> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.askfutures.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FAQ

> Quick answers to the most common questions about AskFutures — backtests, costs, data, privacy, and billing.

Short answers to the questions traders ask most. For the deeper "is this real?"
explanation, see [Is the backtest real?](/concepts/is-the-backtest-real).

<Info>
  Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always test before you trade.
</Info>

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How long does a backtest take?" icon="clock">
    Usually a few minutes. The exact time depends on how much data the strategy
    covers, how many indicators it uses, how complex the rules are, and current
    load. You'll see the results on the strategy card when it's done — total P\&L,
    win rate, number of trades, average trade, and max drawdown.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are trading costs and slippage included?" icon="coins">
    Yes. Reported P\&L is **net of modeled slippage and commission** by default —
    slippage of **1 tick** per trade and commission of **$1/side** on micros and     **$2.50/side** on full-size contracts. You can adjust both when you build or
    refine a strategy.

    Even so, live results can differ from a backtest because of real-world
    factors a simulation can't fully capture: actual fills, liquidity, latency,
    and changing markets. Treat backtests as analytical tools, not guarantees.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What markets and instruments are supported?" icon="chart-candlestick">
    Roughly 74 listed futures contracts across equity indices (including
    international index futures like DAX and FTSE), energy, metals, grains,
    interest rates, FX, crypto, livestock, softs, and volatility — think E-mini
    and Micro S\&P 500, Nasdaq, Crude Oil, Gold, and Bitcoin, plus many more. Most
    are CME Group markets (CME, CBOT, NYMEX, COMEX), with a few closely linked
    international contracts. We use back-adjusted continuous contracts built with
    standardized roll logic. We don't support single-name stocks or ETFs, equity
    options, or spot FX. See [Supported symbols](/reference/supported-symbols) for
    the full list.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is this investment advice?" icon="scale-balanced">
    No. AskFutures is a research and analysis tool. It does **not** provide
    investment advice, trading recommendations, brokerage services, commodity
    trading advice, or legal or tax advice. You are solely responsible for your
    own trading decisions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How current is the data?" icon="calendar-days">
    Market data is updated **daily** from an institutional-grade vendor feed and
    goes through internal quality checks and normalization. Backtests run on
    minute-level history (1-minute, 5-minute, and daily bars), evaluated on
    completed bars at your chosen timeframe. The strategy doesn't see future
    data — chronological ordering is strictly enforced, so it only uses
    information that would have been available at the time.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I trade live? Does it place orders?" icon="ban">
    No. AskFutures does not connect to a broker, place orders, or trade any real
    money. It's a backtesting and research tool — every result is a
    **hypothetical, simulated** replay of your rules over historical prices.
    Trading the idea live is entirely up to you, through your own broker.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is my data private? Is it used to train AI?" icon="lock">
    Your account details and the strategy ideas you describe are used to run the
    service, keep it reliable and secure, and prevent abuse. We **do not sell
    personal data**. Interactions may be logged and monitored for security,
    abuse prevention, and improving the product. We apply reasonable safeguards
    to protect your information, though no system can promise absolute security.

    To request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal
    information, email [support@askfutures.com](mailto:support@askfutures.com).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's the difference between a backtest and optimization?" icon="sliders">
    A **backtest** runs one strategy — one fixed set of parameters — over
    historical data and reports how it performed. An **optimization** runs many
    backtests across a range of parameter values (say, every stop from $200 to
            $800) to see which settings held up best.

    Same deterministic engine either way; optimization just sweeps the dials for
    you. See [Backtesting](/concepts/backtesting) and
    [Optimization](/concepts/optimization).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need to know how to code?" icon="keyboard">
    No. You describe your idea in plain English the way you'd say it to another
    trader, and AskFutures turns it into a precise, rule-based strategy. No code,
    no formulas, no platform scripting. You can refine it by chatting, too.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I get programmatic / MCP access?" icon="plug">
    AskFutures offers an MCP server so you can drive it from tools like Claude,
    Cursor, or Codex. To get set up, email
    [support@askfutures.com](mailto:support@askfutures.com). See the
    [Developers overview](/developers/overview) for what the MCP server can do.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I cancel anytime? What about refunds?" icon="receipt">
    You can cancel at any time — cancellation takes effect at the end of your
    current billing period. Subscriptions auto-renew at the end of each cycle
    unless you cancel before renewal. Subscription fees are **non-refundable**,
    and there are no partial refunds for unused time. A free trial may be
    available; if so, it converts to a paid subscription at the end of the trial
    unless you cancel first.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are the AI-generated strategies guaranteed correct?" icon="robot">
    No. The AI translates your words into rules, and like any automated system it
    can occasionally produce something incomplete, inaccurate, or not quite what
    you meant. Always review the strategy card — entries, exits, filters, and
    parameters — and check that it matches your intent before you rely on it.

    Where AskFutures had to make a call or couldn't add something, it tells you:
    look for the **Assumptions** and **Issues** notes on the strategy. The
    *numbers*, on the other hand, are not AI-generated — once the rules exist, a
    fixed, deterministic engine produces every result. More on that in
    [Is the backtest real?](/concepts/is-the-backtest-real).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Warning>
  Backtest results are **hypothetical and simulated**. Because no trades were
  actually executed, results may under- or over-state real outcomes — liquidity,
  slippage, volatility, and execution delays differ live, and simulated programs
  are designed with the benefit of hindsight. Past performance — actual or
  simulated — does not guarantee future results. Always test before you trade.
</Warning>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Is the backtest real?" icon="shield-check" href="/concepts/is-the-backtest-real">
    How AskFutures separates AI interpretation from deterministic math.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Build a strategy" icon="hammer" href="/guides/build-a-strategy">
    Go from a plain-English idea to a backtested strategy.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Core concepts" icon="lightbulb" href="/concepts/overview">
    Strategies, backtests, and what makes the numbers trustworthy.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Developers" icon="code" href="/developers/overview">
    Drive AskFutures from Claude, Cursor, or Codex with the MCP server.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>