Plaidoyer to restore zero spread backtests in MT5

[Jean Francois Le Bas]

I don't use MT5 to develop my strategies.

The reason is that you cannot backtest an EA without historical spreads

The reason it's important is because let's say you write a strategy, and then it loses continually

you try different settings but all loses.

Your conclusion will be that it is a losing strategy, right ?

But maybe you would've removed the spread it would've been profitable !

THEN you know that the problem is the cost of trading not the strategy.

You might think "it doesn't matter you don't trade live without spreads".

Well if the strategy is sound, there are different things that you can try to fix the cost issue:

1) change time frame : use the same strategy but on a higher TF

2) use bigger Trailing Stop

3) adapt settings of the EA (for example if you're using a MA period of 2 try a period of 10)

4) raise SL/TP, etc

you tweak your parameters a little bit and all of a sudden it becomes profitable ! It happens to me all the time

the problem with spread backtesting is that you don't know if the problem is your strategy or the spread !

that's a big issue ! I CANNOT develop sound strategies with the spread included !

This would be such a simple but huge fix to MT5!

thanks

Jef

[Enrique Dangeroux]

You can create a custom symbol, remove the spread and test on that symbol.

It does not make any sense though, trading forward the spread is there.

[Jean Francois Le Bas]

Enrique Dangeroux #:

You can create a custom symbol, remove the spread and test on that symbol.

It does not make any sense though, trading forward the spread is there.

typical answer. I'm gonna repeat. it's a pain in the butt to create a custom symbol with zero spread.

I want an easy solution, not a nightmare one

[Enrique Dangeroux]

Jean Francois Le Bas #:

typical answer. I'm gonna repeat. it's a pain in the butt to create a custom symbol with zero spread.

I want an easy solution, not a nightmare one

Again, testing with zero spread while there is no such conditions in reality is self deception, whatever you find in the tester will not work outside the tester. I remind you that it is not possible to withdraw tester Dollars.

If creating a custom symbol is too difficult for you, perhaps it is better to go straight to the factory (c) TD.