symbol; 0 — manually opened trades only; > 0 — only trades with this Magic Number, for example from one Expert Advisor.
Enable Connection Loss AlertOnShows a warning when the connection to NinjaTrader drops.
Stable Connection Duration (seconds)60How long the connection must be stable before a later drop triggers the alert, so a brief reconnect right after start-up does not raise one.
Enable Debug LoggingOffWrites detailed activity to the log. Enable it when our support team asks you to.
02

NinjaTrader Receiver

Copying
ParameterDefaultDescription
License Email—The email address used for your subscription. Required — the copier does not work without it.
Account Name—The NinjaTrader account this Receiver trades on, chosen from the list of connected accounts.
Sender ID1234Must match the Sender ID set in MetaTrader 5.
Lot Multiplier1.0Scales the copied size: MT5 lots × Lot Multiplier. Use it when the lot specifications differ between brokers — for example, if 1 lot is 10 units at the sending broker and 1 unit at the receiving one, set 10; in the opposite case, set 0.1.
Use Custom Entry/Exit Order NameOffWhen enabled, shows four fields — Entry Long, Entry Short, Exit Long and Exit Short Order Name — to replace the default order names. A field left empty submits that order type without a name.
Assign ATM To EntriesOffApplies the ATM strategy selected in Chart Trader to every trade the Receiver opens. Only entries are then copied from MT5; exits, including Stop Loss and Take Profit, are managed by the ATM strategy.
Reverse TradesOffCopies in the opposite direction: a Buy in MT5 opens a Sell in NinjaTrader, and vice versa.
Execution Timeout (seconds)5How long the Receiver waits for NinjaTrader to confirm a copied trade. If the position does not reach the expected state in time, the trade is shown as timed out in red in the chart log and a notification appears.
Enable Debug LogOffLogs all trading events to the Receiver’s log file. Enable it when our support team asks you to.
03

SL/TP Sync

Receiver
ParameterDefaultDescription
Enable SL/TP SyncOffCopies Stop Loss and Take Profit from MT5 positions to NinjaTrader as OCO orders and follows every change or removal in MT5. Labelled beta in the settings — test it on a demo account first. Cannot be combined with Assign ATM To Entries.
SL/TP Copy ModeDistanceHow the MT5 levels are placed in NinjaTrader: Distance — the same distance in ticks from the current market price, for instruments with the same tick size (recommended for most setups); Percent — the same percentage distance, when tick sizes differ; Price — the exact MT5 price, only when both sides quote the identical instrument at the same price scale.
Use Custom SL/TP Order Names / SL Order Name / TP Order NameOff / emptyReplaces the default names of the stop and target OCO orders. An empty field submits that order without a name.
04

Prop Trading Account Limits

Receiver
ParameterDefaultDescription
Enable Prop LimitsOffMaster switch for all limits below. While it is off, no limit is active, whatever its own setting.
Enable Daily Loss Limit / Daily Loss Limit / Flatten Upon BreachOn / 1500 / OnBlocks new entries once the account’s realized plus unrealized daily loss reaches the amount. With Flatten Upon Breach, the position on the instrument is also closed.
Enable Daily Profit Limit / Daily Profit Limit / Flatten Upon BreachOn / 3000 / OffBlocks new entries once the account’s realized plus unrealized daily profit reaches the amount. Flatten Upon Breach works as for the loss limit.
Enable Max Position Limit / Max Position LimitOn / 5Blocks new entries once the NinjaTrader position on the instrument reaches this number of contracts. Blocks only — it never closes positions.
Enable Min Account Balance Limit / Min Account Balance Limit / Flatten Upon BreachOn / 10000 / OnBlocks new entries once the account balance, including unrealized P/L, drops below the floor. With Flatten Upon Breach, the position on the instrument is also closed.
Enable Trading Hours Limit / Trading Hours Limit / Flatten Upon BreachOn / 09:30/15:55 / OnAllows new entries only inside the start/stop window, based on your computer’s local time. With Flatten Upon Breach, the open position is closed when the window ends.

The individual limits are pre-set as shown but stay inactive until Enable Prop Limits is switched on. Limits block new entries only — exits from MT5 are always copied. A flatten fires once per breach and resets when all limits are back to normal.

