cTrader VPS Setup Guide: Run cBots 24/7 on a Windows Server

To run cTrader on a VPS, you rent a Windows server close to your broker's trade server, connect to it over Remote Desktop (RDP), install the cTrader desktop app from your broker, and start your cBots there. Because the server stays on when your own computer is off, your cBots keep running through the night, weekends and power cuts at home. The rest of the job is making sure they survive RDP disconnects, reboots and Windows updates.

Why run cTrader and cBots on a VPS

cBots built with cTrader Automate run inside the cTrader desktop application. If cTrader closes, your cBots stop. On a home PC that happens more often than people expect: sleep mode, an automatic update, a router restart, a power cut. A VPS removes most of those causes:

• Always on. The server runs in a data center with stable power and network.

• Closer to your broker. A server near your broker's trade server shortens the network path for every order.

• Separate from your daily computer. What you install, close or restart on your laptop does not touch your trading environment.

A VPS does not change what your strategy does. Trading involves risk; the server only removes avoidable technical interruptions.

Step 1: choose a location near your broker

Find out where your broker's cTrader servers are. Brokers often state it in their documentation, and support can tell you if they do not. Many brokers host in London or New York. Pick the VPS location that matches, then confirm with a quick test once the VPS is running. Our guide on Forex VPS location and broker server latency explains how to measure it properly. IM HOST Forex VPS is available in London, New York and Chicago.

For sizing, count cTrader as one terminal, just like an MT4 or MT5 instance. If you are unsure how much RAM you need, read Forex VPS requirements and RAM per terminal first; the same logic applies to cTrader.

Step 2: connect over RDP and prepare Windows

1. Connect with Remote Desktop using the IP address and Administrator credentials you received. If the terms are new to you, the difference between a Windows VPS and RDP is a quick read.

2. Change the Administrator password to a long, unique one.

3. Install pending Windows updates now, before you start trading, and reboot once.

4. Set the time zone you prefer for reading logs. cBots use the time zone defined in their own code, so this is only for your reference.

Step 3: install cTrader desktop

Inside the RDP session, download cTrader from your broker's website rather than from a random mirror. Brokers ship branded builds that are pre-configured for their servers. Install it, sign in with your cTrader ID and connect your trading account. If you trade with more than one broker, install each broker's build; each one counts as a separate terminal for resources.

Before adding cBots, trim the app the way you would trim a MetaTrader terminal: close charts you do not need, keep watchlists short, and drop heavy indicators that exist only for visual analysis. Do your analysis on your own computer and keep the VPS for execution.

Step 4: run your cBots

Copy your cBot source or the compiled .algo file to the VPS, or rebuild it there in the cTrader code editor. Then:

1. Open the Algo (Automate) section and add an instance of the cBot to the right symbol and timeframe.

2. Set the parameters and review the access rights the cBot requests. A cBot that only trades needs no extra access; grant wider rights only to code you wrote or fully trust.

3. Start the instance and watch the Log tab for its first messages.

Adding a small heartbeat to your own cBots makes it easy to see later whether they are still alive:

using System;
using cAlgo.API;

namespace cAlgo.Robots
{
    [Robot(AccessRights = AccessRights.None)]
    public class Heartbeat : Robot
    {
        protected override void OnStart()
        {
            Timer.Start(TimeSpan.FromMinutes(15));
        }

        protected override void OnTimer()
        {
            Print("Heartbeat {0} | equity {1}", Server.Time, Account.Equity);
        }
    }
}

Every 15 minutes the cBot writes a line with the server time and account equity. If the lines stop, something needs your attention.

Step 5: keep running after you close RDP

This is where most beginners lose their cBots. There are two ways to leave a Remote Desktop session:

• Disconnect: close the RDP window with the X button, or choose Disconnect. Your Windows session keeps running in the background with cTrader open. This is what you want.

• Sign out / log off: Windows closes every application in your session, including cTrader, and your cBots stop.

Make it a habit: always disconnect, never sign out, unless you actually intend to stop trading.

Step 6: auto-start after a reboot

Reboots will happen, whether from updates, maintenance or a restart you trigger yourself. Plan for them:

1. Automatic sign-in. Desktop applications only start when a user session exists. Microsoft's Sysinternals Autologon tool configures Windows to sign in automatically and stores the password encrypted rather than in plain text. Understand the trade-off: after a reboot the server sits at a signed-in desktop, so keep RDP access locked down (see Step 8).

2. Start cTrader at sign-in. Press Win+R, type shell:startup, and place a shortcut to your cTrader build in that folder.

3. Check your cBots after every restart. Depending on your cTrader version and settings, running cBot instances may or may not start again on their own. Test it once on a demo account so you know, and until you are sure, check the Log tab after each reboot.

Step 7: take control of Windows updates

Unplanned restarts in the middle of the week are one of the most common reasons cBots stop on a VPS. Updates still matter for security, so the aim is to schedule them, not to disable them.

• On Windows Server, set updates to download and wait for you to install them. You can do this in sconfig under the Windows Update settings, or in Group Policy (gpedit.msc) under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Configure Automatic Updates.

• Install updates and reboot during the weekend market close, then confirm cTrader and every cBot are back before the market opens again.

Step 8: monitoring and security

• Check the logs. The heartbeat above tells you at a glance whether a cBot is alive. The cTrader Automate API also includes notification methods, such as email, that a cBot can call when something goes wrong.

• Watch resources. Open Task Manager once a week. A steady climb in memory usually points to a cBot or indicator that needs fixing.

• Lock down RDP. Use a long password, keep Network Level Authentication on, and where possible allow RDP only from your own IP addresses in Windows Defender Firewall. The guide to securing a Windows VPS and hardening RDP goes further.

• Protect your cTrader ID with a unique password and any extra sign-in protection your account offers.

• Keep your cBot sources off the server as well, in version control or at least a private backup.

Frequently asked questions

Do cBots keep running when I close Remote Desktop?

Yes, as long as you disconnect. If you sign out, Windows closes cTrader and the cBots stop with it.

Which location should I choose for cTrader?

The one closest to your broker's cTrader servers. Ask your broker where they are, then confirm with a latency test from the VPS.

Can I run cTrader and MetaTrader on the same VPS?

Yes. Count each running platform as one terminal and size the RAM accordingly.

How much RAM does cTrader need?

It depends on charts, watchlists and the cBots you run. Measure it in Task Manager after setup and leave room for Windows itself.

Running cTrader on IM HOST Forex VPS

IM HOST Forex VPS comes with Windows Server installed automatically (the Windows licence is not included), full Administrator RDP access, dedicated vCPU, NVMe storage, free daily backups and a 1 Gbit port. Plans are sized by terminal count, and servers are available in London, New York and Chicago, so you can place cTrader close to your broker.