I don't think it's an issue of bots not being profitable but the simple strategies most of the off the shelf trading bots use not being profitable. There are a ton of financial firms using algorithmic trading bots that make plenty of money doing it. The difference is they're experts and developing their own complex strategies. When you try to run your own trading bot using just the basic strategies most of them use that's who you're competing against. Of course your poor little bot is going to get trounced.