Free EA GoldSwiftApex EA — free 30-day trial · unlimited backtesting ↓

Build a strategy that's
proven in the real world.

The anti-guru algorithmic trading course. Real walk-forward results — every win, every failure. You own the strategy you build.

Get Full Access  → ↓ Free EA + Module 0
21/32 folds profitable
/
PF 1.22 profit factor
/
−5.2% max drawdown
/
0.5% risk per trade
Walk-Forward Validated
Every strategy runs through anchored out-of-sample folds before we claim it works.
21/32 folds profitable
Every Result Published
No cherry-picked wins. Every experiment result — pass, fail, or marginal — is fully documented.
PF 1.22
Prop-Firm Architecture
Built-in equity guards, daily loss caps, and challenge profiles. Safe by default.
+20.8% OOS −5.2% max DD
Free Download — 30-day trial · unlimited backtesting GoldSwiftApex v3.06 EA (+1,156% 2025 backtest, floor-capped losses) + Module 0
Get the Free Pack ↓
The Evidence Wall

Every experiment.
Unfiltered.

Most courses show you the winners. We publish everything — every failed hypothesis, every edge that didn't survive the walk-forward.

01 / 08
Experiment 01
EMA Crossover on XAUUSD M15
9/21 EMA · M15 · XAUUSD
Classic crossover with RSI confirmation and ATR-based sizing. The most obvious starting point — deliberately included to show why obvious isn't enough.
Failed Walk-Forward
Win Rate
44%
Profit Factor
0.81
Max DD
−18%
Folds Passed
3/8
01
Experiment 02
Liquidity Sweep + Rejection
Sweep · M15 · XAUUSD
Price sweeps a prior swing, closes back through it. Entry on bar close, stop beyond the wick. Raw signal quality — no filter first.
Passed Walk-Forward
Win Rate
52%
Profit Factor
1.22
Max DD
−5.2%
Folds Passed
21/32
02
Experiment 03
Supply & Demand Zone Touch
S/D Zones · M15 · XAUUSD
Institutional origin zones: impulse candle + small base. Entry when price re-enters. Deactivate after two mitigations.
Marginal Edge
Win Rate
48%
Profit Factor
1.08
Max DD
−7.1%
Folds Passed
17/32
03
Experiment 04
HTF Trend Alignment Filter
Multi-TF · H1 + M15 · XAUUSD
Only trade M15 sweeps in the H1 trend direction. This one change took the strategy from marginal to consistent — the most important lesson.
Passed Walk-Forward
Win Rate
57%
Profit Factor
1.41
Max DD
−3.8%
Folds Passed
24/32
04
Experiment 05
High Win Rate vs High Profit
RR Dial · M15 · XAUUSD
~77% WR at RR 0.3 is breakeven. ~52% WR at RR 2.0 earns real money. You cannot have both simultaneously — this is a structural discovery.
Structural Insight
WR Profile A
77%
WR Profile B
52%
PF Profile A
~1.0
PF Profile B
1.22
05
Experiment 06
Prop-Firm Risk Calibration
Risk Sizing · XAUUSD
0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% risk tested. Only 0.5% was robust across both the 6-week real-tick and 6.4-month OHLC samples. Cranking risk fails out-of-sample.
Risk Cranking Fails OOS
0.5% — 6mo DD
5.2%
1.5% — 6mo DD
12%
Safe Profile PF
1.16
Verdict
0.5% only
06
Experiment 07
Session Timing Filter
GMT London/NY · M15 · XAUUSD
Restricting to London–NY overlap (07:00–15:00 GMT) cut frequency 38% but improved PF from 1.22 → 1.35. Volume context is non-trivial.
Keeper Filter
Trades/Month
−38%
PF Gain
+10%
Max DD
−3.1%
Folds Passed
26/32
07
Experiment 08
Partial Close + Runner
Exit Mechanics · M15 · XAUUSD
Close 50% at +1R, runner to +2.5R. +$2.2k vs +$0.1k over 6.4 months despite lower WR. The right metric is money, not percentage.
Shipped Default
6mo (full)
+$0.1k
6mo (partial)
+$2.2k
Win Rate
52%
Runner RR
2.5R
08
The Method

Eleven modules.
One honest framework.

From first principles to a deployable, prop-firm-ready strategy — documented at every step, including the parts that didn't work.

Curriculum
What you build, module by module
  • 00
    The Walk-Forward Framework
    Why backtests lie and what actually validates an edge
  • 01
    MQL5 Foundations
    Build your first compilable EA from scratch in MetaEditor
  • 02
    Risk Architecture
    ATR-based position sizing, daily caps, equity guards
  • 03
    Liquidity Sweep Detection
    Swing highs/lows, fractal detection, rejection wicks
  • 04
    Supply & Demand Zones
    Base-candle detection, impulse measurement, zone aging
  • 05
    HTF Confluence
    H1 trend alignment, signal arbitration, dual-timeframe logic
Scale
32
Walk-forward folds across 6+ months
Not a single in-sample backtest. Every result from data the model never saw.
Module 03 · Live Code
Sweep detection
// Bullish sweep: pierces low, closes above
if(low[1] < priorSwingLow - minPoints
   && close[1] > priorSwingLow){
  signal = BUY;
  slRef  = low[1] - atr*buffer;
}
Continued
  • 06
    Exit Engineering
    Partial close, runner targets, breakeven mechanics
  • 07
    Prop-Firm Integration
    Equity guards, daily caps, challenge profiles
  • 08
    Walk-Forward Protocol
    Fold setup, anchored OOS splits, journal discipline
  • 09
    Reading Real Results
    What PF 1.2 actually means; forward-test caveats
  • 10
    What Comes Next
    Live trading, portfolio thinking, when to give up an edge
Deliverable
1
Production EA in MQL5
Compilable, prop-firm–ready code you built and fully understand.
Deliverable
8
Documented experiments
Full results for every hypothesis — methodology, inputs, verdict.
Deliverable
32
Walk-forward folds
A real OOS dataset telling you if your edge is real or overfit noise.
The Numbers

21 of 32 folds.
Honest odds.

