Is 1% a day realistic?
Almost never. 1% a day for a trading year (about 250 days) multiplies the account by 12: 1,100% a year. The best professional managers rarely sustain more than 20–30% a year.
Compounding calculator
How your account grows by reinvesting profits, period by period, and what it takes to recover from a loss.
- ECBOfficial exchange rates every day
- CMEOfficial futures specifications
Final balance
Monthly
0 $
- Total profit
- —
- Growth
- —
- Yearly equivalent
- —
- To double the account
- —
Balance over time
Period by period
| Period | Starting balance | Profit | Ending balance | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | $10,000 | +$200 | $10,200 | 2.0% |
| Month 2 | $10,200 | +$204 | $10,404 | 4.0% |
| Month 3 | $10,404 | +$208 | $10,612 | 6.1% |
| Month 4 | $10,612 | +$212 | $10,824 | 8.2% |
| Month 5 | $10,824 | +$216 | $11,041 | 10.4% |
| Month 6 | $11,041 | +$221 | $11,262 | 12.6% |
| Month 7 | $11,262 | +$225 | $11,487 | 14.9% |
| Month 8 | $11,487 | +$230 | $11,717 | 17.2% |
| Month 9 | $11,717 | +$234 | $11,951 | 19.5% |
| Month 10 | $11,951 | +$239 | $12,190 | 21.9% |
| Month 11 | $12,190 | +$244 | $12,434 | 24.3% |
| Month 12 | $12,434 | +$249 | $12,682 | 26.8% |
| Month 13 | $12,682 | +$254 | $12,936 | 29.4% |
| Month 14 | $12,936 | +$259 | $13,195 | 31.9% |
| Month 15 | $13,195 | +$264 | $13,459 | 34.6% |
| Month 16 | $13,459 | +$269 | $13,728 | 37.3% |
| Month 17 | $13,728 | +$275 | $14,002 | 40.0% |
| Month 18 | $14,002 | +$280 | $14,282 | 42.8% |
| Month 19 | $14,282 | +$286 | $14,568 | 45.7% |
| Month 20 | $14,568 | +$291 | $14,859 | 48.6% |
| Month 21 | $14,859 | +$297 | $15,157 | 51.6% |
| Month 22 | $15,157 | +$303 | $15,460 | 54.6% |
| Month 23 | $15,460 | +$309 | $15,769 | 57.7% |
| Month 24 | $15,769 | +$315 | $16,084 | 60.8% |
How much it takes to recover from a drawdown
Losses weigh more than gains: after losing 50%, it takes a 100% gain to get back to the starting balance. That is why controlling risk matters more than chasing returns.
| Loss | Gain needed to recover |
|---|---|
| −5% | +5.3% |
| −10% | +11.1% |
| −20% | +25.0% |
| −25% | +33.3% |
| −30% | +42.9% |
| −40% | +66.7% |
| −50% | +100.0% |
| −60% | +150.0% |
| −75% | +300.0% |
| −90% | +900.0% |
How it works
With compounding, each period you earn on the balance you already have, not on the starting one. 2% a month for 24 months turns $10,000 into about $16,084, not $14,800.
It works the same way with losses, and there it works against you: after losing 20% it takes a 25% gain to get back to where you started.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to double the account?
Roughly 72 ÷ the return per period (the rule of 72). At 2% a month, about 36 months; at 5% a month, about 15. The calculator gives the exact number.
Why is a drawdown so hard to recover?
Because the gain is earned on a smaller balance. After losing 50% of $10,000 you have $5,000 left, and getting back to $10,000 takes a 100% gain.