beginner - difference between EA and Signals

[shloss]

Hi, I am new to MetaTrader and mql5 website, I ended up here looking for an automatization for my trading account. I found robots both in the form of "Signals" and "EA". What is the difference and which should I choose?

[Ronnie Mansolillo]

shloss:
Hi, I am new to MetaTrader and mql5 website, I ended up here looking for an automatization for my trading account. I found robots both in the form of "Signals" and "EA". What is the difference and which should I choose?

Hi shloss,an EA is an algorithm that you can use on your terminal attaching to a chart. A signal is a connection between accounts so all trades from provider are copied on subscriber account.

[shloss]

Ronnie Mansolillo:
Hi shloss,an EA is an algorithm that you can use on your terminal attaching to a chart. A signal is a connection between accounts so all trades from provider are copied on subscriber account.

Thanks Rookie. So an algorithm could be used by a provider to send me signals, or, if the algorithm is available to me, I could alternatively use it on my terminal (EA)?

[Ronnie Mansolillo]

shloss:

The algorithm can have an infinity on functions and one can be to send trades but in this case you also need one on your terminal to receive the trades.

In alternative the signal service doesn't require EA's to send and receive trades, just subscription and terminals always connected to internet.

[shloss]

Ronnie Mansolillo:

The algorithm can have an infinity on functions and one can be to send trades but in this case you also need one on your terminal to receive the trades.

In alternative the signal service doesn't require EA's to send and receive trades, just subscription and terminals always connected to internet.

thanks Ronnie!

I guess beginners all go for signals...

EAs maybe are for people more into coding, right? 

[Ronnie Mansolillo]

shloss:

thanks Ronnie!

I guess beginners all go for signals...

EAs maybe are for people more into coding, right? 

Your welcome, this last question is hard. I don't think is about coding experience but trading skills. Anyway trading systems come often from manual trading so experienced traders. Also is true that algos should contain the trading skills of the ideator.so is up to personals choices.

[shloss]

Ronnie Mansolillo:
Your welcome, this last question is hard. I don't think is about coding experience but trading skills. Anyway trading systems come often from manual trading so experienced traders. Also is true that algos should contain the trading skills of the ideator.so is up to personals choices.

one question about the robots available in the Market section. You can test them on past data, I tried, but for example I can't understand if the profit statistics is including the "loss" due to spread or not. What do you think?

[Ronnie Mansolillo]

shloss:
one question about the robots available in the Market section. You can test them on past data, I tried, but for example I can't understand if the profit statistics is including the "loss" due to spread or not. What do you think?

Mt4 or mt5 strategy tester?

[shloss]

Ronnie Mansolillo:
Mt4 or mt5 strategy tester?

Mt5, now am not on the platform but I guess it was strategy tester

[Ronnie Mansolillo]

shloss:
Mt5, now am not on the platform but I guess it was strategy tester

Shloss take a look to this links,they should be usefull to understand strategy tester:

https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/1511

https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/75

the anwer to your qustion about spread is inside this post:

https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/13128