How to install cTrader and log in with your cTrader ID

cTrader is a forex and CFD platform made by Spotware and offered by a number of brokers. Unlike MetaTrader, you do not log in with an account number and server: you sign in once with a cTrader ID (cTID), and every trading account your broker links to it appears in the account bar.

cTrader · Guide 1/3 2 min read · Platform menus checked against official help: October 2026

⚠️ Risk warning: CFDs and leveraged forex are complex instruments with a high risk of losing money rapidly. Most retail accounts lose money. This content is education only, not investment advice or a recommendation.

cTrader sign-in window (drawn mock-up)cTrader IDEmail or usernamename@email.comPassword••••••••Keep me logged inLog in
cTrader sign-in window (drawn mock-up) — Drawn mock-up for illustration, not a screenshot. Names may differ slightly between versions and brokers.

Install cTrader

  1. Download it. Get the installer from your broker's website, or the cross-broker app from ctrader.com, which can reach any broker account linked to your cTID. A broker-branded app shows only that broker's accounts.
  2. Run the installer. cTrader Windows downloads and installs everything it needs, including updates, with almost no input, then opens by itself.
  3. Other devices. cTrader also runs on Mac, in a web browser (cTrader Web) and on iPhone and Android. You sign in to all of them with the same cTID.

Sign in with a cTrader ID

  1. Log in. Enter the email or cTrader username you registered with, type your password and click Log in. Untick “Keep me logged in” on a shared computer.
  2. New to cTrader?. Switch to Create cTrader ID, enter an email and password and click Create cTrader ID, then confirm the email you receive. Some brokers create the cTID for you when you open an account.
  3. Find your broker accounts. Accounts with your broker link to your cTID automatically. If one is missing, ask the broker to link it to the email you used.

Switch accounts or open a demo

  1. Switch account. Click the account bar in the upper-right corner and pick the account. cTrader loads that account's charts and settings.
  2. Create a demo account. In the same dropdown choose Create new trading account, then set the deposit, currency, leverage and account type (hedging or netting) and click Create account.
  3. Swap-free practice. Tick Shariah-compliant in the demo form to practise on a swap-free account. For a live swap-free account, ask your broker; the conditions are the broker's, so read them.

Common problems

Account not listed after login
The broker has not linked that account to this cTID, or you used a different email. Contact the broker.
No confirmation email
Check your spam folder, then request a new confirmation link from the cTrader ID sign-in page.
Installer does not finish
Download the installer again from your broker's website and run it with a stable connection.

Frequently asked questions

What is a cTrader ID?

A single sign-in (email or username and password) for every cTrader app and every broker account linked to it.

Is cTrader free?

Yes. You pay your broker's spreads, commissions and swaps when you trade.

Can I open a swap-free account in cTrader?

Demo: yes, tick Shariah-compliant when you create it. Live: request it from your broker.

Sources (official help pages)