Gunbot and Shrimpy.io solve very different problems for crypto traders, yet they are often mentioned in the same breath. Gunbot is a self-hosted trading bot toolkit built for hands-on strategy design, while Shrimpy.io is a cloud portfolio-automation platform geared toward passive management and social trading. This 2025 comparison highlights how each product approaches automation, strategy flexibility, pricing, and long-term value so you can decide which best matches your goals.
Core Differences at a Glance
| Feature | Gunbot | Shrimpy.io |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Self-hosted app (Windows, macOS, Linux, VPS) | 100 percent cloud SaaS |
| Primary Focus | Customizable trading automation | Portfolio rebalancing, index tracking, social copy trading |
| Pricing Model | Lifetime license starting at $59 (Gunbot Standard) | Monthly subscriptions from free up to \$299 / mo |
| Strategy Types | Spot & futures grid, DCA, indicator-based, liquidity provider, scalping, trailing, custom JS | Automated portfolio rebalancing, index replication, copy trading via social leaderboard |
| Custom Scripting | Full JavaScript engine plus TradingView webhook support | REST API for external developers on higher-tier plans |
| Exchange Integrations | Native connectors for 25 + exchanges across spot, futures, and DeFi | ≈ 15 major exchanges |
| API Key Custody | Local – your API secret/private key stays on your device | Stored on Shrimpy servers |
Why the exchange numbers differ
Internet sources often mention “100+ exchanges” for Gunbot, counting every historical adapter and third-party plugin ever written. In 2025 the official release ships with reliable, first-party connectors for 25 plus major venues—including Binance, Kraken, OKX, Bybit, dYdX, and HyperLiquid—covering spot, perps, and on-chain DEXs. That still far exceeds Shrimpy’s cloud lineup of roughly fifteen CEXs.
Deployment and API-Key Security
Gunbot: Self-Hosted Control
Running on your own hardware means you choose where and how the bot lives—home PC, dedicated server, or lightweight VPS. Your exchange API secret keys never leave the machine you control, insulating you from vendor breaches and providing full offline backup options.
Shrimpy.io: Cloud Convenience, Third-Party Custody
Shrimpy’s web dashboard is undeniably handy. Log in from any browser, connect exchanges once, and your automations run 24 × 7. The trade-off is obvious: your encrypted API keys reside on Shrimpy infrastructure. If your operational model or compliance policy requires tight local custody, Gunbot wins hands down.
Bottom line: Self-hosting demands a bit more technical effort but grants maximum sovereignty over credentials and uptime.
Functionality Showdown
Gunbot: Real-Time Strategy Execution
Gunbot excels at active trading. Whether you want a classic grid on BTC-USDT, an adaptive DCA dip-buyer, or a custom JS script spitting out scalp orders every minute, the engine can handle it. The local UI provides granular backtesting, visual profit-and-loss tracking, and live TradingView signal ingestion for mixed indicator pipelines.
Shrimpy.io: Passive Wealth Management
Shrimpy is built for set-and-forget allocations. Pick a target weighting—say, 40 percent BTC, 30 percent ETH, 30 percent alt index—and Shrimpy rebalances on your preferred schedule. Follow a top trader? One click mirrors their portfolio. For investors who value simplicity over micromanagement, Shrimpy reduces decision fatigue.
Key takeaway: Gunbot is like having a programmable trading terminal. Shrimpy is like having a robo-advisor tuned for crypto.
Pricing and Lifetime Value
| Cost Scenario | Gunbot | Shrimpy.io |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front | \$59 (Standard) or higher tiers for more features and exchange seats | \$0–\$299 per month |
| 12-Month Total | Still \$59 for Standard (no forced upgrades) | \$1 788 at \$149 / mo or \$3 588 at \$299 / mo |
| Break-Even | Gunbot becomes cheaper than any paid Shrimpy plan in the first month | Subscription never overtakes one-time license |
Long-term, Gunbot’s perpetual license is a fraction of Shrimpy’s annual cost—even before you factor in multiple accounts or higher trading volumes. If you trade actively, Gunbot’s ROI compounds quickly.
Strategy Customization Depth
- Gunbot offers seven verified strategy families out of the box: spot & futures grid, DCA, indicator-based, liquidity provider, scalping, trailing, and fully custom JS. Each block exposes dozens of parameters—step sizes, cooldown timers, dynamic take-profit logic—letting tinkerers push performance to the limit.
- Shrimpy.io customization revolves around allocation targets and rebalance cadence. Advanced users can write external code against Shrimpy’s REST API, but true intra-candle logic still lives outside the platform.
If you want to write and debug complex strategies in one place, Gunbot’s integrated console is the clear choice.
Exchange Coverage and Liquidity Access
Gunbot’s native list covers leading CEXs (Binance, OKX, Kraken, KuCoin, Bybit) and trending DeFi perp venues like HyperLiquid and dYdX. Being able to run the same strategy on both centralized and on-chain books is invaluable during exchange outages or region-specific restrictions.
Shrimpy’s portfolio engine supports major custodial exchanges but omits many futures markets and chain-native DEXs. If you trade derivatives or hunt for deep altcoin liquidity, you may hit limits quickly.
Community, Support, and Learning Curve
| Aspect | Gunbot | Shrimpy.io |
|---|---|---|
| Official Docs | Comprehensive wiki, strategy documentation, API docs | Step-by-step portfolio guides, API docs |
| Learning Curve | Steeper—requires local install and basic server hygiene | Smooth—web interface, no install |
| Customer Support | Ticket system | In-app chat for subscribers, email support |
Beginners who enjoy tinkering will find Gunbot’s Telegram community a treasure trove. Those wanting immediate portfolio automation with minimal setup effort will appreciate Shrimpy’s simplicity.
Who Should Choose Gunbot?
- Traders who design, build, and control their own execution logic
- Users requiring local custody of API secrets
- Individuals seeking one-time purchase economics
- Developers comfortable with JavaScript
- Traders needing access to both CEXs and DeFi perp DEXs
Who Should Choose Shrimpy.io?
- Long-term investors prioritizing periodic rebalancing
- Users interested in social copy trading
- Anyone preferring a pure cloud dashboard with zero local maintenance
- Developers working on portfolio analytics via API rather than intraday trading logic
Verdict
Gunbot and Shrimpy.io are not direct substitutes—they sit at opposite ends of the crypto automation spectrum.
- Gunbot is a programmable trade engine for active traders and developers who demand fine-grained control, local API security, and lifetime ownership at a sane price.
- Shrimpy.io is a polished portfolio manager aimed at passive investors seeking effortless rebalancing and community-driven indexing, albeit for an ongoing subscription fee.
If your goal is to craft and iterate on high-frequency or rule-based trading strategies, Gunbot is the better tool. If you simply want your crypto allocation to track a target mix or mirror a top performer without fuss, Shrimpy.io delivers that experience.
Final Thoughts
The choice ultimately depends on how you define “automation.” Gunbot automates execution logic; Shrimpy.io automates portfolio composition. Some traders even run both—Gunbot for active grids on futures pairs and Shrimpy for a passive long-term BTC–ETH basket. Evaluate your time, technical appetite, and budget, then pick (or combine) the platform that aligns with your strategy.