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Drawdown recovery calculator
After a drawdown, getting back to your starting balance takes a bigger percentage gain than the percentage you lost. The deeper the drawdown, the faster that gap grows.
New to this?
You getThe % gain you need to get back to the starting balance, and the amount to recover
What to enter, and the terms used
You enterYour balance before the drop (at its highest) and your balance now, or the drawdown as a %
New to these words?
Example: enter this, get this
- Starting (peak) balance: 10,000
- Current balance: 8,000
- (To enter a percentage instead, type 20 in the first box)
You are down 10,000 − 8,000 = 2,000, a 20% drawdown. To grow the remaining 8,000 by 2,000, you need 2,000 ÷ 8,000 = +25%. Getting back takes a bigger percentage than the one you lost.
The example numbers only show how the calculation works. They are not recommendations. Replace them with your own account’s numbers, or use “Clear inputs”.Where do I find these numbers?
- Balance
- In MT4, the Terminal window; in MT5, the Trade tab of the Toolbox, under “Balance”. In the mobile app, on the Trade screen
- Peak balance
- Look back through past trades, deposits and withdrawals in the Account History tab of the MT4 Terminal, or the History tab of the MT5 Toolbox. A figure from your own records works too
The mobile app and platforms other than MT4/MT5 may use different names or places (for example, “Units” or “Lot size” for contract size). If you cannot find a number, check your broker’s help pages.
How it works
- Gain needed = 1 ÷ (1 − drawdown) − 1
- Example: after a 20% loss you have 80% left. Getting 80% back to 100% takes a 25% gain on what is left.
- If you enter balances, drawdown = (peak − current) ÷ peak.
FAQ
Why do I need more than I lost?
Because you are growing a smaller balance. Recovering the same amount takes a bigger percentage.
Does this tool encourage chasing losses?
No. Rushing to win it back often means bigger sizes or more trades. This tool just shows the gap in numbers.
Write it down when you want to win it back.
Tiltnote is a trading journal where you log how you felt and whether you kept your rules on each trade. Over time you can see what happened to the trades you took to win it back.
Try Tiltnote free →On the free plan, analysis and history show your most recent 14 days (older records are kept and unlock on the paid plan).Related articles
Drawdown and recovery mathHow to review a month of tradingHow to stop revenge tradingLosing streaks, in numbers
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This tool is a calculation aid. It is not investment advice or a recommendation to make any trade. Real values depend on your broker’s contract size, rates, commissions and spread. Always check in your trading platform before placing an order. The numbers you enter are calculated on your device and never sent anywhere.
Updated 21 Oct 2026 · Run by Kenji Okumura, Representative, Tiltnote · About this site