PropCopy - Open-Source MT4/MT5 and NinjaTrader Trade Copier for Prop Firm Traders

PropCopy is a free, self-hosted trade copier for MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and MetaTrader 4 (MT4), with an optional NinjaTrader 8 futures follower, written in Python. It watches one source account and copies its trades to any number of follower accounts in about 10 ms, with per-account lot scaling, execution controls, and a local web dashboard with trade analytics. It runs on your own Windows PC or VPS, so your broker credentials never leave your machine.

Typical uses:

• copy one trading account to several prop firm challenge or funded accounts;
• mirror a source account to followers with different lot sizes or different broker symbol names;
• copy an MT5 gold (XAUUSD) account onto a NinjaTrader futures account as Micro Gold (MGC) or Gold (GC);
• tune copies with price offsets, SL/TP multipliers, drawdown guardians, and profit-target auto-close.

Keywords: trade copier, copy trading, MT5 trade copier, MT4 trade copier, MetaTrader copier, NinjaTrader copier, MT5 to NinjaTrader, futures, prop firm, forex, gold, XAUUSD, local copier, multi-account, Python, FastAPI, open source.

Warning: trading is risky, and copy trading may violate your prop firm's rules. Read DISCLAIMER.md before connecting any real or funded account. Test on demo accounts first. The software is provided as-is, with no warranty (MIT).

Contents

• How it works
• Features
• Requirements
• Install
• Using PropCopy, step by step
• Configuration reference
• NinjaTrader futures follower
• MT4 accounts
• Command-line options
• Tests and building an executable
• Security notes
• Troubleshooting
• FAQ

How it works

                                  +--> follower process 1 --> MT5 / MT4 follower account
MT5 source account --> monitor ---+--> follower process 2 --> MT5 / MT4 follower account
   (polled ~10 ms)                +--> follower process 3 --> NinjaTrader 8 (MGC / GC futures)
                                  |
                          dashboard + analytics (local web UI)

A monitor process polls the source account's open positions. When it sees a new position, a closed position, or a changed SL/TP, it sends that event to every follower. Each follower runs in its own process, applies its own sizing and execution rules, and places the matching order on its own account.

Features

• Source -> N followers, each follower in its own process for isolation
• Copies opens, closes, and SL/TP modifications (about 10 ms polling by default)
• Per-follower size scaler and per-account symbol mapping for brokers that name instruments differently
• Per-follower execution options: price offset (better entry or slippage guard), volume jitter, SL/TP offset and multiplier, invert (flip direction), drawdown guardian, profit-target auto-close
• Pause or resume the source or any follower from the dashboard without stopping the engine
• MT5 via the MetaTrader5 Python package, MT4 via a bundled EA bridge
• MT5 -> NinjaTrader futures: copy XAUUSD trades to MGC or GC on a NinjaTrader 8 account (simulator-tested; see docs/NINJATRADER_SETUP.md)
• Local dashboard (native window or browser): live status over WebSocket, account manager, positions, trade history, logs
• Analytics: MFE/MAE, exit efficiency, entry/exit timing, SL/TP hit rate, streak and tilt detection, session heatmap, copy latency and slippage
• Optional setup tagging for trades

Requirements

• Windows (the MetaTrader5 Python package only works on Windows)
• Python 3.10 or newer
• One MetaTrader 5 terminal installation per account, each in its own folder, so every terminal stays logged in to its own account
• In every MT5 terminal: Tools > Options > Expert Advisors > Allow algorithmic trading
• For the NinjaTrader follower only: NinjaTrader 8 on the same PC, and pythonnet

Install

git clone https://github.com/Do-T224/propcopy.git
cd propcopy
python -m venv .venv
.venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

For the NinjaTrader follower, use pip install -r requirements-ninjatrader.txt instead.

Using PropCopy, step by step

1. Prepare your terminals. Install one MT5 terminal per account (copy the installation folder, or run the broker installer to a different folder each time). Log in once in each, and note each folder path, for example C:\Program Files\MetaTrader 5 Second.

2. Start the dashboard.

python main.py

A native window opens (use python main.py --browser for http://localhost:8181). config.yaml is created automatically on first run.

