MT5 EA Setup Checklist (Broker, VPS, Risk, Timeframe) – Copy/Paste Guide
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MT5 EA Setup Checklist (Broker, VPS, Risk, Timeframe) – Copy/Paste Guide

27 December 2025, 16:00
Flora Rosa Seeholzer
Flora Rosa Seeholzer
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Most people don’t lose money with EAs because the EA is “bad”.

They lose because they set it up wrong.

Wrong timeframe. Wrong symbol settings. Wrong broker conditions. Random risk. Constant tweaking. No testing process.

If you want an EA to perform like a real system, you need a clean setup.

This guide is evergreen and practical: copy/paste it, use it for any EA, and stop guessing.

Step 1: Choose the right broker (this affects everything)

Before you touch settings, understand this:

Your EA is only as good as your execution.

Spread, slippage, and order filling rules can completely change results — especially for:

  • Gold (XAUUSD)

  • breakouts

  • fast continuation moves

  • volatile sessions

That’s why I recommend starting with brokers that work well for EA execution:

IC Trading – Raw spreads / low-cost trading

https://bit.ly/3KvI9RO

Pepperstone – Compatible with most EA strategies

https://bit.ly/4ophy72

If you want fewer “mystery” differences between demo/live and fewer surprises during volatility, broker choice is not optional. It’s part of the system.

Step 2: Use a VPS if you’re serious (24/7 stability)

If you run EAs on:

  • a laptop

  • WiFi

  • a PC that sleeps

  • a computer that restarts or updates

  • a terminal with 50 charts and indicators

…you’re not testing the EA. You’re testing chaos.

A VPS gives you:

  • stable uptime

  • consistent execution

  • fewer disconnections

  • fewer missed trades

If you can’t run 24/7 reliably, your EA can’t either.

Step 3: Follow the EA’s intended symbol + timeframe (do not freestyle)

This is the #1 beginner mistake: changing timeframe “because it looks better”.

EAs are built and tuned around a specific behavior.

My ProTrading EAs are intentionally simple and optimized for specific use cases:

JPY Trend EA ProTrading (USDJPY)

  • Intended workflow: USDJPY on H1

  • Trend continuation logic with clean, rule-based execution

MT5: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/157484
MT4: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/157485

Gold Trend Breakout EA ProTrading (XAUUSD)

  • Intended workflow: XAUUSD on M15 (primary)

  • Breakout logic designed for Gold volatility

MT5: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/157465
MT4: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/157466

If you want clean results, don’t freestyle:

  • run the intended symbol

  • run the intended timeframe

  • keep settings stable long enough to generate real data

Step 4: Decide your risk model (this matters more than entry logic)

EAs don’t blow accounts because of one trade.

They blow accounts because of:

  • too much risk per trade

  • stacked exposure

  • inconsistent sizing

  • “it’s going well so I’ll increase it” logic

Use one of these simple risk rules:

Conservative (recommended)

  • 0.25% to 0.75% per trade

Balanced

  • 1% per trade

Aggressive (not recommended if you’re new)

  • 2%+ per trade

If you want to scale, scale slowly. Your goal is to survive the ugly weeks.

Step 5: Install the EA correctly (MT5/MT4 quick checklist)

Platform + account

  • Use the correct platform version (MT4 or MT5) for your EA

  • Confirm you’re on the right account (demo vs live)

Settings that must be enabled

  • AutoTrading / Algo Trading: ON

  • Allow live trading: ON

  • Allow DLL imports only if the EA requires it (many don’t)

Symbol settings

  • Confirm the symbol name matches (XAUUSD vs GOLD vs XAUUSDm, etc.)

  • Confirm trading hours/sessions

  • Confirm your broker’s stop level rules (some brokers restrict pending orders)

Step 6: Run a proper test workflow (the part most people skip)

If you want reliable decision-making, follow this order:

Phase 1: Demo (verification)

Goal: confirm the EA behaves as expected:

  • it places orders logically

  • it manages trades correctly

  • no errors

  • stable execution

Phase 2: Small live (reality check)

Goal: confirm execution and spreads/slippage in real conditions.

Phase 3: Scale slowly (only after stability)

Goal: increase risk only when the data supports it, not when you feel confident.

The mistake is jumping from demo to full-size live with no process.

Step 7: Stop “tweaking” (settings changes destroy your edge)

This is the silent killer:

People change parameters every week.

You can’t evaluate an EA if you keep changing the strategy.

Pick:

  • one timeframe

  • one risk level

  • one mode/preset
    …then let it run.

If you change settings constantly, you’ll never know what works.

Step 8: If your goal is prop firm scaling, don’t ignore Axi Select

Most traders obsess over prop firm challenges, but challenges often push you into:

  • rushing performance

  • overtrading

  • risk spikes to hit targets fast

If you want a prop-style path that makes more long-term sense, look at Axi Select.

Axi Select link:
https://bit.ly/48TlcAc

If you’re building an automated setup, it’s worth comparing it to challenge models before you waste months resetting evaluations.

Copy/paste setup template (do this every time)

  1. Pick broker with good execution

  1. VPS (optional but recommended for 24/7)

  2. Correct symbol + timeframe

  • USDJPY H1 (JPY Trend EA)

  • XAUUSD M15 (Gold Trend Breakout EA)

  1. Set risk (start conservative)

  2. Install EA + enable algo trading + confirm symbol name

  3. Demo → small live → scale slowly

  4. No constant tweaking

  5. If scaling is the goal, compare:

Links to the ProTrading EAs

JPY Trend EA ProTrading (74 USD)
MT5: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/157484
MT4: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/157485

Gold Trend Breakout EA ProTrading (74 USD)
MT5: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/157465
MT4: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/157466

If you follow this checklist, you’ll avoid 90% of the common EA mistakes — and you’ll finally be judging the strategy on real performance, not setup errors.