Best 11 crypto trading bots for 2023

Diligently checking the crypto markets on a daily—or perhaps hourly—basis: it’s an adrenaline rush, but is it the most efficient way to trade? If efficiency is your goal, algorithmic cryptocurrency trading bots can help.

Trading bots are one tool in the arsenal of savvy crypto traders interested in algorithmic trading and data-informed automation to grow profits while minimizing risk and limiting losses.

A crypto trading bot is just a program that operates online and performs tasks more efficiently than a human possible come. It’s estimated more than half of traffic on the Internet is comprised of bots that interact with websites and users, run content scans, and do other tasks, like trading crypto on behalf of savvy holders.

This article showcases bots our experts individually selected and tested to help you select the bot that’s right for your goals.

Best crypto trading bot overall: Cryptohopper

Best for those getting started with crypto trading bots, and our choice for best crypto trading bot overall. 

Cryptohopper has a lot going for it: it works with 100+ tokens on 15 exchanges and has more than half a million users. As such, its packages (ranging from $0 - $99/mo) offer something for everyone. Beginners will find a wealth of educational resources, templates, copybots, and signals, while experts can design and backtest their own strategies. Hosted in the cloud for quick deployment, Cryptohopper’s deep toolbox and user-friendly interface make it our top all-around choice. 

• Exchanges: Binance, Binance US, Bitfinex, Bitpanda Pro, Bittrex, Bitvavo, Coinbase Pro, Crypto.com, HitBTC, Huobi Pro, KuCoin, Kraken, OKX, Poloniex,

• Fees: $0 - $99/mo (annual discounts available)

• Programming Language: User interface, no programming required

Best bot for technical day traders (runs locally): Gunbot

Best for technically competent traders interested in a feature-rich crypto trading bot with a high degree of control.

Gunbot isn't especially easy to use, but it's full of features—if you're willing to get over the learning curve. This tool's price reflects that it's a tool for very advanced traders, particularly those who are comfortable coding their own scripts.

It works differently than most bots: it's a one-time purchase of a software download. This means that its security depends on you, and also that you can resell the license if you're not satisfied or stop using it. Gunbot has an active community for support and pre-built scripts.

• Exchanges: Beaxy, Binance, Binance Futures, Binance US, Bybit, Bitfinex, Bitmex, Bitmex Testnet, Bitstamp, Bittrex, CEX, Coinbase Pro, Gate.io HitBTC, Huobi Global, Kraken, Kraken Futures, MEXC, okGunbot, OKX, Poloniex, Txbit, others through CCXT library

• Fees: Lifetime licenses range from .014 BTC - .04 BTC, with available add-ons for additional fees

• Programming Languages: Javascript or user interface

Best bot for day traders (cloud): HaasOnline

Best for technically competent day traders interested in developing and optimizing their own crypto trading bot.

HaasOnline's TradeServer has long been a solid but pricey choice for traders who write their own scripts and want to run a trading bot locally. However, HaasOnline recently expanded its offerings with the release of TradeServer cloud, which gives their crypto trading bot users access to its tools 24/7/365 on any compatible device. What's more, HaasOnline's cloud version employs Edge Computing, which means its bots are closer to exchanges' trade servers, giving this solution lower latency than many competitors.

• Exchanges: Binance, Binance Futures, Binance.US, Bitfinex, BitMEX, bitpanda Pro, Bitstamp, Bittrex, ByBit, CEX.io, Coinbase Pro, Deribit, Gemini, HitBTC, Huobi, Ionomy, Kraken, Kraken Futures, Kucoin, Mandala, OkCoin, OKX, Poloniex

• Fees: .006 BTC to .014 BTC for 3 months (6-month and annual discounts available)

• Programming language: HaasScript (proprietary)

Best bot for Python users: Trality

Best for those familiar with Python interested in writing code for their own trader bot.

What sets Trality apart is its powerful Python API, which lets traders use this familiar language and libraries to develop bots. Its in-browser coding features include intelligent autocomplete and backtesting, debugging, and soon, rebalancing. This bot has been slower than some others to introduce new features and exchanges. However, its easy-to-use Python integration and detailed documentation make complex bot building more transparent.

