Part of our prop firm guide series. Start with What is a Prop Firm? (2026 complete guide), then explore: MetaTrader 5 on Alpha Capital · copy trading UK · prohibited strategies · swap-free accounts · trading evaluation · AI on a prop firm evaluation · platforms · plans.
TL;DR: On an Alpha Capital evaluation, an expert advisor is allowed only on MetaTrader 5, and only for risk management and trade assistance. A bot that enters and exits by itself is not allowed. You turn the feature on at checkout, then send the file for approval before you use it. cTrader, DX Trade, TradeLocker, swap-free accounts, and Alpha Direct do not have EA access.
Key takeaways
- An expert advisor is allowed only on MT5, and only for risk management and trade assistance.
- Enable the add-on at checkout, then send the file and wait for approval.
- A bot that places trades closes the account immediately. An unapproved EA disqualifies the evaluation immediately.
- cTrader, DX Trade, TradeLocker, swap-free, Alpha Direct, the Free Trial, and the Focused Trader Group do not have EA access.
Quick answer: You can use an EA on this prop firm evaluation if it is a risk-management or trade-assistance tool on MT5 and that file has been approved. You cannot use an EA that places trades without you. On a Qualified Account, the EA feature has to have been enabled and used during the evaluation.
Can you use an expert advisor on an Alpha Capital evaluation?
Yes, on MT5. The EA has to be a risk-management or trade-assistance tool. Lot-size calculators, stop-loss and take-profit tools, break-even tools, and general risk controls sit in that group. Those tools are approved only after the file itself is approved.
The account is an evaluation on simulated funds. If the EA executes trades on its own, without a person overseeing it, it is not allowed.
Copying another person's trades is a separate rule. Alpha Capital's copy-trading rules cover when a copier is allowed and when copying someone else counts as group trading. An EA and a trade copier are not the same request.
Which expert advisor is allowed on a prop firm evaluation?
| EA type | On an Alpha Capital MT5 evaluation |
|---|---|
| Lot size, stop loss, take profit, break-even, risk control | Allowed after that file is approved |
| A bot that enters and exits without you | Not allowed. The account is closed immediately |
| High-frequency trading or latency arbitrage | Not allowed. The account is closed immediately |
| An EA you have not sent in for approval | Not allowed. The evaluation is disqualified immediately |
| The same third-party EA placing identical trades across multiple traders | Treated as a breach of the no group trading policy. The account may fail |
A third-party EA carries that group-trading risk. The policy names multiple traders using the same EA and placing identical trades. It does not describe one person using an approved file on their own account.
Other prohibited practices are listed in prohibited trading strategies on Alpha Capital.
What should you check before you use an EA on a prop firm?
- EA add-on enabled at checkout. Select Enable EA when you buy. That click does not finish the setup. Support still has to turn the feature on.
- EA file submitted and approved. Email the EX5 file to support@alphacapitalgroup.uk before you use it. Send the MQ5 source file as well if you have it.
- Platform supports EAs. MT5 is the only platform with EA access. The list is on Alpha Capital platforms.
- Account type is eligible. A normal MT5 evaluation can use an approved risk tool. Swap-free, Alpha Direct, a Free Trial, and a Qualified Account in the Focused Trader Group cannot.
Which Alpha Capital accounts cannot use an EA?
Setup for MT5 is in the MetaTrader 5 guide on Alpha Capital.
| Account or platform | EA access |
|---|---|
| MT5 evaluation, after approval | Risk-management EAs only |
| cTrader | Not available. See cTrader on Alpha Capital |
| DX Trade | Not available. See DX Trade on Alpha Capital |
| TradeLocker | Not available. See TradeLocker on Alpha Capital |
| Swap-free | Not available. See swap-free accounts on Alpha Capital |
| Alpha Direct | Not available. EAs are disabled on these accounts. See Alpha Capital Instant Funding |
| Free Trial | Not enabled |
| Qualified Account in the Focused Trader Group | Not permitted, including an EA that was on before |
How do you get an expert advisor approved?
- At checkout, select Enable EA. That click does not finish the setup.
- Contact support so the feature can be turned on.
- Email support@alphacapitalgroup.uk with the EX5 file. If you have the MQ5 source file, send that too.
- Wait for approval before you use the EA.
Does the expert advisor have to be on during the evaluation?
Yes, if you want the feature on the Qualified Account. It has to be enabled and used during the evaluation. A Qualified Account is still a simulated account. What the evaluation itself requires is in what a trading evaluation is on Alpha Capital.
What do traders ask about an EA on a prop firm?
Can a prop firm EA place the trades for me?
Not on Alpha Capital. Lot-size calculators, stop-loss and take-profit tools, break-even tools, and general risk controls can be approved. A system that enters and exits on its own is prohibited, and using one closes the account immediately.
Can I use an EA on cTrader, DX Trade, or TradeLocker?
No. Those platforms do not have EA functionality here. MT5 is the only platform that can run an approved risk tool.
Can I add an EA after I pass?
Only if it was enabled and used during the evaluation. A Qualified Account in the Focused Trader Group cannot use an EA at all.
Are EAs allowed on Alpha Direct or a swap-free account?
No. Alpha Direct has EAs disabled. A swap-free account does not have EA access either.
What happens if I use an EA before it is approved?
The evaluation is disqualified immediately.
Are EAs enabled on a Free Trial?
No. Expert advisors are not enabled on Free Trial accounts.
Can several traders use the same EA?
If multiple traders use the same EA and place identical trades, that is a breach of the no group trading policy and the account may fail.
Do I still have to contact support after I select Enable EA?
Yes. Selecting Enable EA at checkout does not finish the setup. Support still has to turn the feature on, and the EX5 file has to be approved first. The MQ5 source file can be sent as well when you have it.
Alpha Capital evaluations and Qualified Accounts use simulated funds. A performance fee is performance-based. Passing does not guarantee a fee. Simulated results do not reflect live trading outcomes. This is general information, not investment advice.
