How to check if a trading bot is legit before you buy
Every EA seller shows a smooth upward curve. The question is whether that curve survives contact with a real account. These are the checks we run on every file, in plain words, so you can spot cap before you pay.
1. Ask for the file, not the screenshot
A screenshot of a balance can be cropped, edited or picked from the one good month. Ask for the full MT4 or MT5 report (HTML or Excel) or the strategy tester report. If the seller won't share it, that tells you something already.
2. Check the numbers add up
The report states its own totals: net profit, profit factor, number of trades. Add up the trades yourself (or let us do it). If the stated totals don't match the trades listed, the report has been edited.
3. Put real costs back in
Backtests often run with tiny spreads and no commission. A strategy that wins a few pips per trade can flip from profit to loss once real spreads, commission and slippage are added. This is the most common reason a "+300%" backtest dies live.
4. Look for a hidden martingale or grid
If the lot size jumps after losses, or many trades are open on the same symbol at once, the bot is probably doubling down. These systems show long smooth runs and then lose most of the account in one bad move. A high win rate with rare huge losses is the warning sign.
5. Watch out for curve fitting
A bot tuned to fit one past period can look perfect on that period and nowhere else. Signs: a very short test, results that only work on one symbol or one year, or performance that falls apart in the most recent months.
6. Check it isn't fading
Compare the latest quarter with the rest. A strategy whose recent results are much weaker than its early ones may already be broken.
7. Prefer live over backtest
A live statement from a real account, ideally months long, beats any backtest. Backtests are easy to polish; live accounts are harder to fake.
Check it in seconds
Drop the report on NoCap Edge and you get an A to D grade on the Cap Meter, the reasons in plain words, and the proof behind every number. It's free to start and needs no sign-up. It's analysis, not financial advice.