• Exchanges: Binance, Binance US, Bitpanda, Coinbase Pro, Kraken

• Fees: €0 - €59.99/mo (annual discounts available)

• Programming Languages: Python

Best bot for advanced traders: 3Commas

Best for advanced trader bot users interested in more sophisticated bot trading, including programmatic options strategies.

3Commas offers sophisticated trading options in a user-friendly, surprisingly affordable package, making it a good choice for independent traders looking to adopt more complicated strategies with a feature rich terminal operating on 17+ major exchanges. For example, options trading is a tricky business, but 3Commas has a simple, highly-visual user interface that helps investors program automated options strategies. As an added bonus, 3Commas’ blog offers valuable insights, analytics, and guides for crypto traders.

• Exchanges: Binance, Binance Futures, Binance Margins, Binance US, Bybit, Bybit Futures, BitMEX, Bittrex, Bitfinex, Bitstamp, Crypto.com, Deribit, Gate.io, Gate.io Futures, Gemini, Huobi, Kraken, KuCoin, OKX, Poloniex

• Fees: $0 - $99/mo (annual discounts available)

• Programming Language: User interface, no programming required

Best bot for no-code trading rules: Coinrule

Best for journeyman traders looking for no-code training rules.

Coinrule is a safe and easy-to-use platform to create automated trading instructions for top exchanges, including Binance, Coinbase Pro, and Kraken. This platform allows regular traders to compete with algorithmic traders without the need to code or script. Select from over 250 rules or create your own with an easy-to-use interface. They also offer leverage strategies and one-on-one training at higher subscription levels.

• Exchanges: 15+ of the most popular exchanges, including Binance, Coinbase Pro, OKX, HitBTC, BitPanda Pro, Bitstamp, Kraken, BitMex, and KuCoin

• Fees: $0 - $449.99/mo billed annually

• Programming Language: User interface, no programming required

Best bot for beginning traders: TradeSanta

Best for novice traders interested in learning about crypto trading bots and an all-in-one crypto trading platform.

TradeSanta markets itself as great for novices, and so it is, with affordable pricing, approachable mobile and desktop interfaces, risk management tools, and pre-built templates. However, what really makes it stand out is its user support chat, which isn't very common among competitors; "Santa's Helpers" are standing by to help.

• Exchanges: Binance, Binance Futures, ByBit Coinbase Pro, HitBTC, Huobi, OKX

• Fees: $0 - $70/mo (50% annual discounts available)

• Programming Language: User interface, no programming required
  

Best exchange-built bots: Pionex

Best for those interested in free built-in trading bots on a popular exchange.

Pionex is a cryptocurrency exchange that gives users access to 16 free, built-in trading bots, including grid, DCA, and arbitrage bots. The $0 price tag is appealing. So is the fact that because the bots are built into the exchange, the user doesn’t need to wrestle with any API integrations to quickly find the best crypto trading bot for their needs.

• Exchanges: Pionex (arbitrage is on spot-futures)  

• Fees: No monthly fee but a .05% trading fee on each grid trading transaction

• Programming Language: User interface, no programming required

Best free trading bot for highly technical users: Ichibot

Best for those comfortable with the command line and typescript who want a trading bot they can code and control.

Ichibot is more of a tool than a bot. It's run completely through the command line interface and won’t make any trading decisions on its own. It’s a trade strategy design platform for those who prefer code over clicks. Users can design complicated trade strategies for Binance and other exchanges and execute them in real-time to take advantage of market fluctuations.

• Exchanges: Binance, Bybit, GlobeDX

• Fees: None 

• Programming Language: Used as a CLI (Command Line Interface), but written in typescript

Best social trading bot: Shrimpy

Best for those seeking a comprehensive way to manage their crypto portfolio long-term, with social trading.

Shrimpy is focused on total, long-term portfolio management with social trading. In addition to enabling automatic trading, portfolio rebalancing, and cross exchange performance monitoring, Shrimpy also connects users with a unique social feature. Traders can copy trade the strategies of top users. Or, if their own trades are highly successful, they may find themselves on top of Shrimpy’s “leaderboard,” which provides an opportunity to earn monthly income from posting.

