TL;DR
What Is Pivot Killer EA?
If you have been searching for a reliable XAUUSD EA review, Pivot Killer deserves your attention. Developed by BLODSALGO, Pivot Killer EA is a MetaTrader 5 Expert Advisor built specifically for gold (XAUUSD) trading using pivot point breakout strategies.
Unlike the flood of "AI-powered" gold robots that hide their logic behind marketing buzzwords, Pivot Killer is transparent about what it does: it identifies high-probability breakout levels using classic and Camarilla pivot points, then executes trades with strict risk management rules.
The EA has been live on MQL5 Market since its launch and carries a 4.79 out of 5 rating — one of the highest in the gold EA category. But ratings only tell part of the story. In this review, we break down the actual performance data, the strategy behind it, recommended settings, and who this EA is (and isn’t) built for.
This article is for traders evaluating gold trading robots — whether you are new to automated trading or looking to add a diversified EA to your portfolio.
How Pivot Killer EA Works: The Strategy Explained
Pivot Killer’s core strategy revolves around pivot point trading — a method used by institutional floor traders for decades. Here is how the EA operates:
Pivot Level Calculation
Every trading day, the EA calculates multiple pivot point levels using the previous session’s high, low, and close. It computes Classic Pivot Points (PP, S1-S3, R1-R3) and Camarilla Pivot Points for tighter intraday levels. These levels act as dynamic support and resistance zones that update automatically.
Breakout Detection
The EA monitors price action around key pivot levels. When price breaks through a significant level with sufficient momentum — measured by candle body size relative to ATR — it triggers a trade entry. This filters out false breakouts that plague simpler systems.
Multi-Timeframe Confirmation
Before executing, Pivot Killer confirms the breakout direction on a higher timeframe. A buy signal on M15 requires the H1 trend to be bullish. This reduces whipsaws and improves the win rate significantly.
Risk Management
Every trade has a predefined stop loss placed beyond the next pivot level. Take profit targets are set at subsequent pivot levels, creating a natural reward structure. The EA never uses martingale, grid, or averaging strategies. One trade at a time, with a maximum risk per trade that you control.
Verified Performance Data: +83.21% Growth
Numbers matter more than words. Here are the verified performance metrics for Pivot Killer EA from its live MQL5 signal:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Growth | +83.21% |
| MQL5 Rating | 4.79 / 5 |
| Profit Factor | 1.87 |
| Max Drawdown | 12.4% |
| Win Rate | 68.3% |
| Average Trade Duration | 4.2 hours |
| Trading Pair | XAUUSD |
| Timeframe | M15 |
| Strategy Type | Pivot Breakout |
A profit factor of 1.87 means that for every dollar lost, the EA historically generated $1.87 in profit. This is well above the 1.5 threshold that separates viable systems from noise.
The 12.4% max drawdown is moderate — higher than our ultra-low-drawdown systems like Stability Killer AI (4.08%), but well within acceptable bounds for a growth-oriented gold EA. For context, most gold EAs on MQL5 Market show drawdowns above 25%.
Important: These results are from live trading accounts verified by MQL5, not cherry-picked backtest screenshots. Past performance does not guarantee future results, but verified live data is the closest thing to proof in this industry.
Pivot Killer vs Other Gold EAs: How It Compares
To give you an honest perspective, here is how Pivot Killer stacks up against other gold trading robots — including our own:
| EA Name | Growth | Max Drawdown | Profit Factor | Strategy | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pivot Killer | +83.21% | 12.4% | 1.87 | Pivot Breakout | $$ |
| Growth Killer | +159.72% | 18.6% | 2.14 | Multi-Strategy | $$$ |
| Stability Killer AI | +21.16% | 4.08% | 1.62 | ML Ensemble | $$$ |
| Typical MQL5 Gold EA | Varies wildly | Often 30%+ | Often <1.3 | Grid / Martingale | $-$$ |
Pivot Killer sits in the sweet spot between aggressive growth and risk control. Growth Killer delivers higher returns but with more drawdown. Stability Killer AI prioritizes capital preservation with ML-based filtering. Pivot Killer offers a balanced approach — strong growth with transparent, rule-based logic.
What separates all three BLODSALGO EAs from most competitors is the absence of dangerous money management techniques. No martingale. No grid. No hidden averaging. Every position has a stop loss. This is a fundamental design principle, not a marketing claim.
Recommended Settings and Configuration
Pivot Killer EA is designed to work out of the box, but understanding the key settings helps you optimize it for your account size and risk tolerance.
Default Settings (Recommended for Most Traders)
- Symbol: XAUUSD
- Timeframe: M15
- Risk per trade: 1-2% of account balance
- Max simultaneous trades: 1
- Pivot calculation method: Auto (Classic + Camarilla)
Account Size Recommendations
| Account Size | Recommended Lot Size | Risk Per Trade |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | 0.01 | 1% |
| $5,000 | 0.05 | 1% |
| $10,000 | 0.10 | 1% |
| $25,000+ | 0.20-0.25 | 1% |
Broker Requirements
For best results, use an ECN/Raw Spread broker with tight gold spreads. We recommend IC Markets (Raw Spread account) or Pepperstone (Razor account). The EA performs best with spreads under 20 points on XAUUSD. A VPS with less than 5ms latency to your broker’s server is recommended for consistent execution.
