In a world where flashy returns and influencer-backed promises dominate your feed, it’s becoming harder for retail traders to separate fact from fiction. Both Univest and RA Algos by AlgoTest claim to simplify trading through SEBI-registered advice. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find one is built on transparency, the other on illusions.
Here is something that we published a few months ago:
Quick Comparison Table
Feature | AlgoTest – RA Algos | Univest |
|---|---|---|
Platform Type | Marketplace of SEBI Registered RAs | In-house SEBI RA (Univest Advisors LLP) |
Backtesting | Available, 25 Free every week | Not available |
Forward Testing | Available, free for first few days | Not available |
Algo Trading | Yes | No |
P&L Disclosure | With brokerage, slippage & charges | Without brokerage or tax disclosure |
Signal Latency | Ultra Fast Execution | App notifications delayed, Telegram used without informing |
Slippage Awareness | Slippage can be added in logs and backtests reports | Ignored, unrealistic entries and exits |
Univest's Red Flags: What We Discovered
Over the course of 10 days of live trading and 1 month of forward (paper) trading, we tracked every trade issued by Univest. Here’s what we found:
1. Delayed Notifications
- App notifications often arrived too late to act on.
- Univest privately told us to use Telegram/WhatsApp instead, but never disclosed this to users.
2. Misleading P&L Figures
- Univest claimed profits of ₹2,908 in options.
- Our actual results: ₹ -19,293 after brokerage and charges.
- No visibility of brokerage, taxes, or costs in their reports.
3. Ignored Slippage
- For options, exact entry prices are shown without realistic execution range.
- Every trade we executed suffered from negative slippage, especially in illiquid contracts.
4. High, Undisclosed Leverage
- Several trades involved naked futures positions, carried overnight with no disclaimer.
- Leverage levels exceeded 4x in some cases, drastically increasing risk.
5. TEJASNET Trade, Manipulation?
- Trade issued on a market holiday with entry range of ₹1,180–₹1,210.
- Market opened next day at ₹1,425, impossible to enter the trade.
- Yet, Univest claimed this trade hit target and included it in performance reports.
6. Fake Reviews and Ratings
- On both Google Play and App Store, rating patterns show fake 5-star reviews.
- Real users mention delayed notifications, misleading results, and losses.
Features and Analysis
1. The Core Offering: Marketplace vs. In-House
RA Algos by AlgoTest
- Marketplace model: Aggregates dozens of SEBI-registered research analysts, each offering their own algos.
- Choice & competition: You can compare track records, backtest any RA’s algo, and select the one that matches your risk appetite.
- Decentralized accountability: Every RA’s trade recommendation logs is published, with full transparency on costs, slippage, and taxes.
Univest
- In-house RA: All advice comes from a single entity (Univest Advisors LLP).
- Limited diversity: Tips (recommendations) are given by their team.
- Opaque performance: P&L figures are presented without full breakdowns, leaving users in the dark about real costs.
Why it matters: A marketplace drives RAs to perform, your success is their reputation. An in-house model risks a single point of failure and limited accountability.
2. Backtesting & Forward Testing: Simulate Before You Commit
RA Algos by AlgoTest
- Historical data since 2017: Over 7+ years of minute-level data across Nifty, BankNifty, Finnifty, Sensex and more.
- 25 free backtests per week: Backtest any algo without paying; perfect for vetting multiple RAs.
- Advanced modeling: Add slippage, brokerage, exchange, cost and taxes to your data.
- Forward testing (paper trading): Free trial period lets you run real-time signals with virtual capital.
Univest
- No backtesting: Strategies cannot be simulated against historical data, blind faith required.
- No paper trading: Users must deploy capital to “test” performance, exposing them to full market risk from day one.
Why it matters: Backtesting and forward testing are the cornerstone of systematic trading. Without them, you’re flying blind, exposed to hidden pitfalls and untested edge decay.
3. Algo Trading & Execution Speed
RA Algos by AlgoTest
- Automated API execution: Integrate directly with 45+ brokers; trades fire within milliseconds of signal generation.
- Zero manual lag: No reliance on mobile notifications; every order is placed automatically.
