Whether to buy or build a trading bot comes down to your coding skills and how much time you want to invest. Buying saves time upfront, but if you don't know the underlying logic, a sudden shift in market conditions can quickly blow through your account limits. Building takes months, yet it forces you to understand every risk, parameter, and potential failure point.
For beginners starting with automation, it is usually best to begin by writing simple scripts manually. This ensures you fully grasp risk and position sizing before letting any algorithm touch real capital. When using automated strategies on prop firm accounts, you must always be extra careful with strict daily loss limits and consistency rules, as unexpected slippage or bad logic can breach your account in minutes.
We would love to hear from other members in the community: did you start with pre-made bots or code your own from scratch? Share your experiences below!