Plan · Portfolio drawdown

Portfolio Drawdown Calculator

Compare a portfolio's previous peak with its current value. See the loss and the percentage gain needed to recover it.

Scenario inputs

Change the assumptions.

  • Previous peak value
  • Current portfolio value

Open the interactive calculator to enter values. Calculations run in your browser. Editing inputs does not change the page URL. Share calculation includes your inputs after # in the shared link. This URL fragment is not sent in the page HTTP request. Anyone with the link can read its values. Avoid sharing sensitive financial information.

How it works

Portfolio drawdown and loss-recovery formulas

Drawdown (%) = max(0, peak − current) ÷ peak × 100. Recovery gain (%) = (peak − current) ÷ current × 100 when current is below peak and greater than zero. For example, a $10,000 peak falling to $8,000 means a $2,000 loss and 20% drawdown. Regaining $10,000 requires a 25% gain on $8,000. At or above peak, no recovery is needed; at zero, no finite percentage gain can restore the balance.

Educational calculation only, not financial advice. Equity Replay is a historical simulator, not a broker or a record of trades. These two values cannot establish maximum drawdown or predict recovery time. Deposits, withdrawals, dividends, fees, and taxes can change the comparison; use consistent values.

Common questions

Before you use the number.

Why does a 20% loss need a 25% gain to recover?

The loss is measured against the larger peak. Recovery is measured against the smaller remaining balance: $2,000 divided by $8,000 is 25%, not 20%. A 50% loss requires a 100% gain.

Is this a maximum drawdown calculator?

No. This calculates the decline from one entered peak to one current value. Maximum drawdown is the deepest peak-to-trough decline over a dated series and requires checking all earlier peaks and subsequent troughs.

How long will recovery take?

These inputs cannot tell you. The required gain is arithmetic, not a forecast, and recovery is not guaranteed.

What if the current value is zero or above the peak?

Zero means a 100% loss and no finite recovery percentage. At or above the entered peak, drawdown and the recovery gain are zero. If the current value is a new high, use it as the peak for later measurements.

Can I include deposits or withdrawals?

Not in a direct two-value comparison. A withdrawal can look like a loss and a deposit can hide one. Use cash-flow-adjusted, consistently valued figures before interpreting the result as investment performance.

Keep moving

How to calculate portfolio drawdown: examples and maximum drawdown