Last updated 6 July 2026

Can I use my broker API key in more than one app?

In short

A common reason to ask this is to run your own or a purchased algo on your broker account and, at the same time, add that same account to AutoTrader Web as a master so we copy its orders into child accounts. Whether this works depends on your broker. If your broker lets you create more than one API key, use a separate key for each app and there is no conflict. If it gives only one API key but allows logins from more than one place at the same time, that also works. If it allows only one API key and only one login, a new login logs out the earlier one — so AutoTrader Web and your algo keep logging each other out, and it is not possible.

Short answer

It depends on your stock broker. There are two cases.

A common case: another algo plus copy trading

Many people ask this because they want to keep using their own algo (or an algo they bought) on their broker account and, at the same time, add that account to AutoTrader Web as a master so we copy its orders into child accounts.

The flow is: your external algo places orders in your broker account, and our system copies those orders into the child accounts. For this to work, both your algo and our system need to stay logged in to the same broker account at the same time. Whether that is allowed depends on your broker — see the two cases below.

If your broker allows only one API key and only one login at a time, this will not work. When AutoTrader Web logs in, your algo using the same key is logged out. When your algo logs back in, AutoTrader Web is logged out. The two keep logging each other out.

If your broker gives you only one API key

  • Some brokers allow the same API key to be logged in from more than one place (different PCs or IPs) at the same time. If yours does, you can use the key in more than one app.
  • If your broker does not allow this, then a new login will log out the existing session. So two apps will keep logging each other out.
  • Please check with your broker whether they allow multiple logins (from different IPs) on the same API key.

If your broker lets you create more than one API key

  • Some brokers let you create more than one API key, or more than one API app.
  • This is the best case. Create a separate API key for each app and use them independently. There is no session conflict.
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