What each path actually opens
Venasri connects to MetaTrader 5 and protects the account with Equity Guard, Manual Trade Guard, and position-size limits. Internal signal rules, model design, and connection details are not published here.
Both paths still need the same guards
Cost: a cheap Windows VPS plus free Venasri versus MetaAPI's cloud fee. For a $540 Challenge, a $20 VPS that keeps IP stable is usually the cleaner funded story.
Failure modes differ
Do not run a second unrelated EA on the ZeroMQ terminal that also modifies tickets. Magic 777888 is how Venasri knows which tickets it owns.
A practical split
Whichever path you pick, test a 10016 gold modify and a Telegram /close before the first Challenge day. A bridge you have not failed in rehearsal is not a bridge.