Short answer: which prop firms allow EAs?
All four prop firms we review allow Expert Advisors. That is only half the answer, because the differences are in the fine print: which platform, which account size, whether a bought EA is acceptable, how drawdown is calculated and what happens around news and weekends. An EA that runs without trouble at FTMO can fail at FundedNext on account size alone, and at The5ers because you do not own the source code.
This page collects the EA-relevant rules from each firm's official rules and help pages, with source and date. Where a rule differs by programme or we could not check it, that is stated. Our ratings of the firms are not changed by this page; grades and full reviews are in the individual reviews of FTMO, The5ers, FundedNext and E8 Markets.
Important: prop firms change their rules often, sometimes several times a year. FTMO, for example, replaced the Best Day rule of its 1-Step model with a consistency rule for orders from 12 Oct 2026. Always check the firm's current rules page before you buy a challenge.
The EA rules at a glance
Data as of 7 Nov 2026 for FTMO, The5ers and FundedNext. E8 Markets' help pages blocked our request on 7 Nov 2026; the E8 figures come from our check on 1 Oct 2026 and were not re-verified on 7 Nov 2026.
| Rule | FTMO | The5ers | FundedNext | E8 Markets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAs allowed | Yes, no add-on | Yes, in the CFD programmes | Only via paid add-on | Yes |
| Account size for EAs | no limit stated | no limit stated | below 50,000 USD (help article) or 5K–25K (rules page) | no limit stated |
| Platforms with EAs | MT4, MT5, cTrader | MT5, cTrader (+10 USD) | MT4, MT5 only | MT5, cTrader, Match Trader, TradeLocker |
| MT4 | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Third-party EA | allowed, risk of 400,000 USD cap per strategy | only if you own the source code | allowed, customise settings; pass EAs banned | allowed, one strategy per user |
| HFT / tick scalping | ultra-high-speed tools banned, max. 2,000 server requests/day | HFT and tick scalping banned | HFT, tick scalping, Quick Strike (30 sec) banned | max. 50% of trades under 1 minute |
| Latency / arbitrage | banned | banned | banned | banned |
| Grid / martingale | not explicitly banned, overexposure is | not named, bulk trading banned | grid banned | not verified |
| Hedging across accounts | banned | banned | banned | banned |
| Copy trading | signal services count toward the cap | banned | only between own accounts, no funded account | not verified |
| Daily loss | 5% (2-Step), 3% (1-Step) | 5% (High Stakes), 3% (Growth) | 5% / 4% / 3%, Instant none | 3% (One), 2.5% (Pro) |
| Maximum loss | 10% static (2-Step), 10% EOD trailing (1-Step) | 10% (High Stakes), 6% (Growth) | static 10 / 8 / 6%, Instant 6% trailing | One dynamic, Pro 8% static, Signature EOD |
| Minimum trading days | 4 (2-Step), none (1-Step) | 3 profitable days per step (High Stakes) | 5 / 2 / 2, Instant none | not verified |
| Consistency | 1-Step: best day max. 50% of total profit | 2-Step Plan: only on the Pro account | none stated | best day 40% (One), 35% (Signature) |
| News | funded Standard: no execution within 2 min | High Stakes: 2 min; otherwise no bracketing | funded/Instant: profits within 5 min count 40% | One funded: 5 min blocked |
| Weekend | funded Standard: close; challenge and Swing free | allowed | not verified | One/Pro allowed, Signature closes 23:00 |
| VPS | allowed, no US geolocation | not verified | add-on only | not verified |
The sources for every row are in the per-firm sections and collected at the end of the page.
