Forex Trade Copier Spread Settings for MT4 & MT5

A forex local trade copier can send trading instructions between MetaTrader accounts quickly, but each receiver still trades through its own broker. The receiver’s spread can therefore affect whether a new trade meets your copying conditions.

If an EURUSD trade appears on the transmitter but not on a receiver, check the spread filter alongside the rest of the configuration. The copier may be following the limit you selected.

This guide explains how Maximum Spread in Points works in Local Trade Copier EA MT4/5©, how to distinguish points from pips, and how to test a spread limit before relying on it.

Quick answer

Maximum Spread in Points sets the receiver spread limit allowed for copying. Enter the limit in the receiver symbol’s points, not automatically in pips.

For a conventional five-decimal EURUSD quote, 20 points equals 2 pips. For a four-decimal EURUSD quote, 2 points equals 2 pips. Check the receiver’s actual symbol specifications before choosing a value.

A spread below the limit satisfies that condition; the trade must still meet the other copying rules and be accepted by the broker.

1. What spread does a forex trade copier check?

Spread is the difference between a symbol’s Ask and Bid prices.

Consider a receiver quoting EURUSD as follows:

• Bid: 1.10000

• Ask: 1.10018

• Difference: 0.00018

With a point size of 0.00001, that spread is 18 points, or 1.8 conventional pips.

The relevant quote is on the receiver account. A narrow transmitter spread does not mean that every receiver has the same spread at that moment.

Broker A might quote an 8-point spread while Broker B quotes 27 points. A receiver with a 20-point limit would not accept the latter spread for copying, even though the transmitter has already opened its trade.

For the wider account differences involved, see how to copy forex trades between different brokers in MT4 and MT5.

2. Points versus pips in MT4 and MT5

A point is the symbol’s quoted point unit. A pip is the conventional forex price unit used when discussing a currency pair. The two are not always equal.

For the conventional forex examples below:

For example, USDJPY Bid 150.000 and Ask 150.018 gives a difference of 0.018. On a three-decimal quote, this is 18 points, equivalent to 1.8 pips.

The calculation is:

Spread in points = (Ask − Bid) ÷ point size

Check the exact receiver symbol in Market Watch and its specifications. Do not apply the “10 points per pip” relationship to every instrument. Gold, indices, cryptocurrencies and unusual quote formats need their own interpretation.

MT4 or MT5 alone does not determine the conversion: the broker’s specification for the receiver symbol matters.

3. How to set Maximum Spread in Points

Open the copier’s Inputs on the Receiver terminal and locate Maximum Spread in Points in the copying options.

The setting accepts one general limit or a general limit followed by symbol-specific values.

For example:

20

This illustrates a general limit of 20 points. Its pip equivalent depends on each receiver symbol’s point size.

You can also enter:

20,GBPUSD30,USDJPY25

In this example:

• The general limit is 20 points for symbols without an individual override.

• GBPUSD has a 30-point limit.

• USDJPY has a 25-point limit.

These numbers illustrate the input format. They are not recommended limits for all brokers or strategies.

Use the exact receiver symbol names when entering individual overrides. If the receiver uses .r suffixes, the corresponding example is:

20,GBPUSD.r30,USDJPY.r25

Check the names actually shown in that receiver’s Market Watch. Correct symbol mapping and correct spread-limit entries are separate configuration checks.

Read the Forex Trade Copier Settings & Inputs Guide for the complete input descriptions.

4. Why one receiver copies a trade and another does not

Suppose two receivers follow the same transmitter, and both quote EURUSD to five decimal places.

Receiver A can proceed if every other copying and broker condition is satisfied. Receiver B does not meet its spread condition at that check.

This difference does not automatically indicate a communication failure. The accounts have different local trading conditions.

Individual receivers can also have different spread limits, lot sizes and trade filters. Review those settings before expecting identical trade lists.

For the broader configuration, read managing risk across multiple forex receiver accounts.

5. Spread, slippage and copying difference are different checks

Three settings can sound similar while addressing different problems:

A receiver can have a narrow spread while its price has moved away from the transmitter entry. It can also have a similar market price but a wider Bid–Ask spread.

Passing the spread filter therefore does not guarantee that another price condition is satisfied or that an order will be filled at a particular price.

A spread limit also does not include commissions or swaps. A lower displayed spread does not, by itself, establish a lower total trading cost.

6. Will a trade copy later if the spread narrows?

Do not assume that every trade excluded at its first check will eventually appear on the receiver.

Review the complete configuration, including:

• Retry Attempts in Seconds — the interval between attempts after a failed copying attempt.

• Use Copying Expiration in Seconds and Copying Expiration in Seconds — whether a copying time window is enabled and its length.

• Copy Current Trades and Copy New Trades — which transmitter trades are eligible.