05

News Filter

Receiver
ParameterDefaultDescription
Enable News Limit / News Flatten Upon BreachOn / OffBlocks new entries around scheduled economic events from the automatically downloaded calendar. With News Flatten Upon Breach, the position on the instrument is closed when a news window begins.
News Currency USD / EUR / GBP / JPY / CHF / AUD / CAD / NZDUSD onlyWhich currencies’ events trigger the filter.
News Blackout Before (min) / After (min)5 / 5How many minutes before and after an event new entries are blocked.
News Impact High / Medium / LowHigh onlyWhich impact levels trigger the filter; each can be enabled separately.

The news filter is part of the prop limits block, so it also requires Enable Prop Limits.

7. Logs and Support

Both components keep detailed logs. If something does not work as expected, send us the relevant log files together with a screenshot of the chart.

PlatformWhere to find the logs and how to save them
MetaTrader 5Logs are in the Experts tab of the Terminal panel. Right-click the log, choose Open, and save the files.
NinjaTrader 8Logs are in the Log tab of the Control Center. Right-click the log and choose Export. Log files are also stored in Documents\NinjaTrader 8\log and in the Receiver’s own folder under Documents\NinjaTrader 8\_LogCust.
Need help? Questions, errors or ideas for the copier — contact our support team, Monday to Friday. Please attach the logs and a chart screenshot.
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How It Works

No. NinjaTrader 8 has no built-in way to receive trades from MetaTrader. Copying needs an add-on. This copier runs as an indicator on the NinjaTrader chart.

In our test on 29 September 2026, the copier’s panel showed 16, 22, 13, 1 and 56 ms for five trades — an average of 21.6 ms — from a demo MT5 account to a NinjaTrader simulation account on the same PC. A second session on 30 September showed 1 to 53 ms across 23 trades, median 12 ms.

That is copy latency: the time from the trade in MT5 to the NinjaTrader side acting on it. On a live account the exchange adds its own fill time. The latency of each copied trade is shown on the copier’s panels, so during the trial you see the figure for your own machine.

Yes. This version of the Trade Copier operates within a single local environment. Both MetaTrader 5 and NinjaTrader 8 must be running on the same computer or VPS for the local copying to function correctly. If you need to copy trades between machines on different networks, please contact us about the server-based version.

Yes. Running both MetaTrader 5 and NinjaTrader 8 on a VPS is a common and recommended setup for continuous uptime. Both platforms simply need to be running on the same VPS instance.

The local version copies trades between MT5 and NinjaTrader running on the same computer or VPS. The server-based version enables copying between platforms on different machines. The server-based version is available on request — please contact us for details.

No. This solution is designed for one-way copying from MetaTrader 5 to NinjaTrader 8 only. If you need the reverse direction, please visit the NinjaTrader to MT5 Trade Copier product page.

Yes. The copier works with any MetaTrader 5 broker, regardless of account type (netting or hedging). Simply install the Sender indicator in your MT5 terminal, attach it to the chart of the instrument you want to copy, and configure the connection. No broker-specific configuration is required.

Yes. The MT5 Indicator (Sender) can be attached to any chart in MetaTrader 5, regardless of the asset class — Forex, CFDs, Futures, or other instruments. The NinjaTrader Indicator (Receiver) will execute trades on the corresponding chart where it is placed.

Positions & Orders

MetaTrader 5 supports both netting and hedging account types, while NinjaTrader always uses a netting model. If your MT5 account is a hedging account, the copier calculates the net of all MT5 positions on the symbol and mirrors that net as a single NinjaTrader position — multiple MT5 tickets become one net position in NT8. A close in MT5 never opens a position in NinjaTrader. If the MT5 account is netting-based, the position is copied one-to-one.

Pending orders are not copied at the moment they are placed. Instead, they are replicated as market orders the moment they are triggered and executed in MetaTrader 5. In MT5 a pending order waits on your broker’s CFD or index quote, while in NinjaTrader it would wait on the futures quote, which does not move tick for tick with it. Copying on trigger prevents position desynchronization, so both accounts always agree on whether a trade is open.

Use the Lot Multiplier parameter on the NinjaTrader Indicator (Receiver) side. This multiplies the original MT5 lot size by the value you specify. Set it to 1.0 for identical sizing, or adjust it (e.g., 0.5 or 2.0) when lot specifications differ between brokers, to keep position sizes consistent across platforms.

Yes. When the SL/TP Sync feature is enabled on the NT8 receiver, Stop Loss and Take Profit levels set on an MT5 position are automatically copied to NinjaTrader as OCO orders. If you modify or remove SL/TP in MT5, the change is reflected in NT8 within milliseconds. Three copy modes are available: Distance (recommended), Percent, and Price. SL/TP Sync is enabled in the NT8 settings under Enable SL/TP Sync, is currently in beta — so test it on a demo account first — and cannot be combined with ATM strategies.