FTMO: open to EAs, with a capital cap per strategy
EA policy. FTMO's strategy FAQ says it has no reason to restrict your strategy, "whether it's discretionary trading, algorithmic trading or EAs", as long as the trading is legitimate, in line with proper risk management and replicable on a live account. A stop-loss is not mandatory. On third-party EAs, FTMO warns that other traders may run the same EA and therefore the same trades. The cap of 400,000 USD in capital per trader or strategy across all accounts and products (before scaling) then applies, and identical trades from signal groups or copy-trading services explicitly count toward it. (strategy FAQ, accounts FAQ, as of 7 Nov 2026)
Forbidden practices. The list bans, among other things, exploiting errors in the price display or delayed price updates, using software, AI or ultra-high-speed tools for an unfair advantage, opposite positions alone or with others across connected accounts, gap trading before major news or less than two hours before a longer market closure, and overleveraging, overexposure and one-sided bets. EA accounts must not generate more than 2,000 server requests a day; the servers also cap open orders at 200 at a time and positions at 2,000 a day. FTMO does not list grid or martingale as a separate ban. (Forbidden Trading Practices, as of 7 Nov 2026)
Drawdown. The daily loss is 5% (2-Step) or 3% (1-Step) of the initial capital. The line is the balance at 00:00 CE(S)T minus that amount, but equity is what is tested, meaning balance plus open profit and loss, swaps and commissions. The maximum loss is 10%: static in the 2-Step model (100,000 USD account: limit at 90,000 USD) and end-of-day trailing in the 1-Step model, based on the highest end-of-day balance and only able to rise. The 2-Step model requires at least 4 trading days, the 1-Step model none. (Trading Objectives, as of 7 Nov 2026)
Consistency. 1-Step accounts from orders on or after 12 Oct 2026 have a consistency rule: the best day may be at most 50% of total profit, measured across all closed profits and losses. Exceeding it is not a breach; you simply keep trading until the ratio fits. Older 1-Step accounts keep the Best Day rule (50% of positive days' profit). The page states no such rule for the 2-Step model. (same source)
News and weekends. On the Standard FTMO Account, every order execution from 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after selected news is banned on the affected instruments, triggered stop-loss and take-profit orders explicitly included. Challenge and Verification and Swing accounts are exempt. Positions must be closed on the Standard FTMO Account before breaks of more than two hours, i.e. before the weekend; challenge phases and Swing accounts are exempt. The weekend FAQ's summary and main text are not worded identically, so ask support if in doubt. (news FAQ, weekend FAQ, as of 7 Nov 2026)
Platforms and VPS. MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView. VPN and VPS use is generally allowed according to the FAQ; the only exception is accessing MetaTrader and cTrader accounts from the United States, including through a VPS with a US location. (platform FAQ, VPN/VPS FAQ, as of 7 Nov 2026)
The5ers: any EA, as long as you own the source code
EA policy. The5ers allows "any EA you have" as long as it does not copy other people's signals, tick-scalp, run latency, reverse or hedge arbitrage, trade at high frequency or use emulators. The trader must own the EA's source code, and the stop-loss must be visible in the platform; a "stealth mode" stop-loss is not allowed. Accounts running banned EA types are closed without a refund, according to the FAQ. (EA FAQ, as of 7 Nov 2026)
Prohibited practices (page last updated 3 Nov 2026): third-party EAs where other traders have the same trades open, EAs whose source code the trader does not own, bulk trading (defined as "multiple trades open simultaneously", with no number), EAs generating an excessive number of server requests (also without a fixed threshold), scalping during the rollover night, copy trading and coordination with others, and bracketing around news. Grid and martingale are not named; the vague bulk-trading clause is still a real risk for grid EAs with many positions open at once. (Prohibited Trading Practices, as of 7 Nov 2026)
Drawdown by programme. High Stakes (2-Step): 10% and 5% targets, 5% daily loss, 10% maximum loss, three profitable days per step of at least 0.5% of the initial balance, leverage 1:100. The 2-Step Plan FAQ (updated 2 Nov 2026), by contrast, states a 3% daily loss based on the higher of the previous day's closing balance and closing equity, a 10% maximum loss from the initial balance and no consistency rule during evaluation; the page does not make clear whether this is a new programme alongside High Stakes. Hyper/Pro Growth (1-Step): 10% target, 3% daily loss, 6% stop-out, leverage 1:30. On Hyper Growth and Bootcamp Pro the daily limit is a daily pause: set at midnight GMT+3 on the higher of balance and equity; when hit, all trades are closed and the account is disabled until the next trading day, but not lost. The programme pages do not explicitly say whether the maximum loss is static or trailing; the wording "of your initial balance" points to a fixed level. (High Stakes, 2-Step Plan FAQ, Hyper Growth, daily pause FAQ, as of 7 Nov 2026)
News and weekends. In Growth and Bootcamp, news trading is allowed except bracketing (a buy stop and a sell stop placed together around the release). On High Stakes, no order may execute from 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after high-impact news, triggered pending orders included; profits made that way are deducted. Holding positions through news is allowed, and so is holding over the weekend. (news FAQ, as of 7 Nov 2026)
Platforms and VPS. MT5, cTrader (10 USD surcharge) and TradingView, TradingView only for US clients; no MT4. The platform choice is final after purchase. We found no explicit VPS rule (not verified). Watch out with the futures offering: its FAQ bans algorithmic trading, HFT and hedging, so the EA permission only covers the CFD programmes. (platform FAQ, futures FAQ, as of 7 Nov 2026)
