3Commas alternative? An honest comparison with Nova

3Commas is one of the best-known platforms for automated crypto trading. If you are searching for a "3Commas alternative", you probably already know what a trading bot is and you are comparing price, features or how much control you keep. This page puts the facts next to each other. We make Nova, so we are not neutral. That is why we only use facts from public pages, with a link and the date we checked them, and we tell you where 3Commas offers more than Nova.

What 3Commas offers (from its public pages)

According to the 3Commas pricing page (checked on 28 October 2026):

• Starter: $20 per month, or $15 per month on an annual plan. Spot trading on 1 exchange, with 5 active DCA bots, 2 signal bots and 2 grid bots.
• Pro: $50 per month, or $38 per month on an annual plan. Spot and futures, more API keys and more active bots.
• Expert: $140 per month, or $105 per month on an annual plan. Much higher limits and API access.
• All plans include a demo account, and the page offers a free trial.
• The page mentions 9 exchanges and support for Pine Script and webhook execution.

In short: 3Commas has a wide range of bot types (DCA, grid, signal), futures on the higher plans and a lot of room for advanced users. Prices can change; always check the current page before you decide.

What Nova offers

Nova is a trading app built around risk control first. From the Nova home page and the terms:

• Paper mode by default. Every account starts with virtual money on live prices. Live trading is a separate choice you make yourself, at your own risk.
• Mandatory stop-loss. You cannot place an order without one.
• Risk limits above every strategy. You can only make them stricter, never looser.
• Kill switch. One button (plus a confirmation) stops all new orders, visible on every screen.
• Non-custodial. Nova never holds your money. Live trading runs through your own exchange account, with an API key that has no withdrawal rights. 2FA is mandatory.
• Exchanges for live trading (spot): KuCoin, Bybit, Bybit EU, Bitget and HTX.
• Plans: Free (€0: 1 exchange key, 3 alerts, 1 strategy), Pro (€9.99 per month: 3 keys, 20 alerts, 5 strategies) and Premium (€24.99 per month: 6 keys, 100 alerts, 20 strategies). Risk limits and the kill switch are the same in every plan.

Side by side

• Cheapest paid plan: 3Commas Starter $20/month ($15 annual). Nova Pro €9.99/month, and the Free plan already includes live spot trading on 1 exchange.
• Practise without real money: 3Commas has a demo account on all plans. Nova starts every account in paper mode.
• Stop-loss: at 3Commas you configure your own exits per bot. In Nova a stop-loss is required on every order.
• Bot types: 3Commas offers DCA, grid and signal bots. Nova offers fewer strategies; only strategies that passed internal testing are available.
• Futures: 3Commas offers futures on Pro and Expert. Nova is spot only.
• Exchanges: 3Commas lists 9. Nova supports 5 for live trading today.

When 3Commas may suit you better

Be honest with yourself about what you need. If you want futures, many bots running at the same time, Pine Script or webhooks from TradingView, or an exchange that Nova does not support yet, 3Commas offers that and Nova does not.

When Nova may suit you better

Nova may be a better fit if you want to start small and calmly: practise in paper mode first, with a stop-loss you cannot forget and a kill switch always in view. It can also fit if you only trade spot on one of the supported exchanges and don't want to pay a monthly fee to try it.

Neither tool can promise you a result. A bot only carries out rules, and markets can move against any rule. Read also what paper trading is and where its limits are and how a stop-loss works.

How to switch carefully

1. Stop or pause your old bots first, so two tools never trade the same balance.
2. Create a new API key on your exchange for Nova, with trading rights only and no withdrawal rights.
3. Practise in paper mode with the settings you plan to use, and look at how often your stop-loss is hit.
4. Go live with a small amount, and only with money you can afford to lose.

Want to try it without real money? Create a free account (paper mode). No card needed.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nova a free 3Commas alternative?

Nova has a Free plan at €0 that includes paper mode and live spot trading on 1 exchange. Paid plans give more keys, alerts and strategies, never fewer risk controls.

Does Nova hold my crypto?

No. Your funds stay on your own exchange account. Nova uses an API key without withdrawal rights.

Can Nova trade futures?

No. Live trading in Nova is spot only.

Will I make more profit with Nova?

Nobody can promise that. Paper trading results are simulated, and live results depend on the market, fees and your own settings. You can lose money.