No. When an ATM strategy is attached to copied trades, its own stops and targets manage the position and the copier’s SL/TP sync is bypassed. Choose one or the other.

When the MT5 indicator panel detects that MT5 and NT8 positions are out of sync, a sync action appears on the panel. The first click arms it and the second confirms it, so it never fires by accident. The copier calculates the difference between current MT5 and NT8 positions, adjusts NT8 with a single order, and resubmits any missing SL/TP OCO orders — without flattening positions that are already correctly sized.

Yes. Enable the Assign ATM to Entries setting on the receiver, then select the desired ATM strategy in Chart Trader — it will be applied automatically to every trade the copier opens. In this mode, only entries are copied from MT5; exits, including Stop Loss and Take Profit, are managed by the selected ATM strategy instead.

The receiver runs as an indicator, so closing a copier-opened trade manually on the chart does not stop or disconnect the copier. It continues running normally and keeps copying subsequent trades from MT5.

Trading Setup

It fully supports both. The MT5 Indicator (Sender) monitors all trade activity on the instrument to which it is attached, meaning it will replicate orders placed manually or generated automatically by any Expert Advisor running on the same symbol. An optional Magic Number filter can also be used to copy trades from one specific EA only.

Yes. The MT5 side of the copier runs as an indicator rather than an Expert Advisor. Since MetaTrader 5 only allows one EA per chart, this frees the chart to run your own Expert Advisor alongside the copier at the same time.

Yes. Multiple MT5 accounts running on the same computer can connect to the same NinjaTrader 8 instance simultaneously. Each additional MT5 account does not require a separate NT8 receiver license. Each MT5 Sender uses its own Sender ID, and a corresponding Receiver instance in NinjaTrader handles that account’s trades independently.

It depends on the firm, and firms change their rules, so check your firm’s current terms before you copy onto a funded account. Copying your own MT5 setups onto your own account is usually treated differently from following someone else’s signals. The copier runs locally under your own NinjaTrader login, and its prop limits help you avoid breaking a rule by accident. They don’t make copying allowed where a firm bans it. More in Automated Trading on Prop Firm Accounts.

The Sender and Receiver display a connection status indicator on their respective charts. If the status shows “Disconnected”, the most common causes are a mismatched Sender ID or multiple copiers running with the same Sender ID. Check that both components share the same Sender ID value. If the issue persists, the log files generated by both components will contain detailed diagnostic information to help identify the problem.

The product downloads as one .zip archive that contains two separate files: the MT5 Indicator (.ex5) for MetaTrader 5 and the NinjaTrader Indicator as its own .zip archive for NinjaTrader 8. Unpack the downloaded archive first, then import only the NinjaTrader .zip in the NinjaTrader 8 Control Center via Tools → Import → NinjaScript Add-On.

Importing the downloaded archive as a whole causes an import error, because it also contains the MT5 file. The .ex5 file is copied separately to the MQL5 → Indicators folder in MetaTrader 5.

Trial & Subscription

Yes, a 5-day free trial is available. You can test the full functionality of the MT5 to NinjaTrader Trade Copier on a demo account to ensure it meets your requirements before a paid subscription begins.

€25 a month, one subscription. The first 5 days are free, and you can cancel whenever you like. No separate license per MT5 account.

Yes. Your subscription provides access to all products available on the Nordman Algorithms website. You can use other Nordman Algorithms tools under the same subscription without purchasing additional licenses.

Developed by Nordman Algorithms

Developed, tested, documented, and maintained by our algorithmic trading software development team.

Meet the Team →
We Value Your Feedback Help us make it better

We are committed to the ongoing improvement of our MT5 to NinjaTrader Trade Copier. If you encounter an issue, feel that an important feature is missing, or have suggestions that could make the copier more efficient or user-friendly, please send us a message.
Your feedback helps us refine the tool and better serve the traders who use it.

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Custom Programming

Need a different setup?

If the standard MT5 to NinjaTrader Trade Copier does not fully meet your requirements, we can customize and extend it to fit your trading workflow. Share the features you would like to add or improve, and our developers will propose a suitable technical solution.

Looking for remote trade copying? This version copies trades locally on one computer. For platforms on different machines, we offer a server-based version that runs via a secure dedicated server. It is not available via subscription — contact us for a tailored solution.

Custom Copier Features Extended Functionality Server-Based Remote Copying