MetaTrader 5 does not ship a native Linux build, so every method here runs the Windows terminal through Wine or skips the desktop app altogether. The fastest route is MetaQuotes’ own install script, which handles Wine setup and the terminal install in one command. This guide covers that script, a manual Wine install for when the script fails, the Market tab issue that still trips up some Ubuntu 26.04 users, and the web platform if you would rather skip Wine completely.
Why MetaTrader 5 has no native Linux app
MetaQuotes builds MetaTrader 5 only for Windows, macOS and mobile. The desktop terminal is a Windows executable, full stop, so Linux users need Wine (a compatibility layer that runs Windows programs without a virtual machine) to open it at all. MetaTrader is not alone in this, plenty of Windows-only tools end up running on Linux through the same trick, the way Outlook does through an unofficial wrapper on Linux, or the way certain Windows games run through Steam’s Proton fork of Wine. MetaQuotes has shipped an official Wine-based installer since 2013, and it has stayed the standard route ever since, well before most brokers bothered supporting Linux traders directly.
Install MetaTrader 5 on Linux with the official script
MetaQuotes maintains a script that detects your distribution and does the entire install in one command, on Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and Fedora alike. Open a terminal without sudo and run:
wget https://download.mql5.com/cdn/web/metaquotes.software.corp/mt5/mt5ubuntu.sh
chmod +x mt5ubuntu.sh
./mt5ubuntu.sh
The script asks for your password once, then downloads the right Wine build for your distribution, configures it and launches the MetaTrader 5 installer inside it. Agree to the Mono and Gecko prompts when they appear, since MT5’s built-in browser components need them. When the installer finishes, restart your session and the terminal opens on its own. This is the same approach FBS, RoboForex and most other brokers point traders toward, since it comes straight from MetaQuotes rather than any single broker’s build.
Set up Wine manually if the script fails
The one-command script covers most cases, but it fails occasionally on newer distributions before MetaQuotes updates it, and some traders prefer full control over which Wine build runs their terminal. Skip the Ubuntu repository’s Wine package here, since it lags several versions behind and carries known MetaTrader quirks. Use the WineHQ-maintained build instead. WineHQ’s own repository moves much faster than a distribution’s default packages, current stable releases sit well into the Wine 11.x line while many distro repos still ship something years older.
Enable 32-bit support and add the WineHQ repository
MetaTrader 5 still ships some 32-bit components, so enable that architecture first, then pull in WineHQ’s signing key and repository for your release (Ubuntu 24.04 shown, swap noble for your codename):
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo mkdir -pm755 /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo wget -O /etc/apt/keyrings/winehq-archive.key https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key
sudo wget -NP /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/dists/noble/winehq-noble.sources
sudo apt update
sudo apt install --install-recommends winehq-stable
If apt update throws dependency errors here, a stale PPA is almost always the cause. Our guide to fixing broken package errors on Ubuntu walks through clearing that up.
Install MT5 under Wine
Grab the installer from MetaTrader 5’s download page and run it with wine mt5setup.exe. Step through the Windows-style installer as normal. Before you run it, install the fonts and runtime MT5 needs with winetricks corefonts vcrun2019, since missing fonts are the usual cause of blank chart labels on a fresh Wine prefix.
Known issues and fixes
The Market tab problem
The Market tab (MT5’s built-in marketplace for indicators and Expert Advisors) has been the most persistent Wine complaint since RoboForex and Varchev documented it years ago, it depended on an embedded browser component Wine handled poorly for a long time. Recent Wine builds fixed most of this once paired with a current WebView2 runtime, though a few traders on the MQL5 forum still report installing indicators only works from source code as a workaround. One trader on that same forum argues a Windows virtual machine is more predictable long-term than Wine, since a MetaQuotes or operating system update cannot suddenly break your workflow mid-session, a fair trade-off to weigh if you restart rarely.
Common installer errors
If MT5 launches with blank or rectangular text instead of chart labels, rerun winetricks corefonts. An “Application Error” dialog on first launch usually means a missing Visual C++ runtime, fix it with winetricks vcrun2019. If MT5 feels sluggish, checking CPU and memory usage from a terminal tool like btop rules out a resource bottleneck before you start reinstalling Wine. Keep both Wine and MT5 updated, since MetaQuotes pushes terminal updates automatically and an old Wine build occasionally cannot keep up with a new one.
The MetaTrader 5 web platform skips Wine completely
If Wine trouble is not worth the hassle, MetaTrader 5’s web platform runs the full desktop feature set (netting and hedging accounts, pending orders, 30 indicators) straight from Chrome or Firefox with no install at all. It is the officially recommended fallback when a Wine install will not cooperate, and the same engine backs MT5 access from a phone browser when the native mobile app is not installed. The trade-off is Expert Advisor automation. MQL5’s strategy tester and custom indicators only run inside the desktop terminal, so algo traders still need a working Wine setup sooner or later.
What about MetaTrader 4 on Linux
MT4 uses the identical approach, Wine plus either the installer or a copied Windows terminal folder, and most brokers still offer it alongside MT5. IG and other brokers document the same manual Wine or PlayOnLinux route for MT4, with no equivalent one-command script from MetaQuotes, since MT4 predates the script by years and brokers were left to document Wine themselves. If you are choosing between the two on Linux, MT5 is the easier install today simply because the official script only targets it.
Key takeaways
- MetaTrader 5 has no native Linux build, every method here runs it through Wine or the web platform
- The official mt5ubuntu.sh script installs Wine and MetaTrader 5 in one command on Ubuntu, Debian, Mint and Fedora
- Skip the Ubuntu repository’s Wine package, use WineHQ’s build instead for better compatibility
- winetricks corefonts and vcrun2019 fix blank chart fonts and installer crash errors
- The long-standing Market tab issue is mostly fixed with a current Wine build and WebView2 runtime
- The web platform skips Wine completely but drops Expert Advisor automation and the strategy tester
- MT4 uses the same Wine approach but MetaQuotes never shipped it a one-command script
Frequently asked questions
Can I run MetaTrader 5 natively on Linux without Wine?
No. MetaQuotes only builds MetaTrader 5 for Windows, macOS and mobile, so every Linux desktop install runs through Wine, and the web platform is the only Wine-free option.
Why does the Market tab not work in MetaTrader 5 on Linux?
Older Wine versions could not run the embedded browser the Market tab depends on. A current Wine build paired with a working WebView2 runtime resolves this for most Ubuntu and Debian setups.
Is MetaTrader 5 on Linux safe to use with my broker?
Yes. Wine only translates Windows API calls and does not alter the terminal or your broker connection, so accounts and trading rules work the same as they do on Windows.
Which Linux distribution works best for MetaTrader 5?
Ubuntu and Debian have the widest WineHQ and community support, since the official install script targets them first alongside Linux Mint and Fedora.
Can I run Expert Advisors on MetaTrader 5 through Wine?
Yes, EAs run normally under Wine once MT5 launches correctly. The web platform is the exception, since it does not support the MQL5 strategy tester or EA automation.
What is the default MetaTrader 5 data folder in Wine?
Wine creates a virtual C drive per prefix. MT5’s data sits at ~/.mt5/drive_c/Program Files/MetaTrader 5 unless you installed it into a custom Wine prefix.
Conclusion
Between the script, a manual Wine setup and the web platform, MetaTrader 5 on Linux is no longer the multi-hour project it used to be. Most traders are running charts within twenty minutes of opening a terminal.