Automate MT5 without a VPS
Automated trading on MT5 needs the trade engine running around the clock, which is why people rent a VPS. But a separate VPS is not the only option. If you have a computer that can stay on, you can run the LOTUX bridge on it yourself: automation runs for as long as that machine is on with a stable connection. A VPS remains an option if you would rather not keep your own PC running - it is just another machine that stays on. Either way, LOTUX applies your risk rules on every order and you keep full control of the account.
Why people think MT5 needs a VPS
A VPS (Virtual Private Server) is a computer in a data centre that stays on 24/7. MT5 automation - an Expert Advisor (EA) or a signal bridge - only acts while the MT5 terminal is running, so if you trade from a laptop that sleeps or loses internet, automation stops. A VPS solves that by staying on. The real requirement is not "a VPS" specifically - it is "a machine that stays on with a stable connection". That machine can be your own PC or a rented VPS.
Run it on your own always-on PC
If you have a computer that can stay on (a desktop, a spare PC, or a home mini-PC), you do not need to rent a VPS. Install MT5 and the LOTUX bridge (the LotuxBridge EA) on it once and leave it running.
Add your account in LOTUX
In LOTUX, add your MT5 account and create its license key (it looks like LTX-XXXXXXXX).
Install the LotuxBridge EA
Download the LotuxBridge EA and add it to MT5 (Data Folder -> MQL5 -> Experts), then allow WebRequest / algo trading.
Attach it to a chart
Drag the LotuxBridge EA onto any chart and paste your license key. Your account shows online in LOTUX.
Leave the machine on
Keep the PC awake with a stable connection (disable sleep). Your signals now execute whenever they arrive.
What about MT5’s built-in VPS?
MetaTrader 5 also has its own built-in Virtual Hosting ("MT5 VPS") you can rent from inside the terminal. It is a fine way to keep an EA running. The difference with LOTUX is not the hosting - it is what runs on top: LOTUX applies your risk rules on every order, and connects TradingView, webhooks, AI/Telegram signals, and copy trading into the same account, across both MT5 and cTrader.
- Built-in MT5 VPS: keeps your terminal + EA online. Good for "just keep it running".
- LOTUX bridge (self-host): enforces your risk rules + routes multiple signal sources to your account, on whichever always-on machine runs your terminal.
Same story on cTrader
cTrader works the same way: the LOTUX cBot runs where your cTrader terminal runs. Keep it on your own machine and leave that machine on with a stable connection; a VPS is optional. You never need to code a cBot in C# - you install the ready-made LOTUX cBot once.
Automate MT5 your way
Run the LOTUX bridge on your own machine - the EA on MT5, the cBot on cTrader. Your risk rules apply on every order and the account stays yours.
Read the product docs →Frequently asked questions
- Can I really automate MT5 without a VPS?
- Yes. A VPS is just a machine that stays on. If you have a PC that can stay on, run the LOTUX bridge on it and there is no separate VPS to rent or configure. A VPS remains an option if you prefer one.
- Does my computer have to stay on?
- Yes - automation only runs while the machine running your MT5 terminal is on with a stable connection. If it sleeps, restarts or loses internet, automation pauses until it is back. Turn off sleep, or use a VPS if you want a machine that is always on.
- Does this work for cTrader too?
- Yes. The LOTUX cBot runs wherever your cTrader terminal runs - your own machine - with the same "no coding, your rules" approach, and the same need to keep that machine on.