Trailing drawdown calculator
Enter your account's maximum drawdown and your daily P&L. See where the loss limit sits after each day, how much room you have left, and the day it would be hit. Free, nothing to sign up for, nothing leaves your browser.
| Day | P&L at close | Worst point in the day | Balance | Loss limit | Room | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $50,450 | $48,450 | $2,000 | |||
| 2 | $50,150 | $48,450 | $1,700 | |||
| 3 | $50,970 | $48,970 | $2,000 | |||
| 4 | $49,720 | $48,970 | $750 |
A model of the common rule types, not any firm's exact rulebook. Use the numbers your firm shows for your account, and check its dashboard before you trade: firms differ in when the limit updates and what counts as a breach. For intraday trailing, the best point is assumed to come before the worst point, which is the cautious reading.
How the trailing drawdown moves
Take a $50,000 account with a $2,000 trailing drawdown. You start with the limit at $48,000. Close day one at $50,500 and the limit rises to $48,500. Lose $300 on day two and the limit stays at $48,500: it only moves up. Once the limit reaches the point where your firm stops trailing (often the starting balance), it stays there, and every dollar above it is room you keep.
The trap is intraday trailing. Run a trade to +$1,100 and close it at +$80, and the limit has already moved up by $1,100 that day. That is why a green day can still leave you with less room than you started with.
Trailing drawdown questions
What is a trailing drawdown?
A loss limit that moves up as your account makes new highs, and never moves down. If your maximum drawdown is $2,000 and your balance peaks at $52,000, the limit sits at $50,000. Fall to it and the account is closed.
What is the difference between end-of-day and intraday trailing?
End-of-day trailing only follows your balance at the close of each day. Intraday trailing follows the best point your account reaches during the day, including open profit, so giving back an open winner can tighten the limit even if you close green.
Does the trailing drawdown ever stop moving?
Often yes. Many prop firms stop trailing once the limit reaches the starting balance or a small amount above it. After that the limit stays fixed. Choose that option in the calculator to see when it happens for your numbers.
Is this calculator exact for my prop firm?
It models the common rule types, not any one firm's rulebook. Firms differ in when the limit updates, what counts as a breach and how payouts affect it. Use the numbers your firm shows for your account and treat its dashboard as the final word.
Journals for prop firm accounts
Know why you got close to the limit, not just when.
Afterfill journals every trade from your fills and a few seconds of your voice, so a red day comes with the reason.