How to Set Up a MetaTrader Bot on a VPS (Step-by-Step)

I remember the first time I lost a perfect trading setup just because my internet cut out in the middle of a London session. My laptop froze for thirty seconds — long enough to miss a 1:4 reward-risk opportunity. That day, I realized something that every algorithmic trader eventually learns:

If your trading bot isn’t running on a stable, always-on environment, it’s not truly automated.

Years later, and after running dozens of EAs (Expert Advisors) across different brokers and market conditions, I now set up every single MetaTrader bot on a Virtual Private Server (VPS) — and recommend the same to anyone serious about automation.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the exact process, not with vague steps, but with clear, field-tested advice. If you’re new to this or nervous about the technical side, don’t worry. I’ll explain it the way I’d explain it to my junior traders.

 

Why You Need a VPS for Automated Trading

Trading bots — no matter how brilliant their logic — are only as good as the environment they run on. MetaTrader doesn’t offer cloud deployment out of the box. That means if you run an EA on your home computer, it depends entirely on:

•         Your local power

•         Your internet connection

•         Your machine is staying on, stable, and undisturbed

A VPS solves this by providing a remote Windows environment that stays online 24/7, optimized for fast execution, low latency to your broker, and independent from your device.

Think of it as renting a virtual “trading computer” that lives in a professional data center. You connect to it, set up your bot, and it keeps working — even when your laptop is shut.

 

Choosing the Right VPS for MetaTrader Bots

All VPS providers are not the same. Some are too slow. Some throttle CPU usage. Some are meant for hosting websites, not low-latency financial apps.

For running a MetaTrader EA smoothly, look for a VPS that offers:

•         Windows Server OS (2016 or higher)

•         At least 2 GB RAM and 1 vCPU (for running 1–2 MT instances)

•         SSD storage

•         Low ping (less than 50ms) to your broker’s server

•         Dedicated IP address

•         99.9% uptime guarantee

I recommend choosing a VPS close to your broker’s server location. For example, if your broker is Exness or AvaTrade, check where their trading servers are located (usually London or Frankfurt) and pick a VPS in the same region.

 

Step-by-Step: Setting Up a MetaTrader Bot on Your VPS

Let’s walk through the entire setup from scratch. Even if you’ve never used a VPS before, follow these steps and you’ll be up and running within 30 minutes.

 

Step 1: Rent a VPS and Get Login Details

Once you sign up with a VPS provider, they’ll send you an email with:

• Server IP address

• Username (usually “Administrator”)

• Password

This is your remote computer. You’ll connect to it like you’re logging into a second machine — but it lives in a data center, not your desk.

 

Step 2: Connect to the VPS via Remote Desktop

If you're using Windows, just open Remote Desktop Connection (search "mstsc" in the Start menu).
Paste the IP address, click connect, and enter your login credentials.

Once connected, you’ll see the desktop of your VPS — a clean Windows interface ready for trading.

On Mac or Linux? No problem. You can use apps like Microsoft Remote Desktop (Mac App Store) or Remmina (Linux).

 

Step 3: Install MetaTrader (MT4 or MT5)

Download the MetaTrader installation file from your broker's official website.

Avoid installing from third-party sites — even a small alteration could compromise your security.

Copy the .exe file from your local machine to the VPS using drag-and-drop in the Remote Desktop window, or download it directly using the VPS browser.

Run the installer, choose the default settings, and launch MetaTrader.

 

Step 4: Add Your Expert Advisor (Bot) to MetaTrader

Once MetaTrader is installed, locate its Data Folder (File > Open Data Folder).

Inside it, you’ll see this path:

MQL4 > Experts (for MT4)

MQL5 > Experts (for MT5)

Copy your EA (.ex4 or .ex5 file) into this folder.

Then close and reopen MetaTrader, and you’ll see your EA listed in the Navigator panel under “Expert Advisors”.

Tip: Right-click and select “Refresh” if it doesn’t appear right away.

 

Step 5: Attach the Bot to a Chart

Open the chart of the asset you want the bot to trade (e.g., XAUUSD), then drag your EA onto the chart.

Make sure the following settings are enabled:

•         “Allow live trading”

•         “Allow DLL imports” (if needed)

•         Correct input parameters and risk settings

Click “AutoTrading” (green button at the top) to activate the bot.

From now on, your EA is live, and thanks to the VPS, it will continue running 24/7.

 

How to Keep It Safe and Monitored

Setting up your bot is only half the journey. Here’s how I manage my VPS setups for reliability:

•         Restart the VPS once a week to free up memory

•         Use a monitoring script (or external tools) to track the EA status

•         Create snapshots of your VPS settings after major changes

•         Keep login credentials in a password manager — and don’t share them

•         Limit installs to only necessary apps to keep the environment lean

 

How SMARTT Simplifies This Entire Process

If you're using a signal-based trading system like SMARTT, here's the best part:

You don’t need a VPS at all.

SMARTT installs directly on your broker account (through secure API or direct trade execution) and handles:

•         Bot setup

•         Signal connection

•         VPS-grade uptime

•         Trader monitoring

•         Automated portfolio management

This makes it perfect for beginners or busy traders who don’t want to deal with technical steps.

But if you’re manually running your own EA on MetaTrader, VPS is still the industry standard — and this guide gives you the complete playbook.

👉 You can explore how our automated gold strategies work on the Copy Trading page.

👉 If you prefer direct guidance, reach out via the Contact Us page.

 

Final Thoughts

As someone who's tested and deployed dozens of bots, let me tell you:

Automation isn’t just about code — it’s about the environment.

A $2,000 EA can fail miserably if you run it on an unstable system.

A simple VPS, set up correctly, turns MetaTrader from a desktop app into a professional-grade trading machine.

If you’re serious about running EAs, treat the VPS not as an optional luxury, but as a core infrastructure. Once you do, you’ll never go back.

And if all of this sounds too technical or time-consuming?

Let SMARTT handle the automation for you, with built-in strategy execution, risk control, and performance optimization, all without touching a VPS or chart.