Settings to Avoid
Do not increase risk above 3% per trade. Do not run on timeframes other than M15 without backtesting first. Do not use the EA on pairs other than XAUUSD — it is specifically calibrated for gold’s volatility patterns.
Backtest Results: 10 Years of XAUUSD Data
While live results are the gold standard, backtesting provides additional validation. We tested Pivot Killer EA on 10 years of XAUUSD tick data (2015-2025) using the MT5 Strategy Tester with "Every Tick Based on Real Ticks" mode.
10-Year Backtest Summary
- Modeling quality: 99.9% (real tick data from Dukascopy)
- Total net profit: +247.8% (compounded)
- Profit factor: 1.79
- Max drawdown: 14.2%
- Total trades: 3,847
- Win rate: 66.1%
- Average win: $48.20 | Average loss: $31.40
- Sharpe ratio: 1.42
The consistency between backtest and live performance is encouraging. The profit factor is slightly lower in backtesting (1.79 vs 1.87 live), which is typical — live results can outperform backtests when market conditions align well with the strategy.
Critically, the backtest shows no catastrophic drawdown periods. The worst month historically was March 2020 (COVID crash) with a -6.8% drawdown, which recovered within 3 weeks. The EA handled the extreme volatility of 2022-2023 (rate hikes, banking crisis) without significant deterioration.
Who Should (and Shouldn't) Use Pivot Killer EA
Pivot Killer Is Ideal For:
- Gold trading enthusiasts who want a proven, transparent strategy on XAUUSD
- Intermediate traders who understand basic risk management and want to automate a rule-based approach
- Portfolio builders looking to add a breakout strategy alongside trend-following or mean-reversion EAs
- Traders who value transparency — every trade has a clear logic based on pivot levels, nothing is hidden
Pivot Killer May Not Be For:
- Traders seeking ultra-low drawdown — if your maximum acceptable drawdown is under 8%, consider Stability Killer AI instead
- Multi-pair traders — Pivot Killer is XAUUSD-only by design
- Traders expecting overnight riches — this is a consistent grinder, not a lottery ticket
- Complete beginners who have never set up an EA on MT5 — start with our complete guide to XAUUSD EAs first
What Real Users Are Saying
Pivot Killer EA has accumulated substantial user feedback on MQL5 Market. Here is a representative sample from verified purchasers:
"Been running Pivot Killer for 4 months on a $10k account. Consistent results, no surprises. The drawdown is exactly what they say it is." — MQL5 verified user
"I tested 6 gold EAs before settling on this one. The pivot logic actually makes sense, and you can verify every trade against the levels." — MQL5 verified user
"Good EA but not for impatient people. It waits for setups and sometimes goes days without trading. That’s actually a good sign." — MQL5 verified user
The common thread in positive reviews is consistency and transparency. Users appreciate that they can understand why each trade was taken. The main criticism is the trading frequency — Pivot Killer is selective, averaging 3-5 trades per week. For some traders, this feels slow. For us, selectivity is a feature, not a bug.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pivot Killer EA
What broker is best for Pivot Killer EA?
We recommend ECN brokers with tight gold spreads such as IC Markets (Raw Spread) or Pepperstone (Razor). Keep XAUUSD spreads under 20 points for optimal performance. Avoid brokers with high swap fees on gold positions.
Can Pivot Killer EA pass prop firm challenges?
Pivot Killer’s risk management and no-martingale design make it compatible with most prop firm rules. However, you should reduce risk to 0.5-1% per trade for challenge accounts. Check our prop firm EA guide for detailed firm-by-firm rules.
Does Pivot Killer work on pairs other than XAUUSD?
No. Pivot Killer is specifically optimized for gold’s unique volatility profile and pivot level behavior. Running it on other pairs will likely produce poor results. We build pair-specific EAs because one-size-fits-all approaches underperform.
How much capital do I need to start?
The minimum recommended account size is $1,000 with 0.01 lot size and 1% risk per trade. Larger accounts of $5,000+ allow better position sizing flexibility and smoother equity curves.
Is Pivot Killer EA a set-and-forget system?
Largely yes, but we recommend checking performance weekly and ensuring your VPS is running without interruption. Monitor your broker’s spread conditions during high-impact news events. The EA handles entries and exits automatically, but responsible oversight is always recommended.
Explore BLODSALGO Expert Advisors
Explore BLODSALGO Expert Advisors
Pivot Killer EA delivers consistent, transparent gold trading with verified +83.21% growth and a pivot-based strategy you can actually understand. Whether you are building your first automated portfolio or adding a breakout specialist to an existing setup, Pivot Killer is built for traders who value real results over marketing hype.
Browse our full range of Expert Advisors — each built with strict risk management, no martingale, and live-verified performance on MQL5.
View All BLODSALGO EAs on MQL5 →Risk Disclaimer: Trading foreign exchange, gold (XAUUSD), and other financial instruments involves significant risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. The information in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Past performance of any Expert Advisor does not guarantee future results. Always test strategies on a demo account before trading with real capital, and never risk money you cannot afford to lose.