FundedNext: EAs only as an add-on, and only on small accounts
EA policy. At FundedNext, EAs and VPS each need their own paid, non-refundable add-on. According to the help article (updated 8 Sep 2026), EAs are allowed only on accounts below 50,000 USD; from 50,000 USD you must trade manually. The "What is allowed" rules page instead speaks of 5K to 25K accounts. The two official pages contradict each other here; if in doubt, assume the narrower one. Automation runs only on MT4 and MT5, not on cTrader or Match-Trader. Each EA strategy is capped at 300,000 USD in capital, every EA must run a distinct strategy without identical trades across accounts, and its settings must be customised to your own style. EAs built to pass challenges are explicitly banned; the article names examples such as Prop Pilot EA, Forex Flex EA and X Pass Bot. Trade managers that only modify stop-loss, take-profit or lot size also count as EAs, and EAs that connect to Telegram or WhatsApp are banned. Violations can lead to a "soft breach", i.e. restarting the current phase. (EA help article, What is allowed, as of 7 Nov 2026)
Forbidden strategies. High-frequency trading, tick scalping and Quick Strike (positions closed within 30 seconds of opening; 30% or more of such trades is a violation, with a warning at 20% on challenge accounts), latency, gap and external-feed trading, arbitrage, group and cross-account hedging, copying third-party signals, grid trading and using EAs or a VPS without the add-on. Martingale is not named separately. Hedging inside one account is allowed; copy trading only between your own accounts and never with a funded account on either side; copier services such as Social Trader Tools or Duplikum are not allowed. (What is forbidden, strategies help article, as of 7 Nov 2026)
Drawdown. Daily loss 5% (Stellar 2-Step), 4% (Lite) and 3% (1-Step) of the initial balance, counting realised and unrealised results, swap and commission, with the reset at 0:00 server time. Stellar Instant has no daily loss limit. Maximum loss is static at 10%, 8% and 6% of the initial balance; on Instant it is 6% trailing, rising with profits and stopping at the initial balance. Minimum trading days: 5 (2-Step), 2 (Lite), 2 (1-Step), none on Instant. An account with no trade for 60 days is deactivated. (Trading Objectives, as of 7 Nov 2026)
News, weekends, platforms. News trading is free during the challenge phases. On funded and Instant accounts, profits from the window 5 minutes before to 5 minutes after high-impact news count at only 40%, losses in full. The rules pages state no weekend rule (not verified). Platforms: MT4, MT5, cTrader and Match-Trader (the last two with a 25 USD fee); US clients get Match-Trader only and therefore no EAs. (Trading Platforms, as of 7 Nov 2026)
E8 Markets: EAs allowed, but no MT4 and a one-minute rule
E8 Markets' help pages answered our request on 7 Nov 2026 with an access block, which we did not try to get around. The following points come from our check of the official pages on 1 Oct 2026 and are not re-verified.
EA policy. EAs are allowed, third-party robots included, under a one-strategy-per-user rule: if E8 sees several users with the same trades, the account can be closed. E8 itself recommends running your own EA. Server limits: 2,000 requests a day, at most 100 open orders and positions, 50 lots per ticket (20 on gold). At most 50% of trades may be held for less than one minute, and hedging across accounts is banned. We could not check a martingale rule. (EA article, Trading Policies, as of 1 Oct 2026)
Drawdown by product. Every product has a single phase. E8 One: preset 6% target, 3% daily loss, 4% dynamic drawdown that trails each closed profit until it reaches the starting balance; 40% best-day rule on the funded account, which also has a 5-minute news block either side of high-impact releases. E8 Pro: 8% target, 2.5% daily loss, 8% static drawdown until the first payout, and only 2% profit per day counts toward the target. E8 Signature: 6% target, end-of-day drawdown, a 2% daily pause on the funded account, 35% best day and all positions closed at 23:00 server time. Whether the daily loss is based on balance or equity, and which minimum trading days apply, we could not verify. (product overview, as of 1 Oct 2026)
Platforms. MT5, cTrader, Match Trader and TradeLocker, no MT4. We found no VPS rule (not verified). (platform article, as of 1 Oct 2026)
What this means for your EA: the checklist
Before you buy a challenge, check your EA against these points. In practice they decide pass or fail more often than the strategy itself.
- Platform first. If your EA runs only on MT4, only FTMO and FundedNext remain of the four firms, and FundedNext only with the add-on and on small accounts. The platform differences are covered in MT4 vs MT5 for algo trading.
- Settle source code and licence. If all you have is a compiled .ex4/.ex5 file of a bought EA, The5ers is out. At FTMO and E8, a widely sold EA carries the risk of identical trades across many buyers. What to watch for when buying is in how to buy a forex EA.
- Match the drawdown type to the equity curve. A grid or recovery EA with deep floating losses copes with a static 10% limit better than with a trailing limit that has moved up after a winning run. Measure the largest equity drawdown from the backtest against the limit, not the balance drawdown. Why the balance drawdown of grid EAs misleads is explained in grid and martingale EAs: the risks.
- Plan for an equity-based daily limit. All three verified firms test the daily loss against equity, open positions included. Put your own hard stop well ahead of the firm's line, for example at 80% of the allowed daily loss. Our free Daily Loss Limit tool enforces a daily limit on MT5, and Plimsoll is built for firm profiles and trailing limits.
