Learn
What is an EA (Expert Advisor)?
An Expert Advisor (EA) is a program that runs inside the MetaTrader 4 or 5 platform and can open and close trades automatically based on its rules.
Why people use EAs
- They follow rules without emotion.
- They can watch the market 24 hours a day.
- They can be tested on past data.
Backtests vs forward tests
A backtest runs the EA on historical prices. It’s easy to tune a robot until the past looks perfect (“curve fitting”). A forward test runs it on live or demo markets going forward — much more honest evidence.
Do you need a VPS?
An EA only works while MetaTrader is running. Many people rent a small VPS (virtual private server) so it runs 24/5 even when their computer is off. See Tools.
Red flags
- Promises of guaranteed or “monthly” profits.
- Only backtests, no verified live results.
- Martingale or grid systems that add to losing trades.
- Pressure to buy now.
We post our own forward tests on the Test Results page and review EAs in EA Reviews.