How we publish results, and why the loss comes first

Most pages that sell an Expert Advisor or a trading signal open with a big percentage. Ours open with the loss. This post explains the four rules behind every number we publish, and what each one protects you from.

1. The worst day comes before the return

Before you read what a system made, you read what its worst day cost, in % of the balance. A return without the loss next to it tells you nothing about whether you could have lived through it.

2. Equity, not just balance

A balance curve only moves when a trade closes. A system that holds losing positions open can show a smooth, rising balance while the account is deep underwater. That is why our curves show equity, the value of the account with the open positions included, and why drawdown is measured on equity. Every deposit and withdrawal is marked on the curve, so a deposit can never pass for profit.

3. Nothing disappears

Trades are numbered in order, and cancelled ones keep their number. If a losing trade were removed, the gap in the numbering would show.

4. A third party checks

Our own numbers are not enough, and they shouldn't be. Every live account is verified by an independent service once it has a month of history.

Where each number comes from

Every figure on this site says what it is: a backtest on real ticks or a live account. A backtest is a test on past prices, not a forecast. A live account is real money, with all the costs of a real broker. We never mix the two in the same number.

If a page of ours ever breaks one of these rules, tell us.