hamster-bot
3Commas alternative: hamster-bot
3Commas is a cloud service: the bots run on its servers, and the keys to your exchange account are stored there too. hamster-bot works differently. It runs on your own computer or VPS, and the keys exist only in the bot settings on your machine.
Download the bot Strategy tester
Comparison
| hamster-bot | 3Commas | |
| Where the bot runs | On your own computer or VPS (Windows, Linux, macOS) | In the service's cloud, on its servers |
| Where API keys are stored | Only on your machine, in the bot settings | On 3Commas servers |
| Price | Free with no limits. The paid version is an optional service | Subscription, with a limited free plan |
| Strategies | 20+ algorithmic strategies: trend, counter-trend, breakout, mean reversion. A portfolio of several strategies, TradingView signals | DCA, Grid and signal bots, SmartTrade for manual trading |
| Backtesting | Tick-level tester: parameter search, heatmaps, walk-forward and stress test | Available, depends on the plan |
| What you need to start | Download the bot and run it on your computer, or rent a cheap VPS | Sign up on the website and connect exchange keys in the web interface |
3Commas plans and features change over time; the comparison reflects the service's general approach.
Where hamster-bot wins
- Free with no limits. All strategies, exchanges and the tester are free. The paid version is an optional service for those who want extra convenience.
- Real algorithmic strategies, not a basic grid averaging bot. Over 20 strategies: trend, counter-trend, breakout, mean reversion. You can combine them into a portfolio where strategies share profit and loss.
- A seriously capable tester. Tick-level backtesting, parameter search with heatmaps and 3D, walk-forward, parameter plateau scoring, a stress test and a breakdown by market regime. Settings are checked before they go live.
- On the market since 2018. A reliable, stable solution: tested with more than 2000 bots in one process, a bot running five strategies on three accounts uses about 70 MB of memory, and new versions install without stopping trading.
- Public track records. Plenty of public user statistics, verified by third-party monitoring services. And Phoenix has an unbroken track record since 2021, one of the longest on the market.
- Many exchanges. Binance, Bybit, OKX, Bitget, BingX, Gate, KuCoin, MEXC, BitMEX and more, spot and futures. Exchange list.
- Your keys never go to a third party. The bot runs on your machine, so a breach of someone else's cloud doesn't touch your account.
- TradingView and Telegram. The bot trades on TradingView webhooks and sends trades to Telegram as a chart image.
In December 2022, 3Commas acknowledged a leak of users' API keys. With a self-hosted bot this risk does not depend on a third-party service: the keys stay with you.
When 3Commas is the better pick
If you want ready-made DCA and Grid bots in a browser and a mobile app, and don't want to keep your own computer or VPS running.
How to switch to hamster-bot
- Download the bot and run it on your computer or a VPS.
- Create a new API key on the exchange with trading permission and no withdrawal permission. Delete the old key you used with 3Commas.
- Pick a strategy and check your settings in the tester before trading real money.