TradeLocker guide: getting started

TradeLocker is a trading platform: the software where you see prices, read charts, place orders and follow your positions. NextTrade offers it alongside MetaTrader 5 (MT5), with the same spreads and execution on each; maximum leverage differs by platform.

TradeLocker uses native TradingView charts. It also has a built-in risk calculator, which lets you set a stop loss and take profit in dollars, percentages or ticks, and, in the desktop app, the Studio bot builder for no-code automated strategies.

For the full feature list, see the TradeLocker platform page.

TradeLocker comes in three versions. They all use the same account, so your prices, orders and positions are the same on each.

This guide follows the web version; buttons and menus can sit in different places in the apps.

You reach TradeLocker through your NextTrade account. There is no separate platform fee: TradeLocker is included with the account.

1. Register in the NextTrade client portal.
2. Set up a trading account in the portal. This gives you your TradeLocker login. Each account has its own number and settings.
3. Use that login to sign in to TradeLocker, in your browser or in the desktop or mobile app.
4. Before you place an order, check which account the platform shows, so you know whether you are on a demo or a live account.

Use a strong, unique password and keep it private. If you cannot log in, NextTrade's support team can help.

The screen has four main areas. Their position can change between versions, but each has the same job.

Market list

The market list shows the instruments you can trade, with their current prices. Pick a market here to open it on the chart. In the web version the list sits on the right; if you cannot see it, a toggle opens it again.

Chart

The chart is a TradingView chart of the market you picked. You can change the timeframe, add indicators and draw on it. You can also drag a pending order or a take profit on the chart to move it to the price level you want.

Order panel

The order panel is where you build an order: the order type, the volume in lots, the stop loss and take profit, and then Buy or Sell. It shows the margin the trade will use before you send it.

Positions and orders

Once an order is sent, it appears in the list of your positions and orders. An open position shows its unrealised profit or loss as the price moves. A pending order waits there until the market reaches its price or you cancel it.

These steps follow the NextTrade video at the top of this page. Try them on a demo account first.

1. Find the market. Choose the instrument in the market list. If the list is hidden, open it with the toggle.
2. Choose the order type. A market order opens at the current price. A pending order opens at a price you set, and you can drag it on the chart to that level.
3. Set the volume. Enter the number of lots. The margin for the trade is shown just above.
4. Add a stop loss and take profit. You can enter your risk as a dollar amount, and drag the take profit on the chart to the level you want.
5. Click Buy or Sell. Check the details first. A market order opens a position. A pending order is placed and waits for its price.

The video at the top of this page was recorded on a demo account. In summary:

• Finding a market, and opening the market list with its toggle if it is hidden.
• Choosing a market order (current price) or a pending order, dragged on the chart to a price you choose.
• Setting the number of lots, with the margin for the trade shown just above.
• Entering the stop loss risk as a dollar amount, and dragging the take profit on the chart.
• Clicking Buy or Sell, with a reminder that one-click trading skips the confirmation and should be used with care.
• The order being placed. In the video it is a pending order, so it waits for its price instead of opening straight away.

It ends by suggesting you practise on a demo account first, because trading involves risk.

Pricing is the same on both. TradeLocker suits traders who want TradingView charts and a built-in risk calculator. MT5 suits traders who use Expert Advisors, Depth of Market or the MT5 Strategy Tester. You can also use both with the same login.

To see how MT5 works, read the MetaTrader 5 getting-started guide, or compare both platforms side by side.

A demo account uses virtual funds, so you can repeat each step without risking real money. Try a market order and a pending order, cancel a pending order and close a position.

Demo results are not a guide to live results: live prices can move fast and every trade has costs. Before you go live, compare costs and minimum deposits on the account types page.