Dark Moon EA Review 2026: Free Scalping Robot Worth the Risk?

Dark Moon EA Quick Verdict

Dark Moon EA is a free, highly configurable scalping robot for MT4 that’s racked up over 500 reviews on the MQL5 marketplace—but those numbers don’t tell the full story.

Yes, it’s packed with features. Yes, backtests look promising with the right settings. And yes, it’s completely free.

But here’s what you need to know upfront: Dark Moon uses grid and martingale mechanics under the hood. That means it can produce steady wins for weeks or months before a single bad streak wipes your account.

This isn’t a robot for beginners or traders using funded accounts with strict drawdown rules. It’s for experienced traders who understand position sizing, can optimize settings properly, and accept the inherent risk of averaging-down strategies.

Dark Moon EA At-a-Glance

Developer	Marco Solito
Price	FREE
Current Version	2.60 (Updated Oct 2025)
Platform	MetaTrader 4 & MT5
Strategy Type	Scalping (Trend + Counter-Trend)
Core Indicator	Dark Absolute Trend
Risk Level	High (Grid/Martingale)
Recommended Pairs	EURUSD, GBPUSD, NZDUSD, USDCHF
Timeframes	M5, M15, H1
MQL5 Rating	4.72/5 (505 reviews)
VPS Required	Highly Recommended

What Is Dark Moon EA?

Dark Moon is a free Expert Advisor developed by Marco Solito and distributed through the MQL5 marketplace. It’s designed as a scalping robot that combines trend-following and counter-trend strategies based on the proprietary Dark Absolute Trend indicator.

The EA has been downloaded tens of thousands of times since its release, making it one of the more popular free robots available. But popularity doesn’t equal profitability—especially when the underlying strategy carries structural risk.

At its core, Dark Moon opens market orders based on trend signals, then uses a grid system with lot multiplication to manage losing positions. This approach can generate consistent small wins during favorable market conditions, but it’s vulnerable to sudden reversals and trending markets that move against your position.

Who Developed Dark Moon EA?

Marco Solito is an Italian developer who’s built several automated trading systems in the “Dark” series, including Dark Venus, Dark Gold, and Dark Algo. His EAs are known for extensive customization options and free availability—but also for their reliance on grid and martingale mechanics.

The developer provides detailed user manuals and actively updates the EA to maintain compatibility with the latest MT4 builds. Support is available through MQL5 comments and private messages, though response times vary.

Trading Strategy Breakdown

Understanding how Dark Moon EA actually trades is critical before running it on a live account. The strategy sounds simple on paper but gets complex fast once you dig into the settings.

Entry Logic

Dark Moon enters trades based on the Dark Absolute Trend indicator, which analyzes price momentum to identify trending conditions. By default, the EA opens market orders in the direction of the detected trend.

You can flip this to counter-trend mode through the settings, which tells the robot to fade signals instead of following them. Counter-trend trading aims to catch reversals at extreme points but increases risk during strong trends.

The EA also includes time filters, allowing you to restrict trading to specific hours—useful for avoiding low-liquidity periods or high-impact news events.

Grid Trading Mechanics

Here’s where things get risky. When an initial position moves into profit, Dark Moon can close it and wait for the next signal. But when price moves against you, the EA opens additional orders at predefined distances.

These grid orders use lot multiplication, meaning each new position is larger than the last. The default multiplier is 1.0 (same lot size), but many traders increase this to 1.5 or 2.0 to “recover faster.”

The theory: averaging down lowers your breakeven point, so you need less retracement to close all positions at a profit.

The reality: this works until it doesn’t. A sustained move against your grid can stack up massive exposure before you hit max orders or margin call.

Exit Strategy

Dark Moon uses fixed take profit and stop loss levels measured in points. Default settings show 50-point TP and 500-point SL, though these vary based on the currency pair and timeframe you’re trading.

The EA also includes a Friday exit function that closes all positions before the weekend to avoid gap risk. Daily and percentage-based loss limits provide additional safety, automatically stopping trading when thresholds are hit.

Key Features and Settings

Dark Moon EA’s strength is configurability. The settings panel includes dozens of parameters organized into sections for money management, grid behavior, time filters, and risk controls.

Money Management Options

You can trade with fixed lots or use percentage-based risk sizing. The risk management mode calculates position size based on your account balance and specified risk percentage.

This sounds safer than fixed lots, but it’s deceiving when combined with grid trading. If the EA opens five grid positions at 2% risk each, your total exposure is 10%—far beyond typical risk management guidelines.

Grid Configuration

Grid settings control distance between orders, lot multiplication, and maximum number of simultaneous positions. Dark Moon allows up to 50 buy orders and 50 sell orders, though hitting these limits usually means you’re already in serious drawdown.

The distance parameter determines how much price must move before the next grid order opens. Smaller distances (like 10 points) create tighter grids that activate quickly. Larger distances (30-50 points) reduce order frequency but require bigger retracements to trigger averaging.

Time and Session Filters

You can restrict trading to specific hours, preventing the EA from opening positions during Asian sessions, London open volatility, or US news releases.

