Soft4FX is a well-regarded MetaTrader 4 plugin for manual backtesting. But it has two major friction points: it costs money ($97–$197) and requires an existing MT4 installation and broker connection to function. For traders who just want to test their price action strategies on real historical data, this is significant setup overhead.
FXAbsolute eliminates both obstacles. Open your browser, click once, and you're backtesting GBPUSD or USDJPY on real data in under 30 seconds.
Soft4FX vs FXAbsolute — Full Comparison
| Feature | FXAbsolute | Soft4FX Forex Simulator |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ✅ Free (GBPUSD, USDJPY) / $16/mo Pro | ❌ $97–$197 one-time |
| Requires MT4 | ✅ No | ❌ Yes — MT4 mandatory |
| Requires broker | ✅ No | ❌ Yes — broker data download |
| Download required | ✅ No — browser only | ❌ Yes — MT4 + plugin install |
| Setup time | ✅ 30 seconds | ❌ 2–4 hours (MT4 setup + data) |
| Bar-by-bar replay | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Multi-timeframe switching | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Drawing tools | ✅ Trendlines, fib, h-lines, rectangles | ✅ Full MT4 set |
| Trade journal | ✅ Built-in with win rate, PF, RR | ✅ Yes |
| Live competition | ✅ Daily/weekly/monthly/6-month ranked | ❌ No |
| Mobile compatible | ✅ Yes | ❌ Desktop only |
| Pairs available | 10 pairs (2 free) | All broker pairs |
| Data years | 2021–2026 (5 years) | Broker-dependent |
Where Soft4FX Wins
✅ FXAbsolute Wins
- Free forever on GBPUSD/USDJPY
- 30-second setup vs hours
- No MT4, no broker, no download
- Live ranked competition
- Works on mobile/tablet
- Actively maintained in 2026
✅ Soft4FX Wins
- More pairs (broker-dependent)
- More data history (broker-dependent)
- Custom indicator support via MT4
- Speed controls (Turbo version)
- Familiar MT4 interface for MT4 users
True Cost Breakdown
| Cost Item | FXAbsolute | Soft4FX |
|---|---|---|
| Software license | $0 | $97–$197 |
| MT4 platform | Not needed | $0 (but broker required) |
| Historical data | Included | $0–$50 (broker quality varies) |
| Setup time (your hourly rate × hours) | ~0.5 hours | ~4 hours minimum |
| Learning curve | Minimal | MT4 plugin configuration |
| Effective total cost | $0 to start | $97–$250+ effectively |
The Free Soft4FX Alternative — Try It Now
GBPUSD and USDJPY free forever. No MT4, no broker, no download. Start backtesting in 30 seconds.
Open FXAbsolute Free →Honest confession: the first time I backtested seriously, I cherry-picked my setups and skipped the ones that looked "ambiguous." My results looked incredible. Went live, got destroyed within two weeks. Real backtesting means taking every valid signal — winners, losers, ugly ones — and tracking the full distribution. The pain of a bad simulated trade is cheap tuition. The pain of discovering a 38% win rate live is expensive.