That's 65.6% of walk-forward windows with positive P&L. Not a cherry-picked stat — the full dataset, including the quiet stretches.

0/32
Folds Passed
Profit Factor
1.22
+ Real-tick verified
Max Drawdown
5.2%
+ Prop-firm safe
Risk Per Trade
0.5%
+ Only robust config
Monthly Return*
~3%
– Backtest estimate only
Get Access
Free Pack
$0 /free
A real EA, not a teaser — the same GoldSwiftApex v3.06 build we run live. Trade it free for 30 days; backtest it forever. 3 of 4 backtest years green; the losing year capped at −$124 by a hard equity floor. We publish both halves.
  • GoldSwiftApex v3.06 EA — 30-day live/demo trial
  • Unlimited backtesting — verify it as long as you want
  • 2025 backtest: +1,156% · best month +239%*
  • Worst year: −$124, capped by the hard floor*
  • The 2 exact preset files we tested with
  • Setup guide with honest risk rules
  • Module 0: The Walk-Forward Framework
  • New experiment results by email — wins and failures
↓ Get the Free Pack (EA + Module 0)
Most Popular
Full Course
$49 /once $99
Launch pricing — every module, every experiment result, the production EA, lifetime updates. Less than one blown prop-firm challenge fee.
  • GoldSwiftApex unlimited build + full MQL5 source
  • All 11 modules + future additions
  • Full GoldSwiftSweep EA source code
  • All 8 documented experiments
  • Walk-forward dataset (32 folds)
  • Prop-firm challenge profile setup
  • Lifetime access + updates
  • 14-day money-back guarantee
Get Full Access →

* All prices in USD. One-time payment, lifetime access. No subscription. 14-day money-back guarantee on the Full Course — if it's not for you, one email gets you a full refund. *GoldSwiftApex figures are MT5 backtests ($200 start, XAUUSD M15, 1-min OHLC modelling; 2023 lost −$124, floor-capped) — backtests overstate live results; Module 0 in the free pack explains exactly how. By purchasing you agree to our Terms & Conditions. Educational content only — not financial advice. Results shown are from historical testing and do not guarantee future performance.

Honest answers

Do I need trading experience? +
No prior trading experience required, but basic programming comfort helps. We build everything from scratch in MQL5 and Module 0 starts with why most retail strategies fail.
Will this make me profitable? +
Honestly — maybe. The course shows a validated methodology and a real edge (PF ~1.22 over 32 walk-forward folds). It cannot guarantee you'll replicate results live. What we can promise: you'll know how to test honestly, which is worth more than any signal.
What if it's not for me? +
14-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. Email us within 14 days of purchase and you get a full refund. We'd rather refund you than have an unhappy student — the course has to earn its price.
Why would you give away a profitable EA for free? +
Because a backtest number and "profitable" are not the same claim — and proving the difference is literally what we teach. GoldSwiftApex v3.06 is the build we run live: across four backtest years ($200 start, XAUUSD M15) it did +423% in 2024, +1,156% in 2025, +161% in 2026 H1 — and lost in the 2023 chop year, capped at −$124 by its hard equity floor. Most sellers would show you 2025 and hide 2023. We ship both. The free trial trades live/demo for 30 days — exactly enough for a proper evaluation — and backtesting is never limited, so you can verify the strategy for as long as you want. Want it forever? The $49 course includes the unlimited build plus the full MQL5 source. That's the whole business model — no secrets.
Is the EA profitable enough for prop firm challenges? +
The safe prop profile (0.5% risk, PF ~1.16–1.22) suits no-time-limit challenges — low breach risk, steady grind. Not designed for strict 30-day +10% targets. We explain the tradeoffs in Module 07.
What broker/platform do I need? +
MetaTrader 5 (MT5). We test on IC Markets with raw spread ECN account. Any MT5 broker with XAUUSD access works. Broker selection is covered in Module 02.
Risk Disclosure & Important Notice

Forward Tested is an educational platform only. Nothing on this website constitutes financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other kind of advice. The content is provided for informational and educational purposes only.

Trading foreign exchange (Forex), commodities, contracts for difference (CFDs), and other leveraged instruments carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. The high degree of leverage can work against you as well as for you. Before deciding to trade, you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. There is a possibility that you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment.

Past performance is not indicative of future results. All backtest results, walk-forward test results, profit factor figures, drawdown statistics, and any other performance metrics shown on this site reflect historical testing under specific conditions. They do not guarantee, predict, or imply any future performance. Live trading results may differ materially from tested results due to slippage, spread, broker execution, market conditions, and other factors.

Results shown (including the 21/32 fold pass rate, PF 1.22, and ~3% monthly estimate) are derived from MetaTrader 5 strategy testing on XAUUSD M15 using IC Markets historical data. These are not live trading results and are presented solely to illustrate the methodology taught in the course.

ForwardTested.online is not registered as a financial advisor, investment advisor, broker-dealer, or commodity trading advisor with any regulatory authority, including the SEC, CFTC, FCA, ASIC, or any other regulatory body.

By purchasing this course you acknowledge that you have read and understood this risk disclosure, that you are purchasing educational content only, and that you will not hold ForwardTested.online liable for any trading losses.