3. Add your accounts. Open the Config tab, expand Saved Accounts, and click + Add Account for each account (source and followers). Enter a tag (any label you like), the login number, password, broker server name, the terminal folder path, and the platform. You can instead copy accounts.example.yaml to accounts.yaml and edit it by hand.

4. Choose the source. In Source Account, pick the account whose trades should be copied.

5. Add followers. In Follower Accounts, click + Add Follower, pick an account, and set its Vol x (size scaler; 0.5 copies half the source's lot size). Optional per-follower settings (price offset, volume jitter, SL/TP offset) are under the row's Stagger button; SL/TP multiplier, invert, drawdown and profit target are in the row itself.

6. Save. Click Save Configuration.

7. Test on demo. Start with demo accounts. Place a small trade on the source account and confirm it appears on every follower, then close it and confirm the close is copied.

8. Start copying. Click Start Engine at the top of the dashboard.

• Status tab: live connection state, equity, and drawdown for the source and every follower. Use the toggle on a row to pause or resume that account without stopping the engine. Pausing a follower blocks new copies; closes and SL/TP changes still go through so you do not end up with orphaned positions.
• Positions / History / Analytics tabs: open trades, closed trades, and performance insights.
• Logs tab: filter by level. The same log is written to data/propcopy.log.

9. Stop. Click Stop Engine. Open positions on followers are not closed automatically.

Headless mode

Once config.yaml is set up, you can run without the dashboard:

python main.py --headless

Configuration reference

Two YAML files live next to main.py. Both contain credentials in plain text and are git-ignored. Never commit or share them.

accounts.yaml is your account book. Each entry has a tag (a label you choose), the login account, password, broker server, the path to that account's terminal folder mt5_path, and platform (mt5 or mt4).

config.yaml picks the source and followers and holds settings. The dashboard writes it for you. Minimal example:

master:                       # the source account
  account: 12345678
  password: your_password
  server: YourBroker-Server
  mt5_path: C:\Program Files\MetaTrader 5
  platform: mt5
slaves:                       # the followers
  - account: 87654321
    password: your_password
    server: YourBroker-Server
    mt5_path: C:\Program Files\MetaTrader 5 Second
    platform: mt5
    size_scaler: 0.5          # follower lot = source lot x 0.5

(The master / slaves key names are the file format; the UI calls them Source / Follower.)

Per-follower options

Key	Default	Effect
size_scaler	1.0	Multiplies the source volume
price_offset_points	0	>0: wait for a better entry by N points. <0: slippage guard, skip if price moved N points against you. 0: off
price_offset_timeout	20	Seconds to wait for the price offset condition
price_offset_max_points	0	Skip the copy if price moved more than this (0 = no limit)
invert	false	Flip BUY/SELL and swap SL/TP. May be prohibited by your firm.
sltp_multiplier	1.0	Scale SL/TP distance (ignored when invert is on)
volume_jitter_pct	0	Randomly vary each copied volume by up to +/- this percent
sltp_offset_points	0	Randomly offset copied SL/TP by up to this many points
max_drawdown_pct	0	Guardian: emergency-close the follower if drawdown from peak equity reaches this percent (0 = off)
profit_target_usd	0	Absolute equity level, not profit. When the follower's equity reaches this value, all its positions are closed and it is disconnected from the copier (0 = off). Example: 10k account, target 11000. Can be armed/disarmed from the Status tab

See config.example.yaml for global settings (polling interval, magic number, retries, deviation).

Symbol mapping

If a follower's broker spells an instrument differently from the source's, add a symbol_map to that account in accounts.yaml (source name on the left):

- tag: My Account
  # ...
  symbol_map:
    GER40.cash: DAX40
    US100.cash: NAS100

Unmapped symbols are copied under their original name. symbol_map is copied into config.yaml when you save the Config tab, so after editing accounts.yaml by hand, press Save Configuration in the Config tab before starting the engine.

NinjaTrader futures follower

PropCopy can copy the source's XAUUSD trades onto a NinjaTrader 8 account as MGC (micro) or GC futures, through NinjaTrader's Automated Trading Interface (ATI). NinjaTrader must be running on the same PC.

