SteadyPips EA
SteadyPips is a free trend-following Expert Advisor for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. It uses a 12/26 EMA crossover with a 200-EMA directional filter and ATR-based risk management to ride established trends on H1 while staying flat in choppy markets.
How It Works
- Trend detection — Calculates 12 EMA and 26 EMA on the working timeframe
- Direction filter — Requires price above the 200 EMA for longs (below for shorts)
- Volatility filter — Skips signals when ATR is below the configured threshold
- Entry trigger — Enters on EMA crossover in the direction of the 200 EMA
- Dynamic exits — ATR-based stop and target with trailing stop as the trade extends
Key Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Strategy | EMA(12/26) crossover with EMA(200) filter |
| Timeframe | H1 (recommended) |
| Pairs | EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, AUDUSD |
| Indicators | EMA (12, 26, 200), ATR (14) |
| Risk per trade | 2% (configurable) |
| Stop-loss | 1.5× ATR (dynamic) |
| Take-profit | 2.0× ATR (≈ 1:1.33 R:R) |
| Trailing stop | 1.0× ATR |
| Platform | MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 |
| Price | Free |
Risk Management (Built-in Safety)
- ATR-based stops — Stop-loss and take-profit adapt to current market volatility
- Trailing stop — Locks in profits as the trend extends
- Volatility gate — No entries during dead markets (avoids whipsaws)
- Position limit — Max 3 concurrent open trades
- Daily trade limit — Max 5 entries per day to prevent overtrading
- Automatic lot sizing — Position size derived from account balance × risk %
Best For
- Traders who want simple, transparent trend-following logic
- Accounts with $500+ balance
- Major pairs with clean trending behavior
- H1 timeframe for balanced signal frequency
Recommended Settings
- Risk percent: 2% (default), 1% for sub-$500 accounts
- EMA periods: 12 / 26 / 200
- SL multiplier: 1.5× ATR
- TP multiplier: 2.0× ATR
- Pairs: EURUSD, GBPUSD (best trend behavior)
- VPS: Recommended for uninterrupted operation
Getting Started
- Open a free XM account if you don’t have one
- Register your account to activate the EA
- Download SteadyPips EA (both MT4 .ex4 and MT5 .ex5 are provided)
- Install on MetaTrader following our step-by-step guide
- Attach to an H1 chart of EURUSD or GBPUSD and confirm “AutoTrading” is enabled
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SteadyPips EA really free? Yes, 100% free. We earn a commission from XM when you open an account through our link. The EA itself costs nothing.
What’s the minimum deposit? XM allows accounts with as little as $5, but we recommend $500+ for the EA’s position-sizing math to operate cleanly.
Can I use it with other brokers? The EA is designed and tested for XM. Account verification is required through our registration system.
Does it work on MT5?
Yes. Both MT4 (.ex4) and MT5 (.ex5) builds are available from the download page — pick whichever platform you use.
Read the Full Review
For a deeper breakdown — including the full parameter table, account-sized recommendations, Strengths/Risks, and side-by-side comparison with our other EAs — see the SteadyPips EA Review.
Related Resources
- What Is an Expert Advisor? — Beginner’s primer
- Moving Average Strategies — Foundation of trend-following
- How to Install an EA on MetaTrader — Step-by-step
- How to Backtest a Forex EA — Validate settings before live trading
- Forex Risk Management Guide — Protect your capital
- VPS for Forex Trading — Run your EA 24/7 without interruption
Trading forex carries significant risk. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Please read our risk disclosure before trading.