How Retail Algo Traders Actually Run Their Systems: The Real Setup Behind the Bots
How Retail Algo Traders Actually Run Their Systems: The Real Setup Behind the Bots TL;DR Retail algo trading isn’t just about writing a clever strategy — it’s about the full stack: execution platform, data feed, broker API, and reliable hosting. A popular Reddit thread in r/algotrading pulled back the curtain on how individual traders actually keep their systems running 24/7. The ecosystem splits into three camps: platform-native automation (MetaTrader, NinjaTrader, Sierra Chart), broker API setups (IBKR, TradeStation, Tastytrade), and crypto-focused pipelines built around tools like ccxt. Where you host your bot matters almost as much as what your bot does. ...