Quick setup:

1. In NinjaTrader: Tools > Options > Automated trading interface, tick AT Interface, note the Server port (default 36973), then restart NinjaTrader and connect your feed.
2. pip install -r requirements-ninjatrader.txt
3. Add an entry to slaves: in config.yaml:

  - account: 3                  # any unique integer id
    platform: ninjatrader
    account_name: "Sim101"      # EXACT NinjaTrader account name
    nt_server_port: 36973
    symbol_map: { XAUUSD: MGC } # MGC (micro) or GC (full-size)
    size_scaler: 1.0            # 1.0 lot XAUUSD = 10 MGC = 1 GC
    setup_allowlist: ["*"]      # copy every source trade

4. Start NinjaTrader first, then click Start Engine. The follower appears with a NINJA badge and under Futures Followers in the Config tab.

Sizing, small-leg handling, tag filtering and known limits are in docs/NINJATRADER_SETUP.md. This follower has only been tested against the NinjaTrader simulator.

MT4 accounts

1. Copy mt4_ea/PropCopy_Bridge.mq4 into the MT4 terminal's MQL4/Experts folder and compile it.
2. In MT4, enable Allow DLL imports and Allow live trading.
3. Attach the EA to any chart. Defaults: port 15555, accepts connections from 127.0.0.1 only. Use a different port for each MT4 terminal.
4. In accounts.yaml, set platform: mt4 and the matching mt4_port.

Command-line options

Flag	Meaning
--port N	Dashboard port (default 8181)
--browser	Open in the browser instead of a native window
--headless	No dashboard; run the copier from config.yaml only

Tests and building an executable

pip install -r requirements-dev.txt
python -m pytest tests

build.bat                # produces dist\PropCopy.exe (PyInstaller)
iscc installer.iss       # optional: Inno Setup installer into installer_output\

Security notes

• The dashboard binds to 127.0.0.1 only and has no login. Don't expose it with a reverse proxy, port-forward, or 0.0.0.0 binding.
• Credentials are stored unencrypted. Protect the machine, and use investor passwords where possible.
• Data files (data/) hold trade history and mappings between source and follower tickets. Don't delete them while positions are open, or closes may not propagate.

Troubleshooting

• Account fails to log in: check the server name matches the terminal's server list exactly, and that the terminal at mt5_path has Allow algorithmic trading on.
• Nothing is copied: confirm the source account actually trades from the terminal in mt5_path, that the engine is running, and read the Logs tab or data/propcopy.log.
• A follower is paused: a paused follower skips new copies. Use the toggle on the Status tab.
• NinjaTrader follower shows disconnected: NinjaTrader must be open and connected, with AT Interface enabled and the port matching nt_server_port. Start NinjaTrader before the engine. See docs/NINJATRADER_SETUP.md.
• Volume differs from expected: it is rounded to the follower symbol's lot step and clamped to its min/max volume (futures: rounded to whole contracts).

FAQ

What is PropCopy? An open-source local trade copier. It reads the positions on a source MetaTrader account and replicates opens, closes, and SL/TP changes onto follower accounts.

Does it work with MT4 and MT5? Yes. MT5 through the official MetaTrader5 Python package, MT4 through the bundled PropCopy_Bridge.mq4 Expert Advisor. Windows only.

Can it copy MT5 trades to NinjaTrader or futures accounts? Yes, for gold: XAUUSD on the source becomes MGC or GC futures on a NinjaTrader 8 account. It is simulator-tested only. See docs/NINJATRADER_SETUP.md.

Is it a cloud copier? Does it see my passwords? No. It runs entirely on your own machine or VPS. Credentials are stored locally in plain text in git-ignored YAML files.

Can I copy to accounts at different brokers? Yes. Each account uses its own terminal installation, and symbol_map translates instrument names that differ between brokers (for example GER40.cash to DAX40).

Is copy trading allowed by my prop firm? Many firms restrict or ban it. Check your firm's rules first. See DISCLAIMER.md.

Is it free? Yes, under the MIT License.

Contributing

Issues and pull requests are welcome. Please never include account numbers, passwords, server names, or logs containing them.

License

MIT. See also DISCLAIMER.md.