- Robust error handling: Automatic reconnections, retry logic, and real-time alerts if orders fail.
Univest
- Manual notifications: Strategy signals are pushed via app alerts (often delayed) or Telegram messages (undisclosed channel).
- High latency risk: Market moves fast; minutes of delay can turn winners into losers.
- No automated fallback: If you miss a notification, there’s no backup execution.
Why it matters: In derivatives markets, where spreads are tight and instruments are leveraged, execution speed can define profitability. AlgoTest’s automated infrastructure ensures you never miss a beat.
4. P&L Transparency & Slippage Awareness
RA Algos by AlgoTest
- Full Report disclosure: Algo reports include P&L, max drawdown and many other metrics after brokerage, exchange fees, and taxes.
- Slippage modeling: Choose conservative, moderate, or aggressive slippage to stress-test dry-runs.
Univest
- Gross P&L only: Reports show idealized profits, omitting commissions, taxes, and slippage.
- No slippage: Unrealistically assumes you always get best-price fills, which is impossible in fast markets.
- Surprise costs: Users discover real costs only after settlements, often too late to react.
Why it matters: Accurate reports prevent nasty surprises when the bill comes. Knowing your true performance empowers smarter position sizing and risk control.
5. Risk Management & Leverage Visibility
RA Algos by AlgoTest
- Full risk stats: MaxDD charts and other metrics are shown in the reports so that users can analyse the algo before taking them live.
Univest
- Limited risk stats: No Max Drawdown (MaxDD) charts or stress-test reports provided.
Why it matters: Proper risk management is the bedrock of longevity. Transparency around leverage and drawdowns keeps traders in the game through rough patches.
6. User Interface & Experience
RA Algos by AlgoTest
- Algo-centric design: Dashboards organized by RA, algo, and instrument, minimizing clicks to insights.
Univest
- Generic panels: Screens resemble basic order-entry apps; strategy details are buried in menus.
- Manual setup: No visual builder, users must memorize syntax or copy/paste commands.
Why it matters: A well-designed UI accelerates adoption and reduces errors. When you can set up live trading as quickly as you test a prototype, edge capture becomes frictionless.
7. Community & Support
RA Algos by AlgoTest
- Active Telegram group (14k+ members): Algos discussions, weekly market debriefs, and RA Q&A sessions.
- Webinars & tutorials: Monthly live workshops with RAs, covering new algos and platform enhancements.
Univest
- No public community: No forum or group for peer support.
- Slow email tickets: Support queries often take 24–48 hours for a response.
- Limited educational content: Few recorded sessions; lack of systematic tutorials.
Why it matters: Learning never stops in trading. A vibrant community and responsive support shorten your learning curve and keep you on top of market shifts.
8. Regulatory Compliance & Trust
RA Algos by AlgoTest
- All RAs SEBI-registered: Verify credentials, experience, and compliance history at a glance.
Univest
- Single-entity compliance: Only Univest Advisors LLP is SEBI-registered; individual analysts lack direct visibility.
Why it matters: In regulated markets, proof of compliance isn’t negotiable. Transparent audit logs and verified credentials protect both traders and their capital.
Why RA Algos Was Created by AlgoTest?
We built RA Algos to offer an honest, data-driven path for traders:
- Every algo is built by a SEBI Registered RA
- You can backtest it, forward test it, and automate it.
- Slippage, brokerage, and costs can be included in our reports
- Nothing is hidden. No unrealistic promises. No fake win rates.
“90% of retail traders lose money in derivatives.” – SEBI
Yet on AlgoTest, 45% of active users were gross profitable in FY. 2023-24, because we give them real tools, not marketing fluff.
Don’t Get Misled by Flashy Numbers
If someone promises 100% win rates in trading, they’re either lying, lucky, or leveraging data manipulation.
Beware high‑accuracy claims. A strategy that advertises extremely high hit‑rates often hides negative skew, the tendency to generate many small gains but suffer occasional huge losses, like this:
Be extra skeptical of any algo promising near 100% accuracy.
Trading is hard. But it can be made easier with:
- Transparent data
- Real SEBI Reg. RAs
- Automated execution
That’s what RA Algos by AlgoTest stands for. Check out RA Algos now!
