Building and Scheduling Algo Strategies

Head to the Algorithmic Trading page to build automated strategies, set when they run, and let them trade for you within your account's rules. Everything you automate stays under the same limits as manual trading, so your strategy has to respect your plan just like you do.

## Build Your Strategy
On the Algorithmic Trading page you define the logic your strategy follows and the symbols it trades. Automated strategies can work the same simulated stocks, futures, and multi leg options you trade by hand, so a strategy can place orders on the Trade terminal instruments or build option positions like the ones on the Options screen. As you design it, decide what triggers an entry, how large each position is, and how it exits. You can lean on the same Take Profit and Stop Loss bracket idea used on manual positions to auto exit at a chosen percent, dollar, or price.

## Point It at an Account
A strategy runs against one of your accounts, so pick the account you want it to trade before you turn it on. Because contract limits, position size caps, and the daily loss limit and maximum drawdown all vary by plan, your strategy has to stay inside whatever account you bind it to. You can review those live figures on the Pricing page or on your Accounts page.

## Schedule When It Runs
Scheduling lets your strategy run on its own without you watching the screen. Set the times or conditions you want it active, and it will act while you are away. Keep in mind that market hours still apply, so a strategy only trades when the underlying market is open for its symbols.

## Safeguards and Responsibility
Automation includes safeguards to protect your account. If an account becomes untradable, for example after a rule breach, the strategy auto pauses instead of firing orders into a dead account. You can also set up alerts for executions and account events on the Alerts settings. Even so, you are responsible for any strategy you run and the trades it places, so review it and start small.

If you would rather copy another trader or connect an AI agent by MCP than build a strategy yourself, those options live on the same page. For account-specific questions, email [email protected].

Build carefully, test in a paper account first, and let your best ideas run while you focus elsewhere.