Guides for MetaTrader EA Traders

Everything we get asked, written out properly. No account needed, nothing gated. Each one answers a single question that people actually get stuck on, and says where in MetaTrader to check.

Last updated 29 September 2026

Start here

If you have just bought an EA and want it running correctly the first time.

Free tool Lot Size Calculator Put your balance in and it returns the Fix_lot value to type into the EA, with the arithmetic shown. Open it → Installing an EA on MT4 and MT5 Where the file goes, what to tick on the Common tab, and why it loads but never trades. Read →

When something is wrong

It is installed, and it is not doing what you expected.

Hedging vs Netting Accounts Why MT5 refuses to run on the wrong account type, and how to tell which one you have. Read → EA Not Opening Trades Seven causes in order of likelihood, and the line each one writes in the Journal. Read → Demo Works, Live Does Not Spread, commission, stop level and execution: the eight things that actually changed. Read → Server Time and Trading Hours Why an EA's hours are the broker's hours, how to find the offset, and what daylight saving does to it. Read → The "Invalid Stops" Error The broker refused the order because the stop sat too close to price. How to find which rule, and what to change. Read →

Before you buy

How to judge any EA, ours included, before paying for it.

Grid vs Martingale Where each one adds risk, with the lot arithmetic our own defaults produce. Read → One-Time vs Monthly What each model costs over three years, and what the licence is really attached to. Read → Reading a Backtest Report Which numbers in the MT5 report mean something, which are decoration, and the two that expose a curve-fitted EA. Read → Spotting a Forex EA Scam Nine signals that separate an overstated product from a dishonest one, and how to check each yourself. Read →

Running it live

The practical side once real money is involved.

EAs on Prop Firm Accounts Drawdown rules, why the sizing has to be smaller, and what to check before you risk the fee. Read → Do You Need a VPS? What actually breaks when the terminal is not running, and the cheapest honest option. Read → Choosing a Broker for an EA Account type, spread, stop level and execution: what to check before depositing, and where each number is written. Read →

14 guides published so far. New ones are added regularly.