FTMO
Algorithmic trading and EAs are allowed under its trading conditions. A third-party EA used by many traders can collide with the maximum capital allocation rule; hyperactive order traffic can also be challenged.
Read the firm’s rule ↗Know before you risk
The bot a prop firm allows is yours
Permission depends on the firm, account size, platform and current rules. Start with your own strategy and source code, then check the exact conditions before paying a challenge fee.
Four firms, four different conditions
Rules checked 29 September 2026. These summaries point to the firms’ own pages; read the current terms for your product before using any EA.
FundedNext
EA use on MT4/MT5 is limited to accounts below $50,000 and requires an EA add-on fee. Accounts of $50,000 or more must be traded manually. EAs are not allowed on cTrader or Match-Trader. Eligible EAs must avoid identical trades across accounts.
Read the firm’s rule ↗FundingPips
A third-party EA is normally limited to trade or risk management. The published personal-EA exception permits full automation with proof of ownership, while the Monthly Competition prohibits all EAs; the 1K Instant account has a separate exception.
Read the firm’s rule ↗Tradeify
Bots require sole ownership and exclusive use within Tradeify, with no high-frequency bot. Tradeify may request proof and a live video showing the code enabled on the trader’s own computer.
Read the firm’s rule ↗Built once, for you
Your rules. Your editable source code. Never resold. I freeze the account, platform, entry and exit rules, risk boundaries and negative cases before coding. The build includes evidence that the agreed software behavior works. It cannot certify that a firm will approve an account or pay a reward.
1. Check
Use the free LM0 brief to identify account-specific rule gaps.
2. Specify
T99 turns one strategy into a testable rule contract before implementation.
3. Build or repair
CR499 or E149 for a scoped bot; R49 for one defect in an existing bot.
A free risk display for MT5
PropGuard v1.1 shows account-wide equity buffers and all open positions. Its chart line is conditional: it assumes prices on other symbols stay still. The three firm presets require you to enter the exact day-open values and next reset time. Without them, the indicator hides the limit lines. It does not place trades or certify that a firm will approve your account.
Get the source and read the limits ↗What the check cannot promise
A backtest is a historical software check, not proof of live compliance. Feed differences, server time, spreads, account-wide exposure and later rule changes matter. No bot can promise a challenge pass, payout, return or the firm’s final approval. The checklist records what remains unverified before a trader decides.
Open the one-page checklist and PDF →