The “One Trade per Bar” option limits entries to one signal per candle, reducing overtrading during choppy conditions. Friday exit closes positions before the weekend, and you can set the exact hour when this happens.

Risk Controls

Max daily loss stops trading after losses exceed a specified dollar amount. Max percentage loss does the same but calculates based on account equity.

These controls prevent unlimited bleeding during catastrophic runs, but they’re reactive—not proactive. By the time they trigger, damage is already done.

Performance Analysis

Evaluating Dark Moon EA’s real-world performance requires separating marketing claims from trader experiences. The official MQL5 listing shows optimized backtest results with impressive equity curves, but live trading tells a different story.

Backtest Results

Developer-provided backtests claim “99.90% accuracy” using real tick data and high commission settings. These tests typically show smooth growth over multi-year periods with minimal drawdown.

But here’s the problem: those results depend entirely on the settings used. Change lot multiplier from 1.0 to 1.5, or reduce grid distance from 30 to 10 points, and the backtest can swing from profitable to account-wiping.

Backtests also don’t account for real-world slippage during high volatility, spread widening during news events, or broker execution delays that affect scalping strategies.

Live Trading Feedback

User reviews on forex forums and the MQL5 comment section paint a mixed picture.

Positive feedback comes from traders who’ve invested time optimizing settings for specific pairs and market conditions. One user reported reliable profits on EURUSD M30 after months of testing different configurations.

Critical reviews highlight account failures. Multiple traders noted that they crashed demo accounts despite using “optimized” settings from backtests. The common thread: grid and martingale mechanics eventually caught a trending move that stacked up too much exposure.

As one experienced trader put it: “All Dark EAs use grid/martingale. It’s just a question of time when it will blow your account.”

Why Results Vary So Much

Dark Moon’s performance depends heavily on market conditions and optimization quality. During ranging markets with predictable swings, the grid system works. Price bounces between levels, grid orders get filled and closed at profit, and equity grows steadily.

But when a strong trend develops—especially during fundamental shifts like central bank policy changes or geopolitical events—the EA keeps averaging into a losing position until it hits max orders or stops out.

This makes Dark Moon a fair-weather robot. It performs well in calm conditions but struggles when markets actually move.

VPS Requirements for Dark Moon EA

Running Dark Moon EA from your home computer introduces execution risks that undermine the strategy. Scalping robots need consistent uptime and low latency to capture small price movements before they disappear.

A few seconds of downtime during a critical grid fill can throw off the entire position management system. Network interruptions can cause missed entries or exits, leaving you with unbalanced exposure.

A forex VPS solves these problems by running the EA on a remote server located near your broker’s infrastructure. This reduces execution latency from 100+ milliseconds to under 2ms, improving fill rates and reducing slippage on every order.

VPS hosting also ensures 24/5 uptime regardless of power outages, internet failures, or computer crashes at home. The EA continues trading uninterrupted, managing grid positions and executing exits according to your settings.

For traders running multiple EAs or trading several currency pairs simultaneously, a VPS becomes essential infrastructure rather than optional enhancement.

Pros and Cons of Dark Moon EA

What Works

Completely free. No purchase price, no monthly subscriptions, no hidden costs. Download from MQL5 and start testing immediately.

Extensive customization. Dozens of parameters let you fine-tune everything from entry logic to risk controls. Experienced traders can optimize settings for specific market conditions.

Active development. Marco Solito regularly updates the EA to maintain compatibility with new MT4 builds and adds features based on user feedback.

Works on both MT4 and MT5. Separate versions available for each platform, giving you flexibility in broker selection.

Detailed documentation. The included user manual explains every parameter and provides guidance on optimization approaches.

Critical Drawbacks

Grid/martingale creates existential risk. This isn’t a flaw you can optimize away—it’s baked into the strategy. The EA will eventually encounter market conditions that trigger cascading losses.

Requires extensive optimization. Default settings rarely work well. You need to backtest multiple configurations, understand how parameters interact, and continuously monitor performance.

Not suitable for funded accounts. Prop firms like FTMO prohibit martingale strategies and enforce strict drawdown limits. Dark Moon’s position sizing violates these rules.

Backtests mislead. Optimized historical results don’t predict future performance, especially with grid trading where a single bad run can erase months of gains.

High drawdown periods inevitable. Even with conservative settings, the EA will experience 20-40% equity drawdowns during unfavorable conditions. You need substantial account buffer to survive these periods.

Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Use Dark Moon EA

Good Fit For:

Experienced traders testing grid strategies. If you understand the math behind martingale and want to experiment with variations, Dark Moon provides a free testing ground.

Traders with optimization experience. People comfortable with strategy tester, parameter optimization, and interpreting backtest metrics can potentially find profitable configurations.

Risk-tolerant accounts. If you’re trading capital you can afford to lose completely and accept the possibility of account wipeout, the potential upside might justify the risk.

Poor Fit For:

Beginners. This EA requires technical knowledge to configure properly and discipline to manage risk. New traders will likely blow accounts before understanding what went wrong.

Funded account traders. Prop firms detect and prohibit martingale strategies. Running Dark Moon on an evaluation or funded account will get you disqualified.