- Mind the reset time zone. FTMO resets at 00:00 CE(S)T, The5ers at 00:00 GMT+3 in several programmes, FundedNext at 0:00 server time. An EA that tracks its daily result by broker or local time is otherwise off by hours.
- Derive the lot size from the daily limit. Risk per trade must be small enough that even a losing streak on one day stays inside the limit. The formula is in position sizing and risk per trade.
- Turn on a news filter. The funded accounts of FTMO (Standard), The5ers High Stakes, FundedNext and E8 One have news windows of 2 or 5 minutes either side. At FTMO even a triggered stop-loss inside the window is a violation, so a filter should stop placing new orders and delete pending orders beforehand. How to configure one is in news filters for EAs; our free News Filter handles it on MT5.
- Check holding time and trade frequency. If your EA closes many trades in under 30 seconds (FundedNext Quick Strike) or under one minute (E8), or generates thousands of order modifications a day (FTMO: 2,000 server requests), it does not suit these firms, however profitable it is.
- Weekends and daily close. Swing EAs need a Swing account at FTMO or must close before the weekend on the Standard funded account; on E8 Signature the firm itself closes everything at 23:00 server time.
- Do not mirror the same setup across accounts. Opposite positions across accounts are banned everywhere, and identical trades across accounts or buyers count toward capital caps at FTMO and FundedNext.
The full process from configuration to running on a VPS is in the guide passing a prop-firm challenge with an EA. For a stable Windows server for the challenge, see VPS for EAs.
Common reasons EA accounts get breached
The daily loss is breached by floating losses. The most common case with grid, martingale and recovery EAs: no trade is closed at a loss, but the open positions push equity below the daily line. Because FTMO, FundedNext and The5ers test equity, the account is gone at that moment, often in the middle of the night.
The trailing limit has moved up. After a good week, the loss limit of a trailing account sits higher than at the start. An EA that then makes its normal drawdown, harmless in the backtest, breaches the limit even though the account is still in profit overall.
A stop-loss inside the news window. At FTMO every execution within the 2-minute window counts, your own stop-loss included. An EA without a news filter that happens to have a stop just below the price triggers a violation without anyone making a decision.
A banned strategy instead of a loss. Accounts are not only ended by drawdown: tick scalping, too many server requests, Quick Strike ratios or a robot known as a pass EA lead to closure or a restart, sometimes even after a passed challenge, during the review before a payout.
The same EA at many buyers. A widely sold commercial EA produces identical trades across many traders. FTMO counts them toward the cap per strategy, E8 toward the one-strategy-per-user rule, and The5ers bans such EAs. The account then fails on a rules review, not on a loss.
Wrong time zone or platform. A daily loss guard that resets at midnight broker time does not fit a firm that calculates at 00:00 GMT+3. And an EA running on a cTrader or Match-Trader account at FundedNext is simply not permitted there.
Inactivity. An EA that waits weeks for its setup can trigger inactivity rules, such as 60 days at FundedNext and 30 days at The5ers High Stakes.
Which firm suits which type of EA?
Based on the rules above, without changing the grades from our reviews:
- MT4 EA, including bought ones: FTMO is the obvious choice. FundedNext only works with the add-on and a small account.
- Self-coded MT5 EA with a fixed stop-loss: all four fit technically, and The5ers requires exactly that.
- Swing EA holding over weekends: FTMO with a Swing account, The5ers, or E8 Markets One/Pro.
- Grid or recovery EA: explicitly banned at FundedNext, elsewhere defensible only with a hard equity stop well ahead of the daily limit.
- Scalping EA with very short holding times: check Quick Strike (FundedNext), the one-minute rule (E8) and the HFT ban (The5ers) carefully first.
How we rate the firms overall, including payouts and scaling, is in the prop-firm comparison for algo traders and on the prop firm hub. Two pairs head to head, with cost per attempt, payouts and scaling: FTMO vs. FundedNext and FTMO vs. The5ers.
Sources
All pages are official rules, FAQ or help pages of the respective firm.
- FTMO, as of 7 Nov 2026: Trading Objectives · Forbidden Trading Practices · strategies and EAs · accounts and capital cap · news · overnight and weekend · platforms · VPN/VPS
- The5ers, as of 7 Nov 2026: EA rules · prohibited practices · High Stakes · 2-Step Plan · Hyper Growth · daily pause · news · platforms · futures FAQ
- FundedNext, as of 7 Nov 2026: EA help article · What is allowed · What is forbidden · prohibited strategies · Trading Objectives · platforms
- E8 Markets, as of 1 Oct 2026 (not reachable on 7 Nov 2026): EA article · Trading Policies · product overview · platforms