Social trading is a broader category than copy trading, encompassing platforms where traders can follow, discuss, and learn from each other's published trade ideas and performance — copy trading (automatic replication) is one specific feature often built on top of a social trading network. It brings a community and transparency layer to trading that's otherwise a solitary activity.
As with copy trading, the visible track records on a social platform reflect the past, and popularity or follower count isn't itself evidence of a sustainable edge going forward.
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Guide
Choosing a Trading Platform: MT4, MT5, cTrader and the Broker's Own
The platform decides which orders you can place, whether your stops survive a closed laptop, and how much you would have to rewrite to leave. What actually differs between the options — and the point where the platform stops mattering and the broker takes over.