Build Alpha helps you create automated trading strategies without writing MQL-then validates robustness before deploying.
Many EA builders can assemble rules. None are great at detecting curve fitting. Build Alpha combines strategy generation, backtesting, and stress testing so you can avoid misleading backtests.
What is a MetaTrader EA?
An Expert Advisor (EA) is a program that automates trading decisions in MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5. EAs can enter/exit trades, manage risk, and run hands-off. The hard part isn’t writing an EA or automated trading system. The hard part is finding an EA logic that’s robust enough to survive live market conditions and the ever-changing financial markets.
A quick note: Expert Advisor, automated trading strategy, an algo, a trading bot, trading robots are all used interchangeably and effectively mean the same thing.
Build Alpha sample workflow (Generate → Validate → Export)
Below is a step-by-step guide on how a trader can use Build Alpha as an Expert Advisor builder to generate countless Expert Advisors suited to the trader’s risk tolerances and objectives.
Build Alpha has been operating in the algorithmic trading space for nearly a decade with thousands of users worldwide in over 70+ countries.
Generate EA logic without coding
The trader can choose to build a single strategy by selecting specific signals or the trader can select thousands of signals and have Build Alpha find the best strategies for him. This flexiblity is a huge advantage. The latter uses both a genetic algorithm and artificial intelligence (my background is in machine learning) to search profitable parameters and hyper parameters automatically. All with no coding skills or programming skills needed.
Build Alpha is 100% no code.
The trader can choose between simple logic like trailing stops, stop losses, profit taking and other money management rules as well as advanced signals covering everything from
- price
- volume
- volatility
- breakouts
- candlesticks
- technical indicators
- multiple timeframes
- intermarket
- news events
- weather data
- google search trends
- market breadth
- options flows
- and more
Backtest with realistic assumptions
After selecting signals and automatically generating strategies on historical data, the trader can review performance metrics, trade lists, equity curves, drawdown analysis, and risk points. The results window pictured below shows a unique generated strategy on each row and a different performance metric in each sortable column.
Validate Robustness (critical)
Build Alpha has institutional-grade robustness and validation methods. The trader can run any system through a gauntlet of stress tests in order to identify lying backtests prior to risking real capital. The most common validation methods are
- Monte Caro simulations to stress drawdowns and streaks
- Noise Testing to detect overfit strategies
- Out-of-sample testing to validate on unseen data
- Vs Random to establish a baseline for luck or sanity-check
- Walk Forward testing to see how stable parameters are over time
To learn more please read the full Robustness Testing Guide.
Export MT4/MT5 code
In the lower right of the results window, simply press either the ‘Generate MT4 code’ or ‘Generate MT5 code’ button and Build Alpha will generate tradeable code for the selected strategy. Copy and paste this code into the MetaEditor, compile and test in the strategy tester.
Note: Build Alpha also supports other trading platforms such as: TradeStation, MultiCharts, Ninjatrader8, TradingView, Pro Real Time, and Interactive Brokers.
Why most EAs and popular EA builders fail (and what to do about it)
The most common failure modes are routinely seen among many Expert Advisors, signal vendors, and knock off platforms. I can put them into a succinct list.
- Over-optimized parameters fitted to noise
- Unrealistic assumptions (slippage, spreads, execution)
- Regime dependency (works only in one environment)
- Low sample size / cherry-picked periods
How Build Alpha helps
Build Alpha allows traders to automate entire workflows so traders only see strategies that pass performance filters and robustness testing. Build Alpha sets filters for Robustness tests (Monte Carlo, Noise Test, Vs Random, etc.), does out-of-sample testing, and supports walk forward optimization. These key features make it much harder for the data to lie to us.
These are the professional tools traders utilize to become comfortable with risk taking.
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) vs MetaTrader5 (MT5)
MetaTrader 4 is slightly older than MetaTrader 5, but both are still operational (at the time of writing). Truthfully, MetaTrader4 has a huge ecosystem and many developed broker connections. Despite being older it is still widely used. MetaTrader5 is a newer platform, multi-asset improvements and is growing in adoption. If you’re just starting with MetaTrader platforms opt for MetaTrader 5.
MetaTrader FAQs
MQL4 and MQL5 are the proprietary coding languages for their respective MetaTrader platforms. You do NOT need to know how to write code to use Build Alpha and MetaTrader.
No! Build Alpha is the opposite. Build Alpha is an institutional-grade trading research and strategy generation platform for building and, more importantly, validating your own EAs.
Yes, Build Alpha works for the forex market. In fact, Build Alpha supports all asset classes including forex, CFDs, futures, stocks, ETFs and cryptocurrencies.
Yes. Below is a simple (random) strategy generated in Build Alpha, Excel and MetaTrader4 to demonstrate an exact match in all three platforms. You can expect entry and exit and risk management to align on price charts. Small differences in accuracy can be largely attributed to forex data provider differences.
Yes, there is the ability to export data directly from MT4/5 and import directly into Build Alpha for testing. It is not required but it is available. Whether you have free or purchase data it can be used in Build Alpha.
Put simply, experienced traders use the robustness tests (Monte Carlo, Noise Test, Vs Random), avoid overly precise parameters, and validate out-of-sample (or with walk forward).
Yes, Build Alpha allows traders to create custom indicators via a no-code editor or add custom python scripts. Custom indicators will work on live account and current prices.
Most forex brokers that offer MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 will support automated trading via Expert Advisors (EAs) because this is a core feature of MT4/MT5.
Yes, Build Alpha focuses on professional strategy development but has traders with various knowledge bases from all over the world. In order to provide more value to a wider base of traders there is now a 5-hour, on-demand Strategy Training available to license holders.
