Strategy testing and trading software · Germanycontact@stratcorealpha.com · DE
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Transparent MetaTrader 5 pricing guide

MQL5 EA Development Cost and Scope Guide

Understand what changes the cost of a custom MQL5 Expert Advisor, what a bounded EUR 149 entry build includes and when a EUR 39 specification should come first.

The checklist

  1. 1

    Freeze one usable first version

    Price the smallest complete workflow that can be accepted independently. Additional symbols, strategies, dashboards and integrations should not be hidden inside an undefined first build.

  2. 2

    Choose specification or implementation

    A EUR 39 specification audit is the safer first milestone when timing, state transitions or acceptance examples are unresolved. A bounded implementation can start at EUR 149 only after those decisions are explicit.

  3. 3

    Count rule states, not indicator names

    A crossover may be simple, but cooldowns, re-entry, partial exits, break-even, trailing and daily locks create separate states that must be implemented and tested.

  4. 4

    Define order and position ownership

    State whether the EA manages only its own magic number, one symbol, all symbols or manual trades. Broader authority increases both risk and verification effort.

  5. 5

    Specify sizing and protection

    Fixed lots are smaller in scope than cash-risk sizing with tick-value validation, broker-volume rounding, stop-distance checks and failure handling.

  6. 6

    Freeze the broker environment

    Account mode, symbol properties, filling modes, server time and terminal build determine how much environment-specific validation is required.

  7. 7

    List every dependency

    Custom indicators, DLLs, APIs, paid data, licensing and connector services must be identified before a fixed quote. Hidden dependencies are not a valid acceptance plan.

  8. 8

    Separate UI from trading logic

    Panels, chart objects, reports and multilingual controls are real product work. Quote them separately from the underlying entry, exit and risk state machine.

  9. 9

    Provide deterministic fixtures

    At least one must-trade, one must-not-trade and relevant boundary or restart cases reduce ambiguity and make a fixed price more reliable.

  10. 10

    Bound revisions and support

    Define what counts as a defect against the frozen requirements, how many correction rounds are included and whether future strategy changes are a new milestone.

Common questions

How much does a custom MQL5 Expert Advisor cost?

The current StratCoreAlpha entry implementation starts at EUR 149 for one bounded, explicitly specified workflow. A EUR 39 specification audit can come first when key rules are unresolved. Multi-strategy logic, integrations, custom interfaces and broader testing require a separate fixed quote.

Why not quote a complete EA from a short strategy description?

Terms such as trend, confirmation, risk control or smart exit do not define software behavior. A reliable quote needs exact timing, formulas, state transitions, broker assumptions and acceptance examples.

Are backtest optimization and profit targets included?

No. Implementation is accepted against agreed software behavior. Parameter optimization, data research and strategy validation are separate scopes. No profitability or drawdown outcome is promised.

Is editable MQ5 source included?

Yes for the agreed implementation scope. Any third-party or separately licensed dependency must be disclosed before the order and cannot be silently withheld behind a private strategy library.

Free diagnostic resource

Build a free trading-bot scope brief

Turn the platform, rules, timing, risk and acceptance examples into one reviewable brief before requesting a fixed quote.

Open the free tool

Ready for a feasibility check?

Hire MQL5 Developer: Tested EA Build — 149 USD

Review the service

Trading risk disclosure

Futures and forex trading contains substantial risk and is not for every investor. An investor could potentially lose all or more than the initial investment. Risk capital is money that can be lost without jeopardizing one's financial security or lifestyle. Only risk capital should be used for trading, and only those with sufficient risk capital should consider trading. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.

Hypothetical performance disclosure

Hypothetical performance results have many inherent limitations. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown. There are frequently sharp differences between hypothetical performance results and the actual results subsequently achieved by any particular trading program. Hypothetical results are generally prepared with the benefit of hindsight, do not involve financial risk, and cannot completely account for the impact of financial risk in actual trading. Market conditions, the ability to withstand losses, and adherence to a trading program can all materially affect actual results.

NinjaTrader trademark disclosure

NinjaTrader® is a registered trademark of NinjaTrader Group, LLC. No NinjaTrader company has any affiliation with the owner, developer, or provider of the products or services described herein, or any interest, ownership or otherwise, in any such product or service, or endorses, recommends or approves any such product or service.

Testimonials, when shown, may not represent the experience of other clients and are not a guarantee of future performance or success. Virtual-currency trading carries additional risks. See the CFTC customer advisories. Read the full financial risk disclaimer.