How to hire an MQL4/MQL5 developer: a checklist for traders
By Praveen Divvala · · 4 min read
Short answer
To hire a good MQL4/MQL5 developer, look for someone who turns your idea into a written specification before coding, explains how the EA will be back-tested, states clearly whether you get source code, offers support after delivery, and never promises profit. Their questions about your rules tell you more than any portfolio.
Checklist before you hire
Ask each candidate about these points and compare the answers:
- Specification first: will they write your rules down for you to approve before coding?
- Platform: do they build for your platform, MT4 (MQL4) or MT5 (MQL5)?
- Testing: how will the EA be back-tested, on which data, and will it be forward-tested on demo?
- Deliverables: compiled .ex4/.ex5 only, or source code too? Who owns it?
- Support: what happens if the EA misbehaves after delivery?
- Confidentiality: will your strategy be kept private?
Good signs
A good developer asks precise questions about your rules, points out ambiguities, says when something is not technically possible, and explains the limits of back-testing. Clear communication during scoping usually predicts clear communication during the build.
Red flags
Any one of these is a reason to keep looking.
- Promises of profit or a "guaranteed" prop firm pass
- Starting to code without agreeing a specification
- No mention of testing, or only a single back-test on one pair
- Unclear answer on source code and ownership
Freelance marketplace or direct?
Marketplaces add a layer between you and the developer. Working directly with the person who writes the code makes it easier to explain your strategy and to get fixes quickly after delivery. Either way, the checklist above is what matters.
General information about software and trading platforms, not investment advice. Trading leveraged products carries a high risk of loss. See the risk disclosure.