MT4 or Broker's Client?

I am new to forex but have been reading about MT4 having some sort of virtual dealer plugin. Im not sure what most traders around here prefer or if it makes any difference at all. So would you recommend MT4 or the broker's specific client? Why or why not?

If you're doing swing-trading or positional-trading then it's really not going to make a difference as long as your broker is legit & allows withdrawals whenever asked; on the other hand, if you're thinking about scalping then just go with any decent ECN, just so that you don't feel like you're being "manipulated" or whatever.........just choose a good broker & the chances are you'll be fine.......as long as you know how to trade......of course, there may be some shady brokers out there but the simple fact of forex is that many traders just can't trade & simply can't accept that they can't & then they go around blaming every broker they've ever tried......if you intend to invest substantial amount of capital then consider having accounts with several brokers, just in case one goes bankrupt or something like that.........

I think it’s a matter of preference; it’s like saying, “Do you prefer chicken or beef?” I would certainly narrow it down to a few candidates and set up a couple of practice accounts on both MetaTrader and proprietary platforms. Try each practice account for a couple of days, and see if you get the hang of it. I’d say giving each a couple of days or trading sessions is important because you want to get a real feel for it and not be too drawn to one just because it’s easy for you to get started on it. Break each one in like a new pair of new shoes.

Narrowing down should be based on, like the previous post mentions, choosing a “legit broker.” I’d interpret that as ones that are regulated by their respective regulatory bodies (NFA/CFTC in the US, FSA in the UK, etc.) From there check out their execution model and policies, platform, spreads/rollovers, resources they offer like educational courses/webinars/practice accounts, trading research, and whatever else you may deem as important. ForexFactory has a broker’s section that will help you with some of this:
http://www.forexfactory.com/brokers.php

One of the main benefits of trading on the MT4 is that you can run Expert Advisors on it. You can find a ton of these EA’s on this forum and online in general. I would say run them on your demo account and understand what they’re actually doing before committing to it with a live account. Basically, take your time and do your due diligence.

It's typically just a matter of personal preference. I actually have different approaches. When I scalp I use mahifx.com's platform. If I'm doing long-term trading, I'll do analysis on a MT4 account and place my orders with that broker. On the plus side, if you do decide to use MT4, a lot of brokers will have their own download version available with the variables already set up for their service.