Shrimpy’s engaged community, large number of supported exchanges, and easy-to-use interface have made it a top automatic trading platform.

• Exchanges: Bibox, Binance, Binance US, Bitfinex, Bitmart, Bitstamp, Bittrex, Bittrex Global, CEX,io, Coinbase Pro, Gate.io, Gemini, HitBTC, Huobi Global, Kraken, KuCoin, OKX, Poloniex

• Fees: $0-$49 per month (annual discounts available)

• Programming Language: User interface, no programming required

Best for long-term portfolio strategy: Stoic 

Best for Binance users looking for long-term portfolio strategy options, including multi-cycle, swing, and long only.

Stoic AI is a long-term bot that works like a hedge fund. Linked with a user’s Binance account, this crypto trading bot serves as a crypto-quant hedge fund that manages your crypto portfolio using trading algorithms developed by the Cindicator team. The app utilizes a long-only index strategy for the top-30 altcoins, a fixed income algorithm, and a long-short active trading strategy and automatically rebalances your portfolio based on forecasts from a network of 180,000 financial professionals. 

• Exchange: Binance, Binance US 

• Fees: $9 - $25/mo up to a 5% annual deposit fee (for $10k+ portfolios)

• Programming Language: None, mobile app

Cryptocurrency trading bots are computer programs that create and submit buy and sell orders to exchanges based on the rules of a pre-defined trading strategy. For example, a very simple trading bot might be programmed to sell Bitcoin when its price reached a certain threshold.

In short, crypto trading bots enable trading based on data and trends—not on emotional impulse. Ultimately, this usually grows their profits, minimizes their risks, and limits their losses across exchanges. Furthermore, bots can produce passive income 24 hours a day. Whether you’re sleeping, biking, giving a presentation, whatever: you could also be earning from automated trades.

Automated trading is supported by a growing number of platforms, but we’ve done the research and presented our favorites below.

Features to look for in crypto trading bots and tools

When assessing crypto trading bots and tools, you’ll want to look at some key features to determine which is the best crypto trading bot for you. These include:

• Code or no-code: does the bot require knowledge of a programming language?
  

• Pricing: is access to the trader bot free, require a monthly or annual subscription, and/or is there a trading fee for use?
  

• Support: does the bot provider offer support, and if so, at what level? Beginner traders may want one-on-one phone or chat support.
  

• Exchange integration: what exchanges can a given trader bot be used on? Is the bot built-in to an exchange (e.g. Pionex’s bots)?
  

• Mobile app: will you be able to monitor your bot with a mobile application on the go?
  

• Social integration: does the bot support copy trading, so you can benefit from successful traders’ strategies and track records?
  

• Simulated trades: does the bot platform offer backtesting and paper trading so you can simulate a given trader bot’s performance before deploying it?
  

• Bot types and strategies: what types of a bots and strategies does a given platform offer? We’ll look at some common strategies further in this article.

How much does a crypto bot cost?

The price of crypto bots ranges from free, to a small monthly or annual fee, through to thousands of dollars in annual deposit fees. Some crypto bots are charged a small percentage trading fee, as with Pionex’s .05% trading fee on each grid trading transaction. Many crypto trading bot platforms offer very limited free bot trading trials for users.

Perhaps the number one advantage to crypto trading bots is they remove the emotion from trading cryptocurrencies. Crypto is highly volatile, and trading manually can lead users to panic, become overconfident, and make emotional rather than rational decisions. A crypto trading bot has no such issues and will execute trades based purely on data, without attachment to funds or sentimentality about market conditions.

That noted, cryptocurrency bots are not perfect. With a boy working for you, you might be tempted to step away from crypto entirely and assume the bot has things handled. This can lead to complacency, and it’s important to check in with your bot periodically to ensure it’s functioning and working toward your goals.

There are also security concerns. Crypto trading bots typically conduct trades via APIs and so require no ongoing manual input. Bad actors might target bots or exchanges, so you should take extra steps to secure yourself. Deactivate automatic withdraws and take extra precaution with your API keys and passwords.

A crypto trading bot will in many cases execute more trades than a human could or would. This can lead to confusion during tax season, as you might feel the need to pour over every transaction and do complex calculations around fees, gains, etc.

