Break-Even Recovery Calculator
After a loss, how much do you need to gain just to get back to even? Enter your loss — or your entry and current price — to see the exact recovery target. No signup, runs entirely in your browser.
| If you're down… | You need a gain of… |
|---|---|
| −10% | +11.1% |
| −20% | +25% |
| −25% | +33.3% |
| −30% | +42.9% |
| −40% | +66.7% |
| −50% | +100% |
| −60% | +150% |
| −75% | +300% |
| −80% | +400% |
| −90% | +900% |
Losses and the gains needed to undo them are not symmetric — the deeper the drawdown, the disproportionately larger the recovery. A 50% loss needs a 100% gain; an 80% loss needs 400%. This asymmetry is the core reason avoiding large losses matters more than chasing large gains.
How the Break-Even Calculator Works
- 1Enter how much you are down as a percentage.
- 2Or enter your entry price and current price to derive the loss automatically.
- 3Read the percentage gain needed to return to break-even.
- 4Use the reference table to see how the recovery grows with deeper losses.
The Asymmetry of Losses and Gains
A loss and the gain needed to reverse it are not mirror images. A 10% loss needs only an 11.1% gain to recover, which feels fair. But a 50% loss needs a 100% gain, and an 80% loss needs a punishing 400%. The reason is simple: after a loss you are compounding from a smaller base, so each percentage point of recovery is worth less in absolute terms than the percentage points you lost.
This asymmetry is one of the most important ideas in investing, and it explains why protecting capital matters more than maximizing upside. Two portfolios that both average, say, +25% and −20% in alternating years do not end flat — the drawdowns compound against you. It is also the mathematical case for position sizing and stop-losses: keeping losses small keeps the required recovery small, whereas letting a position fall 70% or 80% can leave you needing a near-impossible return just to break even.
What the Math Teaches
Small losses recover easily
Under about 20%, the required gain is only slightly larger than the loss. Staying in this range keeps recovery realistic.
Deep losses compound against you
Past 50%, the recovery needed balloons. A 75% loss needs a 300% gain — the reason catastrophic drawdowns are so hard to undo.
Capital protection first
Avoiding large losses beats chasing large gains. The math rewards consistency and downside control over home runs.
Size positions to survive
Risking a fixed small percentage per trade keeps any single loss recoverable. Pair this with a position size calculator.
Beware “it'll bounce back”
Holding a −80% position hoping for recovery ignores that it needs +400% just to break even. Judge it on fresh merits.
Drawdowns are the real risk
Average returns hide the damage of deep drawdowns. Track your worst loss, not just your average, to understand risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a 50% loss need a 100% gain to recover?
Because the gain is measured against a smaller base. If $100 falls 50% to $50, you now need to double that $50 to get back to $100 — a 100% gain. The percentage down and the percentage needed to recover are measured from different starting points, which is why they are not equal. The deeper the loss, the more extreme the gap.
What is the formula for break-even recovery?
Recovery gain = 1 ÷ (1 − loss) − 1, expressed as a percentage. For a 40% loss: 1 ÷ (1 − 0.40) − 1 = 0.667, or a 66.7% gain needed. The formula reflects that after a loss you are working with less capital, so a larger percentage move is required to climb back to where you started.
How much do I need to recover from a 90% loss?
A 90% loss requires a 900% gain — a tenfold return — just to break even. This is why very deep drawdowns are so dangerous: even a strong recovery may not be enough. It is the mathematical reason experienced investors focus first on avoiding catastrophic losses rather than chasing the biggest gains.
Can I enter my entry and current price instead of a percentage?
Yes. Enter your entry price and current price and the calculator works out your loss percentage automatically, then shows the gain needed to return to your entry. This is handy when you know your buy price and the current market price but not the exact percentage decline.
Does this apply to any asset?
Yes. The math is universal — it works for crypto, stocks, or any investment. Losses and the recoveries needed to undo them are asymmetric for every asset. Crypto simply makes the effect vivid because its drawdowns are often large.
Is my data stored anywhere?
No. All calculations run entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent to a server or stored.