The Small Bot Dispatch / Issues written so far
Trading bots, and a $100-a-day lesson
Issue #3 · written 22 Oct 2026
This issue was written on 22 Oct 2026, before the first email of The Small Bot Dispatch goes out, and it hasn't been emailed to anyone yet. It's here so you can see what you'd get. Every source link was re-checked on 25 Oct 2026.
Good morning, members. This week: bots that look great on paper.
1. Five days, about $100 lost each day
One builder ran a trading bot in "dry run" (test) mode for five days and says it lost about $100 every day. Their verdict: "back to corporate. my 9-5 is my best performing so far."
Secretary's note: test mode did its job: it found the problem before real money did.
2. 121 "winning" bots, zero skill
A builder runs Mercado, a paper-trading side project (simulated money, real market data) where 146 bots compete. 121 seemed to beat the market, but 92 of those "winners" never placed a trade; they only looked good because buy-and-hold lost money in 6 of 8 markets. The best bot was up 2.05% on just 3 trades. Note: this post is labeled a paid partnership for an AI tool.
Secretary's note: before you trust a bot's scoreboard, count its trades.
3. Freelancers are being asked to fix AI's work
A PYMNTS Intelligence and WorkWhile report found that among digital freelancers, 36.6% were asked to fix or finish AI-produced work, and 28.7% were asked to lower their rates because AI could do the work more cheaply. Still, 45% report more work than a year ago.
Secretary's note: cleaning up AI output is now part of the freelance job.
Tool to try today: Apify (free plan)
Apify runs ready-made scrapers and automations ("Actors"), like pulling job listings into a spreadsheet. The free plan includes $5 of usage a month with no credit card. When it runs out, you're paused until next month. Builders can publish their own Actors and charge for them. Apify keeps 20% plus platform costs.
Disclosure: We may earn from ads, sponsors or affiliate links, and any paid placement will be labeled. This issue has none. Figures are self-reported and unverified, except the PYMNTS survey. Results aren't typical, yours will vary, and this isn't income or financial advice. Drafted with AI; every figure is linked.
Corrected on 25 Oct 2026: the PYMNTS report was published on 25 Sept 2026, not 16 Oct, and the link now points to its current address.
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