MT5 · FREE LEARNING GUIDES
Understanding prop firm rules in MetaTrader 5
A practical guide to checking the rules before your next trade. There is no single formula that applies to every prop firm: always consult your firm's current rulebook.
1. Daily loss: the calculation base matters
Some evaluations base the daily allowance on initial balance; others use the day's opening balance or equity reference. The reset can also occur at a specific server-time hour. A plausible-looking result can still be wrong if you use the wrong reference or reset time.
2. Maximum loss: static versus trailing
With a static model, initial balance 10,000 and a 10% maximum loss allowance, the equity floor is 9,000. Under a simple trailing model with a recorded equity peak of 10,200 and 10% of initial balance as the allowance, the floor rises to 9,200. Your firm's definition may differ, including when its trailing threshold stops moving.
3. Consistency: concentration of closed profits
One consistency-rule model limits the best closed-profit day to 30% of cumulative closed net profit. If the best day made 600 and total closed profit is 1,500, the share is 40%. Reaching 30% would require at least 600/0.30 − 1,500 = 500 more closed profit, assuming no future day exceeds the current best day.
This is a mathematical lower bound, not a guaranteed outcome. A new best day changes the numerator. Firms can also define trading days, fees, payouts and rule compliance differently.
4. Stops and execution restrictions matter
A broker's stop level, freeze level, spread and terminal availability can prevent a stop-loss or take-profit adjustment at a given instant. A browser calculator cannot read live broker rules or guarantee a fill or a future return.
5. A safe verification workflow
- Write down the firm's actual daily reference, reset hour and maximum-drawdown formula.
- Run the free calculator with a hypothetical scenario or your figures, without uploading them anywhere.
- Install the free RMT Prop Rules Monitor from MQL5 Market and check its panel on an MT5 demo account.
- Compare the panel to the firm's latest rules and your own account history; this monitor informs, but does not block trades.
Frequently asked questions
Does this guarantee passing an evaluation?
No. The free monitor is read-only; it never opens or blocks trades. Each firm's rules can change.
Do the calculators access my trading account?
No. The calculation happens in your browser, without a login or MetaTrader connection.
Educational content, not investment advice. Check current firm and broker rules before relying on calculations.