3Commas

3Commas is a cloud automation service for traders who keep funds in supported centralized-exchange accounts. It sends orders through exchange API keys, so it can turn bot settings, manual trade plans or external signals into exchange orders without becoming the custodian of the trading balance.

Exchange accounts remain the trading account

A 3Commas connection gives the service access to read an exchange account and submit trading instructions. It does not accept deposits or handle withdrawals. API keys can be restricted to trading permission, while the exchange continues to control market availability, balances, account type and regional product access.

Spot and futures accounts are configured separately. That boundary matters in practice: a bot cannot turn a spot account into a futures account, bypass an exchange's API permissions, or keep trading after its selected market or connection is unavailable.

DCA, Grid and Signal Bots solve different entry problems

A DCA Bot opens a base order and can add averaging orders as a position moves, with limits on active trades and averaging orders plus configured take-profit and stop-loss behavior. A Grid Bot instead lays out repeated buy and sell orders at fixed levels inside a trader-defined range.

Signal Bots provide the more programmable route. TradingView alerts can send JSON instructions for entries, additions and closes, with market or limit orders, margin or investment caps, multiple take-profit levels, and long or short reversal logic. The strategy remains in the alert source; 3Commas translates its actionable signals into exchange API orders.

SmartTrade attaches exits to a manual entry

SmartTrade is for a trader who chooses the entry manually but wants attached take-profit and stop-loss instructions to manage the exit. It differs from a persistent bot because it does not decide when to open the position.

DCA and Signal Bot exits can pair a percentage target with a custom close signal. The first condition received closes the trade, which allows an external technical condition to end a position before its profit target is reached.

Webhook control versus marketplace-led automation

3Commas is most distinctive when TradingView webhook control, Signal Bots and managed exits are central to a setup. Bitsgap is a close API-connected alternative with multi-exchange dashboards, grid and DCA tools, plus dedicated bot types, demo trading and backtesting.

Cryptohopper adds copy trading, a strategy marketplace and signal subscriptions. The choice is less about where assets sit—both models can use connected exchange accounts—than whether the trader wants to operate an external chart-based signal system or draw more heavily on templates, signals and other traders' strategies.