Starting a Market demo in MetaTrader 5
- Open the selected product in the Market section inside MetaTrader 5.
- Use Free Download to download the demo, then select Test. The EA demo runs in the Strategy Tester, not on a regular account chart.
- Choose the broker symbol, date range and modelling settings. Read the product requirements and save the inputs before running the test.
- Review the trades, costs, drawdown and journal, and save the report alongside the test conditions.
Button names depend on the terminal language. See the MetaTrader 5 testing guide for the platform workflow.
Two reports are difficult to compare when their setup differs. Before judging an Expert Advisor, write down exactly what you tested: product version, broker symbol, dates, account currency, test deposit, leverage, modelling mode and inputs. Keep the original report and journal beside those notes.
Start with a question. Are you comparing entry logic, position management or sizing? Change one relevant setting at a time. If you change all three, a different result will not tell you which change mattered.
Look beyond the final balance. Examine losing trades, drawdown, trade count and costs. Note whether a long period without trades is expected from the selected rules. A large result from a handful of trades is a different observation from a broad sample, and neither is a promise about the next period.
If there are no trades, inspect the journal before increasing the lot or risk. Check the selected symbol, history, permitted volume and product requirements. Record the exact message. A setup problem and a strategy with no qualifying signal need different responses.
Keep a second historical period separate from your first comparison. Do not keep changing settings until both look attractive and then call the second period an independent test. Record every change so you can explain how the final configuration was selected.
For ONYX products, begin with one published Market listing and its documented requirements. Review the demo in the Strategy Tester and use the product's MQL5 comments or messages for setup questions. Historical testing helps you inspect behaviour; it does not guarantee live execution or future returns.
