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Freqtrade deployment guide

Deploy Freqtrade on a VPS and trade crypto 24/7 without babysitting

FreqtradeVPSDocker

Short answer

Freqtrade running 24/7 on a VPS, connected to your exchange via API keys, monitored through Telegram, with automatic restart on failure and daily data backups.

Why this matters

Running Freqtrade on your local machine means downtime during power outages, internet drops, and sleep mode. Missed trading opportunities cost more than a VPS.

Walkthrough

  1. 01

    Choose a VPS and install Docker

    Freqtrade is lightweight. A $5-10/month VPS is sufficient for most strategies.

    • Provision an Ubuntu 22.04 VPS with 2 vCPU and 2-4 GB RAM from Hetzner, DigitalOcean, or Vultr.
    • Install Docker: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
    • Choose a VPS location close to your exchange's API servers for lowest latency.
  2. 02

    Deploy Freqtrade with Docker

    Freqtrade maintains official Docker images. Use docker-compose for persistent config.

    • Create a project directory and download the Freqtrade docker-compose.yml template.
    • Configure config.json with exchange API keys, stake currency, and trading pairs.
    • Set the trading strategy file and risk parameters before starting.
  3. 03

    Connect exchange API keys securely

    API key security is critical. Use IP-restricted keys with trading-only permissions.

    • Generate API keys from your exchange with trade permission only (no withdrawals).
    • Whitelist your VPS IP address in the exchange API settings.
    • Store keys in environment variables or Docker secrets, never in the repo.
  4. 04

    Add Telegram monitoring

    Freqtrade's Telegram integration lets you monitor trades, start/stop the bot, and check P&L from your phone.

    • Create a Telegram bot via @BotFather and copy the API token.
    • Configure Telegram settings in Freqtrade config.json.
    • Test by running in dry-run mode first before live trading.
  5. 05

    Run as a service and monitor

    Keep Freqtrade running even after SSH disconnects.

    • Use docker-compose up -d to run in detached mode with auto-restart.
    • Monitor resource usage with docker stats and set up swap if RAM is tight.
    • Back up the user_data directory regularly: it contains config and trade history.

Where RepoAssistant fits

Freqtrade setup takes 1-2 hours. RepoAssistant deploys Freqtrade + exchange connection + Telegram monitoring on your VPS: fixed price, shipped within 24h.

Primary sources