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FAQ

Is my Kite account safe?

Yes. We store your API key and access token encrypted at rest with a Fernet key that lives only in our backend environment. The frontend never sees the unencrypted credentials. You can revoke access at any time from Broker → Disconnect or directly from your Zerodha developer console.

Do you charge anything?

The free tier covers everything described in these docs. Paid plans (with higher rate limits, longer history, and priority support) are on the roadmap.

Do you place real orders for me?

No. AlgoTrader is currently a research + paper-trading platform. Live order routing to Kite is a planned feature with explicit, opt-in confirmation; it isn't enabled yet.

Why does the backtest result differ from real trades I placed manually?

A few common reasons:

  • Slippage — backtests apply a flat 0.05% slippage per side. Your real fills depend on liquidity at order time.
  • Brokerage — the default model uses a flat 0.1% per side, similar to discount brokers but not exact.
  • Order timing — backtests assume fills at the bar close. Live orders fill at the touch.
  • Survivorship / corporate actions — historical bars don't always account for splits / bonuses. The Kite-provided series usually does, but verify.

How accurate is paper trading?

Paper trading uses live Kite LTPs for matching but only checks them every 5 minutes. That's accurate enough for daily / swing strategies. Intraday paper trading (sub-minute matching) is on the roadmap.

How long is my data retained?

Indefinitely while your account is active. If you close your account we anonymise trade history and delete broker credentials within one business day.

Can I export my data?

  • Backtest trades: CSV export from any backtest detail page
  • Paper trades: CSV export from any paper account
  • Full account export (everything): email us, we'll generate it within 48h

Can I run this on my own server?

The platform is closed-source for now. We may open source parts of it (the no-code strategy builder, the indicator library) in the future.

What's the best way to learn?

The Strategies guide lists the built-in strategies with their typical use cases. Pick one, backtest it on a stock you know, read the trade list to understand why each trade happened. Once you can explain a strategy's behaviour, you're ready to tweak parameters or build your own.