Why drawdown matters most
Your profit target decides when you pass. Your drawdown decides whether you get there. On a typical 50K futures evaluation, the maximum loss is $2,000.
Static drawdown
The floor never moves. On a 50K account with $2,000 static drawdown, you fail at $48,000 no matter how much profit you make first.
End-of-day (EOD) trailing
The floor moves up only when you close the day at a new high. If you finish day one at $51,000, your floor rises to $49,000 for day two. Open profit during the session doesn't move it — but most firms still enforce the floor intraday, so an open loss can breach it.
Intraday trailing
The floor follows your highest equity, including open profit. If a trade reaches +$800 then closes at +$200, your floor rose by $800 while your balance only rose $200. This punishes strategies that let winners breathe.
Where it stops trailing
Most firms lock the floor once it reaches your starting balance (often plus $100). After that, it behaves like static drawdown.
Sizing for your drawdown
A practical rule: keep a single trade's risk under 10–20% of your remaining drawdown, and set a personal daily stop well inside any firm daily loss limit. Use the trailing drawdown calculator to see your current floor and remaining room, then the position size calculator to size the trade.
Find the right firm for you
Drawdown type is the biggest difference between firms. Compare it side by side in our head-to-head comparisons or take the 5-question prop firm quiz.
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