TokenTax can take the headache out of tax season after a year of successful crypto bot trading with the best crypto bot you’ve found for your goals. Out platform integrates with dozens of the world’s most popular exchanges, so you can import your crypto bot trades in minutes, greatly simplifying your annual crypto tax preparations.

We are both crypto tax calculation software and a full-service crypto tax accounting firm, so whether you want to prepare your crypto taxes yourself with our software or need some extra assistance, we’re able to help you accurately file even the most complicated crypto taxes. 

You’ve selected your best crypto bot, programmed its strategies, and watched its results. Now, how do you file taxes on these transactions?

Put simply, crypto bots trade on exchanges on your behalf. So when it comes time to report cryptocurrency on your taxes, you just need to import your trades from these exchanges into cryptocurrency tax software. It’s the same process you’d use for trades you make yourself.  

When choosing a bot trading strategy, it’s crucial to be aware of how many trades the bot will be making. High frequency trading bots making dozens or hundreds of trades a day can result in tens—or even hundreds—of thousands of transactions that must be reported. This increases the complexity of your tax calculations, even if you're using a crypto tax calculator. However, if you determine high frequency passive crypto trading is the right strategy for you, TokenTax can handle such trading with the appropriate crypto tax plan.

Are cryptocurrency trading bots profitable? They can be if used properly. Here are a few of our best crypto trading bot strategies to help you discover the right trader bot for your situation and goals.

Arbitrage bots

A crypto arbitrage bot is a computer program that compares coin prices across exchanges in order to make automated trades that take advantage of price discrepancies.

For example, a BTC arbitrage bot might identify that Bitcoin is trading for $200 more per token on Kraken than it is on bitFlyer. It would then buy BTC on bitFlyer and quickly sell it on Kraken in order to make a small profit.

Grid bots

A grid bot is simple and good for beginners. You simply set multiple “grids” of upper and lower cost limits for a certain cryptocurrency. The bot then makes a series of interchangeable trades and incrementally accumulates profit. Let’s say you had the following parameters for COMP:

• Lower limit: $100

• Upper limit: $200

• Grid quantity: 10

If the price of COMP is at $150 when you program the bot, you will have 4 open orders for sell and 5 open orders for buy. If the price increases to $16, the bot will automatically place two paired orders: sell at $160 and buy at $150. The $10 profit is added to your balance. 

Sandwich bots

Sandwich bots detect when a trader is placing a bid on a token. They then place a higher bid on the same token, betting that the trader will still want the token. If the bot wins the token, it will immediately try to sell it to the original bidder at a higher price.

Here are some common questions around bot trading, automated crypto trading, and crypto trading bots.

What is the best crypto to bot trade?

Generally speaking, you’ll want your crypto trading bot to work with blue chip cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum, as these have the most liquidity. Liquidity as it pertains to bot trading simply means there aren’t discounts or premiums attached to a given asset when buying or selling, so it’s easier for your bot to execute buys and sells when needed.

How successful is a trading bot?

Crypto trading bots have a high rate of success when used properly, and bots are used broadly across capital markets. According to a 2020 report from the SEC, 78% of market trades were performed by trading centers depending on automation and algorithms. If trader bots didn’t work, institutions wouldn’t use them. It’s estimated the volume of stock trades coming from bots is 60% to 70%. Some analysts estimate that up to 86% of crypto volume occurs from bot trading.

Let’s be real, can you get rich from trading bots?

Nobody can answer this question. A crypto trading bot will almost certainly not secure a 100x moonshot on a risky meme coin, for example. But if you have a solid amount of crypto and want to make steady returns, secure gains on long-term holds, and take the emotion out of your crypto trading, automated crypto trading might work for you. 

Over time, if you find the best crypto trading bot for your strategy and manage to compound your gains, you will likely do better than manual traders subject to the market volatility and their own emotions.

Is crypto bot trading legal?

Yes, bot trading is legal and used across capital markets. That noted, anything illegal in normal circumstances is likely illegal when trading crypto. If you created a “pump and dump” or “spoof” bot to trick other users or platforms, you might run into trouble. The best approach is to use crypto automation bots as intended: to execute trades for you under certain conditions informed by data.