• Copying hours, other trade filters and any additional price conditions.

When using time-dependent settings across brokers with different server times, also review Transmitter Server Offset Hours in the Settings Guide.

Retry timing and trade eligibility need testing together with the spread filter. Do not treat a failed broker order and a trade that has not met a filter condition as automatically having identical retry behavior.

If a trade does become eligible later, the market may have moved. A narrower spread at that later moment does not necessarily provide a better entry than the original signal.

7. How to test a forex copier spread filter

Use the Forex Trade Copier Free Demo with dedicated demo accounts. The free demo operates on demo accounts for up to four hours at a time.

Step 1: Establish a working baseline

Install and configure one transmitter and one receiver on the same Windows computer or Windows VPS. Follow the installation guide.

Confirm ordinary copying first using a small broker-valid demo volume and an appropriate test Stop Loss. Record your original settings before making changes.

Step 2: Check the receiver quote units

Record the exact symbol name, Bid, Ask, decimal format and point size. Calculate the spread in points and compare it with the platform’s displayed spread where available.

Step 3: Test an acceptable-spread case

Use a demo limit above the observed spread and open a new test trade on the transmitter. Check whether the receiver copies it and record the result.

Spreads can change between observation and execution, so record the test time and inspect the logs. A single screenshot is not proof of the spread at every subsequent check.

Step 4: Test a restrictive-spread case

On the demo receiver only, choose a positive limit below the observed spread, away from the boundary, and open a fresh test trade on the transmitter.

Inspect receiver activity and the Experts and Journal tabs. Verify what happened rather than assuming that any missing trade was caused by the spread filter. Other conditions may also prevent copying.

Step 5: Test later eligibility separately

Review the retry, expiration and current/new-trade settings. Observe what happens if conditions later become acceptable while the transmitter trade remains open. Record whether the receiver copies later or remains without a position.

Use fresh test trades when repeating the comparison, and close test positions you no longer need. Restore your intended configuration afterward.

Step 6: Test every intended receiver configuration

Repeat with each currency pair, symbol-specific override and broker you plan to use. For mixed platforms, test the actual MT4-to-MT5 or MT5-to-MT4 combination.

For a simple record, note:

8. Choosing a limit for your trading setup

There is no single best spread setting for every forex trade copier.

Start with the currency pair, the receiver broker’s usual conditions during your trading hours, and the strategy’s tolerance for entry costs and missed signals.

A very restrictive limit can exclude a large part of the strategy’s trades. A very generous limit may provide little useful filtering. Compare demo results across representative sessions rather than choosing a value from one quiet market snapshot.

Spread filtering changes which trades a receiver may take. Assess that effect alongside lot sizing, Stop Loss handling and overall strategy performance.

The filter is not a complete news filter or a guarantee of execution cost. It also should not be assumed to cancel existing pending orders, close open positions, or prevent later broker-side activation of an already placed order. Test pending-order behavior separately if your strategy uses it.

Frequently asked questions

Are 20 points always equal to 2 pips?

No. That relationship applies to conventional five-decimal EURUSD-style quotes and three-decimal JPY quotes. With a conventional four-decimal EURUSD quote, 20 points equals 20 pips. Check the receiver symbol’s point size.

Does the spread filter use the transmitter’s spread?

Maximum Spread in Points controls the allowed receiver spread. The transmitter and receiver can have different spreads even when they trade the same currency pair.

Do I need different instructions for MT4 and MT5?

The principle is the same: use the receiver symbol’s points and configure the receiver’s copying settings. Same-platform copying requires the corresponding product version; MT4 ↔ MT5 copying requires both versions. See which MT4 or MT5 forex copier setup to use.

Can a spread filter guarantee identical results across brokers?

No. Brokers can differ in prices, commissions, execution and other trading conditions. Different filters can also produce different trade selections.

What should I check if trades still do not copy?

Check symbol mapping, trade eligibility, copying hours, price conditions, lot sizing, available margin and broker errors. Use the Forex Trade Copier Troubleshooting Guide to investigate the complete setup.

Test Local Trade Copier EA with your own forex accounts

Local Trade Copier EA MT4/5© combines local synchronization with receiver-specific copying controls. Maximum Spread in Points lets you define a receiver spread condition alongside symbol filters, lot sizing and other settings.

The practical next step is to test those controls with your own broker demo accounts and confirm the behavior you want.

Try the Forex Trade Copier Free Demo

Once you have verified your setup, view the MT4 and MT5 license options. Trading results depend on the underlying strategy and execution environment; a copier does not create a profitable strategy.

Technical reference

MetaQuotes documents spread in points, quote digits and symbol point values in the MQL5 Symbol Properties reference. Product input descriptions are available in the linked Settings & Inputs Guide.

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