Customer Story: Testing Latency & Slippage on Windows Server VPS for Multiple Brokers

I run a company that specializes in forex trading, with a focus on strategy development, account management, and platform performance evaluation. To improve trading efficiency and ensure stability, I chose Database Mart's Windows Server VPS and carried out targeted testing on the latency and slippage of major brokers. By comparing performance across brokers like Exness, IC Markets, FXCM, FTMO, and Pepperstone, I was able to observe variations such as Exness slippage, IC Markets slippage, and FTMO slippage.

*Submitted by user "dha......18@gmail.com"*

Application Scenario

These tests allowed me to identify the best-performing trading platforms and low-slippage forex brokers with low latency, ensuring a more reliable trading environment. Using this data, I selected VPS data center locations optimized for low-slippage brokers and low-latency forex brokers, significantly reducing the risk of slippage broker issues during live trading.

The primary testing items included:

1. Creating demo accounts and conducting latency tests (Ping to Broker), with a focus on identifying low-latency brokers and understanding individual broker latency differences, including MT4 latency on platforms like FXCM and Exness.
2. Stability testing under multi-platform concurrent operation, verifying consistent performance across environments, even with multiple MT4 slippage-sensitive platforms running in parallel.
3. Slippage testing during live order execution, capturing data for forex slippage, broker slippage, and specific metrics such as FTMO slippage, IC Markets slippage, Pepperstone slippage, and Exness slippage.
4. EA (Expert Advisor) backtesting performance evaluation (as a secondary item), helping observe slippage behavior in historical strategies involving forex trading slippage scenarios.

My main focus was on the first three tests, while backtesting was only conducted on selected platforms where slippage broker characteristics needed further analysis.

Server Specifications

VPS 1 – PHYCHZ Data Center
Plan: Express Windows Server VPS
OS: Windows Server 2016 Standard x64
CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2690 @ 2.90GHz

VPS 2 – NOCIX Data Center
Plan: Express Windows Server VPS
OS: Windows Server 2016 Standard x64
CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2690v2 @ 3.00GHz

Deployment Process

Register Forex Demo Accounts

• Sign up for demo accounts on broker websites such as FXCM, FTMO, IC Markets, Pepperstone, and Exness, covering brokers known for high or low slippage.
  Make sure to collect:
  • Server addresses
  • Login credentials
  • Account types and platforms supported

Install Trading Platforms (MT4, MT5, cTrader)

• Download MT4, MT5, and cTrader directly from the broker’s official website or MetaQuotes.
• These platforms are essential for slippage testing, latency measurement, and low-slippage broker evaluation.

Log in & Start Performance Testing

• Log into each trading platform and begin recording the following:
  • Latency (Ping): Real-time response speed; important when comparing MT4 latency and identifying low-latency brokers.
  • Slippage Performance: Measure the difference between the expected and actual execution price during manual trades — this highlights forex broker slippage.
  • System Resource Usage: Monitor CPU and RAM when running multiple platform instances. High usage can impact performance and introduce slippage.
  • Expert Advisors & Backtesting:
    • Install your EAs and run backtests on each platform.
    • Analyze platform stability, processing speed, and slippage behavior under high-frequency trading conditions.

Performance Review

During the initial login and software installation, CPU usage reached 100%, but it usually returned to normal after 10–15 minutes. The platforms — including Ctrader and MT4/MT5 — ran smoothly with minimal lag, even under 2~3 simultaneous sessions. This stable performance is critical when evaluating broker slippage and ensuring consistent conditions for tracking MT4 slippage and latency. Both Ctrader and MT4/MT5 remained stable after running for several hours, making them suitable for long-term testing on low-latency forex brokers.

Network Performance

General Evaluation: The VPS maintained low latency and controllable slippage across most broker platforms.
Details on ping latency and slippage for each broker platform were recorded separately.

Multi-Instance Stability Evaluation

When running 2 instances, CPU usage would spike to 90–100% during the launch phase, but resource usage returned to normal afterward, and the interface remained mostly smooth. However, when running 5 or more instances, noticeable interface lag occurred.

EA Backtesting

I used the MT4 strategy tester to conduct hourly-level backtesting from January to May 2025. During testing, CPU usage peaked at 80%, and memory usage reached 60%. After backtesting, resource usage quickly returned to normal.

For users who frequently run backtests, a higher-spec VPS is recommended for optimal performance.

Optimization Tips

1. Start trading platforms in batches after boot to reduce instant CPU load.
2. Disable automatic system updates and unnecessary background services.

Conclusion & Recommendations

Database Mart’s Windows Server VPS provided me with a reliable and high-performance testing environment. Through real-world testing, I was able to accurately assess the latency and slippage of different brokers across specific data centers, allowing me to make more informed decisions when choosing trading platforms and VPS locations.

If you're also looking for a VPS to deploy multiple trading platforms, I highly recommend Database Mart’s Forex VPS service:

• High stability — ideal for running EAs long-term or managing multiple accounts concurrently
• Low latency — compatible with major forex platforms
• Affordable pricing with practical performance — a great choice for professional traders and institutions

Why Choose DBM?

We highly recommend DBM for its outstanding hosting service and technical support.