Copy Trading vs. Manual Trading: Pros and Cons
June 21, 2026 · 5 min read
Quick answer
Manual trading means you research, decide, and place every trade yourself, giving you full control and a deeper learning experience but demanding time, skill, and discipline. Copy trading means automating execution by following a trader you have chosen, which saves time and lets you follow strategies you find compelling, but makes your results depend on that trader. Both carry market risk. Many people blend the two, and with RelayTrades you can use manual approval to review copied trades before they are placed.
Part of the complete guide to copy trading.
The choice between copy trading and manual trading comes down to control versus convenience, and how much time and skill you want to invest. Neither removes risk, and you can combine them.
Manual trading: full control
Manual trading means you do everything: research, decide on entries and exits, and place each order. The upside is complete control and a much deeper understanding of what you are doing. The downside is that it takes time, skill, and emotional discipline, and the responsibility for every outcome is yours.
Copy trading: automated convenience
Copy trading means following a trader or strategy you have chosen and having their trades replicated in your own account automatically, sized to your settings. The upside is convenience and access to strategies you find compelling without watching the market all day. The downside is that your results depend on the trader, and you still bear market risk.
Side by side
- Control, Manual: total. Copy: you control sizing, risk limits, and auto vs manual approval.
- Time, Manual: high. Copy: low, execution is automated.
- Learning, Manual: deep. Copy: lighter, though reviewing your chosen strategies still teaches you.
- Dependence, Manual: only on yourself. Copy: on the trader you follow.
- Risk, Both: real; neither approach guarantees profit.
You can blend them
It is not strictly either-or. With RelayTrades you can auto-copy some strategies while reviewing others through manual approval, and you can place your own trades alongside copied ones in the same account. Your risk limits and kill switch apply across the board.
Pick manual trading for control and learning, copy trading for convenience and access to vetted strategies, or blend both. Whichever you choose, keep firm risk limits, all trading involves risk and past performance is not indicative of future results.
Frequently asked questions
Related reading
Copy Trading vs. Day Trading: Which Is Right for You?
Day trading means making and executing your own short-term trades; copy trading means automatically following a trader you choose. The difference is who decides and how hands-on you are.
Read moreWhat Is Copy Trading and How Does It Work?
Copy trading lets you automatically mirror another trader’s trades in your own brokerage account. Here’s how it works, step by step.
Read moreCopy Trading vs. Social Trading: What’s the Difference?
Social trading is the broad practice of observing and following other traders; copy trading is the specific feature that automatically replicates their trades in your account.
Read moreOr read the complete guide to copy trading and browse the glossary.
Copy trade on your own broker, with safeguards you control.
Connect your account, follow the strategies you choose, and keep position-size limits, slippage protection, and a kill switch in your hands at all times.
Get startedRelayTrades provides software and automation support, not investment advice or capital management. All trading involves risk; past performance is not indicative of future results.