Forex VPS for running an EA

The problem it solves

Close the laptop lid and trading stops. Lose the wifi and trading stops. Let Windows install an update overnight and trading stops — this last one is by far the most common, and it is silent.

A VPS is a rented always-on Windows machine in a data centre. It is on permanently, connected to a data-centre network, and unaffected by anything happening in your house.

What it does not solve

Latency is what providers advertise most and it matters least for most retail strategies. A server near the broker saves tens of milliseconds, which is meaningful for high-frequency systems and irrelevant for a strategy entering on confirmed structure on M1 to M15 bars.

It also does not remove the Windows Update problem — it moves it. A VPS that restarts and does not relaunch MetaTrader is exactly as stopped as a closed laptop. See MT5 disconnected on the VPS.

Specification that is actually needed

• ·One MetaTrader terminal: roughly 2GB of RAM and a single core is adequate.
• ·Several terminals: budget proportionally more RAM, and expect charts and indicators to be the memory cost rather than the EA.
• ·Windows Server or Windows desktop — either works, but it must be Windows. There is no Linux MT5 desktop terminal.
• ·Configure active hours to prevent automatic restarts, and set MetaTrader to launch with Windows.

Test the failure rather than assuming it. Reboot the VPS deliberately once, then confirm MetaTrader relaunched, logged in and the EA reattached with a smiling face.

Free alternatives

Many brokers provide a free VPS above a deposit or monthly volume threshold, which is worth checking before paying separately. MetaQuotes also sells a hosting service directly from inside the terminal, which is simpler but less flexible than a full VPS.

Our Mobile + PC plan includes a VPS because the alternative is asking someone to leave a computer running permanently, and because the bot cannot run on a phone at all — see can I run a trading bot on my phone.