Freqtrade, 3Commas, Pionex and Cryptohopper all automate crypto trading, but they are built for very different people. Freqtrade is free software you run yourself. 3Commas and Cryptohopper are paid web platforms that connect to your exchange. Pionex is an exchange with trading bots built in.
This comparison focuses on what actually matters when you choose: total cost, how much control you get, how safe your funds are, and how much work each option takes.
Quick comparison
| Freqtrade | 3Commas | Cryptohopper | Pionex | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Open-source bot you host | Web platform, connects by API | Web platform, connects by API | Exchange with built-in bots |
| Software cost | Free | Subscription | Subscription | No bot fee; you pay trading fees |
| Other costs | VPS + exchange fees | Exchange fees | Exchange fees | 0.05% spot fee per side |
| Strategy control | Full (Python) | Preset bots + settings | Preset strategies, templates, marketplace | Preset bot types and settings |
| Backtesting | Full engine, any strategy | Limited | Available on paid plans | Limited |
| Where keys live | Your own server | Their servers | Their servers | Funds held on Pionex |
| Coding needed | Yes, some | No | No | No |
| Setup time | 1–3 hours | Minutes | Minutes | Minutes |
Prices for the paid platforms change often. The figures below were checked in October 2026; confirm on each provider's site before you subscribe.
Freqtrade
Best for: traders who are comfortable with a terminal and some Python, and who want full control and transparency.
Cost. The software is free under the GPL-3.0 licence. You pay for a small server to run it 24/7 (see our VPS guide) and normal exchange fees.
Strengths
- Any strategy you can describe in Python, with any indicators.
- The best backtesting and optimisation tools of the four: backtesting, hyperopt, dry-run and look-ahead checks.
- Your API keys stay on your own machine.
- No subscription that grows with your account.
Weaknesses
- You maintain the server, updates and configuration.
- Mistakes in a strategy or config are yours to find.
- No official support team; help comes from the documentation and community.
3Commas
Best for: traders who want ready-made DCA, grid and signal bots across several exchanges without running anything themselves.
Cost. In mid-2026, third-party price trackers listed Starter at about $20 a month, Pro at about $50 and Expert at about $140, with discounts for annual billing. The same trackers reported that the free plan was removed in June 2026.
Strengths: polished interface, many exchanges, DCA and grid bots, smart trades and portfolio tools, mobile app.
Weaknesses: a monthly cost that adds up, limited custom logic compared with code, and your exchange API keys are stored with a third party. 3Commas suffered a widely reported API-key leak in late 2022, which is a reminder to restrict every key to trading only, with no withdrawals and an IP whitelist where possible.
Cryptohopper
Best for: beginners who want a visual strategy builder, templates and copy-trading style features.
Cost. In mid-2026, price trackers listed paid plans at roughly $29 (Explorer), $69 (Adventurer) and $129 (Hero) a month, with lower effective prices on annual plans. Whether a free tier is still offered was unclear; check the official pricing page.
Strengths: strategy designer without code, marketplace of strategies and signals, paper trading, beginner-friendly.
Weaknesses: subscription cost, marketplace quality varies widely, and you are limited to what the platform supports.
Pionex
Best for: people who want simple grid or DCA bots with no setup and no subscription.
Cost. The bots are free. Pionex earns from trading fees, which reviews list at 0.05% maker and taker on spot.
Strengths: easiest start of the four, around 16 built-in bot types including grid, DCA, rebalancing and arbitrage, low spot fees.
Weaknesses: you must keep your funds on Pionex itself, so you take on that exchange's risk; strategies are limited to its preset bots; availability depends on your country, with a separate Pionex.US entity for US users.
Which one should you choose?
Choose freqtrade if you want to test ideas properly, keep control of your keys, avoid subscriptions, and you are willing to learn. Start with our Docker installation guide and the tested strategies.
Choose Pionex if you only want a simple grid or DCA bot and are comfortable holding funds on that exchange.
Choose 3Commas or Cryptohopper if you want a managed web platform with many exchanges and are happy to pay monthly for convenience.
The part every platform has in common
No platform makes a strategy profitable on its own. In our backtest of 27 freqtrade strategies, none beat simply holding Bitcoin over the same two years, and more than half lost money. The same logic applies to preset bots elsewhere: grid and DCA bots do well in sideways markets and can suffer badly in strong trends.
Whatever you choose, test with small amounts or paper trading first, use API keys without withdrawal permission, and never risk money you cannot afford to lose.
Ready to connect an exchange?
Freqtrade needs an exchange account with API access. Bybit supports both spot and futures in freqtrade and offers a demo mode for testing.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no cost to you.
Related guides
- Best VPS for freqtrade: what you need and how to chooseHow much server you need for freqtrade, where to host it relative to your exchange, which providers people use, and how to secure the server before you trade.4 min read
- How to run freqtrade on Vultr (step by step)Create a Vultr server in Tokyo or Singapore, secure it, install Docker and freqtrade, and start your bot in dry-run, with every command included.3 min read
- How to run freqtrade on DigitalOcean (step by step)Create a DigitalOcean Droplet in Singapore, secure it, install Docker and freqtrade, and run your bot in dry-run, with every command included.3 min read