Bots and prop firms: what to check before you automate
Of the 25 futures prop firms we track, 8 allow automated trading with conditions, 6 allow only semi-automated tools and 6 don't allow bots. The full list, with sources, is on prop firms that allow bots.
What "allowed" usually means
- Your own strategy, not a bought one: many firms ban third-party bots and copy-pasted strategies traded by many people.
- No high-frequency trading and no exploiting simulated fills (latency or price-feed tricks).
- You're responsible: a bug that breaks a rule fails the account like a manual mistake.
- Sometimes only in the evaluation, or only after approval for funded and live accounts.
Checks before you automate
- Read the firm's rule for each phase — evaluation, funded and live can differ. Our firm pages show all three.
- Check the platform and data costs: some firms charge a monthly fee for API access or external software.
- Make the bot enforce the daily loss limit, the contract limit and any news restrictions itself.
- Keep a written copy of the rules on the day you buy: firms change them.
Copy trading between your own accounts has separate rules: see prop firms that allow copy trading.
FAQ
Will a prop firm find out if I use a bot?
Yes, firms can see order patterns and timings. Using a bot where it's banned is a common reason for refused payouts.
General information, not financial or tax advice. Figures about accounts come from our data and update with it.