Daily Loss Limit Calculator for Prop Firm Accounts (Free)

Your daily rule

Account size (starting balance)

Daily loss limit

The percentage is taken from

Account sizeToday's start balance

Today's loss is measured from

Start-of-day balanceHigher of balance or equity

Some firms measure from whichever was higher when the day started, balance or equity with open trades.

Balance at the start of today

Your balance at your firm's daily reset time.

Equity now

Balance plus any open profit or loss right now.

Risk on your next trade (optional)

What you lose if the stop is hit.

Today

Limit breaks at

$97,000.00

$5,000.00 below $102,000.00

You can still lose

$2,800.00

before the daily limit

Today's limit used44%

You can take 5 more full losses of $500.00 today. One more after that would break the limit.

Open trades count: if your firm checks equity, a floating loss can break the limit before you close anything. 44% used.

How the daily loss limit is calculated

Every day starts from a reference point, and the limit is a fixed amount below it:

Limit amount: a fixed dollar amount, or a percentage of the account size (some firms take it from today's starting balance instead).
Reference point: the balance at the daily reset, or the higher of balance and equity at that moment.
Breach level: reference point − limit amount. Equity at or below this level breaks the rule.

Worked example

A $100,000 account has a 5% daily limit, so $5,000. Yesterday closed at $102,000, which is today's reference point. The limit breaks at $97,000. With equity at $99,800 you can still lose $2,800 today. If your next trade risks $500, you can take five more full losses; a sixth would break the limit.

Daily limit vs maximum drawdown

The daily limit resets every day; the maximum drawdown covers the whole life of the account. You must respect both, and whichever is closer is the one that matters today. Use the trailing drawdown calculator to see the overall floor.

Habits that keep you inside the limit

Set a personal daily stop well above the firm's limit, for example half of it.
Size from today's room: the position size calculator turns a dollar risk into lots or contracts.
Remember open trades: a floating loss counts on most accounts.
Log every day in a trading journal to see which days and setups cause your biggest losses.

Frequently asked questions

What is a daily loss limit?

It is the most an account may lose in one trading day. On a $100,000 account with a 5% daily limit, losing $5,000 from the day's starting point breaks the rule, even if the overall drawdown still has room.

Is the daily loss limit based on balance or equity?

Most firms count equity, meaning your balance plus open profit or loss, against a reference point set when the day starts. The reference is usually the balance at the daily reset; some firms use whichever was higher, balance or equity. Pick the version your rulebook describes.

When does the daily loss limit reset?

At your firm's daily reset time, which is set in one specific time zone and is often around midnight there or at the futures session close. The balance at that moment becomes the new starting point for the day.

Does an open losing trade count towards the daily limit?

Usually yes. If the firm measures equity, a floating loss that touches the limit fails the account even if the trade would have recovered. That is why the calculator asks for your equity now, not only your closed balance.

How much should I risk per trade with a daily loss limit?

Small enough that several losses in a row stay inside the limit. Many traders size trades so that three or four full losses still leave room. The calculator shows how many more full losses of your next trade size you can take today.