Conservative traders. If you follow traditional risk management (1-2% per trade) and avoid strategies with unlimited loss potential, Dark Moon doesn’t align with your approach.

Set-and-forget users. This isn’t a robot you can deploy and ignore. It requires active monitoring, setting adjustments, and intervention during volatile periods.

How to Get Started with Dark Moon EA

If you decide to test Dark Moon despite the risks, follow these steps to minimize potential damage:

1. Download from Official Source

Get the EA from the official MQL5 marketplace. Avoid third-party download sites that may distribute modified or malicious versions.

2. Test on Demo First

Run the EA on a demo account for at least 2-3 months before considering live deployment. Monitor how it handles different market conditions—trending moves, range-bound action, high-impact news.

Demo testing won’t perfectly replicate live conditions (slippage differs, psychological factors absent), but it reveals major flaws before you risk real money.

3. Optimize Settings Conservatively

Start with conservative grid parameters: wider order spacing (30-50 points), low lot multipliers (1.0-1.2), and strict max order limits (5-10 positions).

Resist the temptation to juice returns by tightening grids or increasing multipliers. Those changes increase profit during good runs but guarantee faster account death during bad ones.

4. Set Hard Stop Loss Limits

Configure max daily loss and max percentage loss to values you’re truly comfortable losing. If you set max daily loss at $500, be prepared to actually lose $500 in a single session.

5. Use Micro Accounts

If you move to live trading, start with micro lots on a small account ($500-1000). This limits total loss potential while you verify the EA performs as expected in real market conditions.

6. Deploy on Low-Latency VPS

For optimal execution, run Dark Moon on a MT4 VPS located near your broker’s servers. We offer 1ms latency to major brokers with pre-installed platforms and 24/7 uptime.

Final Verdict: Free Doesn’t Mean Risk-Free

Dark Moon EA delivers exactly what it promises: a highly configurable, free scalping robot with trend-following capabilities. The problem isn’t false advertising—it’s the fundamental strategy.

Grid and martingale trading produces fantastic results until catastrophic failure. You can optimize settings, restrict trading hours, and implement stop losses, but you can’t eliminate the core risk: eventually, the EA will encounter a market move that exceeds its recovery capacity.

For experienced traders who understand these limitations and trade with money they can afford to lose, Dark Moon offers a legitimate free option for exploring grid strategies. The extensive customization allows meaningful experimentation with different approaches to position averaging.

For everyone else—especially beginners, funded traders, or conservative investors—there are safer paths to consistent profitability. Grid and martingale systems tempt with steady gains, but the eventual drawdown isn’t worth the temporary wins.

If you do test Dark Moon EA, treat it as a learning experience rather than a wealth-building tool. Study how grid mechanics work, understand why martingale systems fail, and use that knowledge to develop more robust trading approaches.

And remember: free software can still carry expensive lessons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dark Moon EA really free?

Yes. Dark Moon EA is available at no cost from the MQL5 marketplace. There are no hidden fees, subscription charges, or premium versions. Marco Solito distributes it freely, likely to build reputation for his paid EAs and attract users to his other products.

Can I use Dark Moon EA on a prop firm account?

No. Most proprietary trading firms explicitly prohibit grid and martingale strategies in their terms of service. These tactics violate risk management rules and can trigger account disqualification. Firms like FTMO, FundedNext, and The5%ers actively monitor for martingale behavior and will revoke funding if detected.

What’s the minimum account size for Dark Moon EA?

There’s no official minimum, but practical experience suggests at least $1,000 for micro lots with conservative settings. Grid trading requires account buffer to withstand drawdowns. Trading with less than $500 increases the probability of margin calls during normal market volatility.

How often should I optimize Dark Moon EA settings?

Market conditions change, so settings that worked last month may underperform this month. Many traders re-optimize quarterly, testing current settings against recent price data. However, be cautious of over-optimization—creating settings that fit historical data perfectly but fail in live trading.

Does Dark Moon EA work better on specific currency pairs?

The developer recommends EURUSD, GBPUSD, NZDUSD, and USDCHF as primary pairs. These majors offer better liquidity and tighter spreads than exotics, which matters for scalping strategies. User reports suggest EURUSD on M30 or H1 timeframes produces more consistent results than other combinations.

Can I run Dark Moon EA on multiple pairs simultaneously?

Technically yes, but it multiplies your risk exposure. Each pair operates independently, so you could face grid drawdowns on multiple positions at once. If you run the EA on three pairs and each enters a 30% drawdown simultaneously, your total account drawdown reaches 90%—far beyond safe risk management.

What broker works best with Dark Moon EA?

Choose an ECN broker with low spreads, fast execution, and no restrictions on Expert Advisors. Scalping strategies need tight spreads to overcome transaction costs. Brokers with dealing desk models or wide spreads will erode profits even when the EA makes correct predictions. Look for brokers offering 0.0-0.5 pip spreads on majors.

Is Dark Moon EA better than other free forex robots?

Dark Moon offers more configuration options than most free EAs, making it appealing to experienced traders who want control over strategy parameters. However, “better” depends on your risk tolerance. If you prefer robots without martingale mechanics, there are safer free alternatives that use fixed lot sizing and traditional stop losses.