Direct answer
MT5 and TradingView are “compatible” only in the sense that they can be used together through operating systems, broker connections, shared market conventions (symbols, timeframes), and—when needed—data sharing or order-routing integrations. There is no single universal compatibility switch. In practice, whether the two can work together depends on four areas: the operating system you run, what your broker supports, what market data you subscribe to, and how (or whether) you can automate the handoff between charting and execution.
Mechanism and definitions
MT5 (often written as MetaTrader 5) is a trading platform where charts, order execution, and automated trading (via its scripting environment) live together. TradingView is primarily a charting and analysis platform with its own way to manage alerts, strategies, and third-party integrations.
“Compatibility” therefore usually means one of these workflows:
- Charting on TradingView, execution on MT5: You analyze using TradingView, then place orders through MT5 (directly or via an integration).
- Data alignment: You use consistent symbol naming and timeframes so what you see on TradingView matches what MT5 uses for prices.
- Automation handoff: You use a bridge so an event in TradingView leads to an action on MT5 (or vice versa).
A material assumption matters: if you compare charts, you assume the same underlying instrument (same market/contract concept) and comparable price fields. Without that, “compatible” views can still diverge.
Evidence or example (hypothetical, verifiable checks)
Because no live data is assumed here, you can verify compatibility using a checklist-style approach:
- Operating system check: confirm what each platform version supports on your OS. If TradingView runs in a browser or on desktop while MT5 runs as a separate app, your setup still has to match both requirements.
- Broker connection check: ensure your broker offers MT5 access for execution and that it exposes the instruments you intend to trade/analyze.
- Symbol mapping check: compare the symbol shown in TradingView with the symbol available in MT5. Even with the “same” pair name, brokers may treat instruments differently (contract specifications, trading sessions, suffixes).
- Data feed check: TradingView can show prices from specific providers/data arrangements. MT5 prices come from the broker’s feed. These can differ, so you may need to compare small samples (a few recent bars) to judge alignment.
- Automation/integration check: if you want TradingView actions to affect MT5 automatically, you need an integration path. Each added component (API connector, script, permission layer) increases the chances of mismatch or failure.
Limitations and risks (material failure modes)
- Divergent price feeds: even when symbols match, historical candles and real-time ticks can differ by provider or broker execution rules. This can make strategies appear to “work” in one place and behave differently in the other.
- Execution mismatch: charting concepts (alerts, strategy logic) are not the same as order execution. A system may generate an alert but still require a separate, reliable order-routing mechanism to reach MT5.
- Automation failure: integrations can break due to authentication, rate limits, symbol mapping changes, or version updates. A compatible setup is not the same as a resilient one.
- Timeframes and session handling: different session calendars and timeframe conventions can shift bar boundaries, causing visual and backtest differences.
Verification and next question
If your goal is to use both platforms, independently verify compatibility by testing (1) OS support, (2) broker MT5 access, (3) symbol mapping, and (4) price-feed alignment over a small historical window. Then decide whether you only need analysis together (manual bridge) or an automation handoff (integration required).
If you share your OS, broker type (without naming or promising anything), and the instruments you care about (e.g., “major FX pairs”), the specific compatibility checks can be narrowed to the most relevant mapping and data-alignment points.