← Risk Manager

Configuration guide · realbacktesting Tools

Configure the Risk Manager.
Understand each setting.

Four steps to start. Then the panel tab by tab, what travels with each order, the usual questions, and a plain answer for every setting.

Guide checked against code v2.0 · On the cTrader Store

Start here

Risk per trade
1 % balance
Stop
1.5 × ATR(14) H1
Target
2 R
Daily / maximum loss
5 % · 10 %

  1. Install and open it

    Get it from the cTrader Store and restart cTrader. It appears in Plugins, and a Risk Manager button appears in the toolbar of every chart. By default it opens in the side panel.

  2. Set your limits once

    In Settings, choose an account template or your own daily and maximum loss, the reset hour of your broker or prop firm, and what happens when a limit is hit. They are saved on your computer for that account.

  3. Prepare the order

    In Trade: buy or sell, your risk, and the stop and target in pips or by dragging their lines on the chart. With the R:R lock on, the target follows the stop.

  4. Read the numbers and send

    The panel shows the lot, the money at the stop and at the target, the margin and whether it fits in what is left today. If it does not fit, it is not sent, and the panel offers the size that does.

Where the panel opens

Choose it in the plugin’s parameter in cTrader, or inside the panel in Settings › Panel. The Risk Manager button in each chart’s toolbar brings it to the front, or opens it again if you closed its window. The ticket follows the active chart.

Side panel
Next to the chart, on the right. The default.
Bottom
A tab next to Positions and Orders.
Its own page
A full tab among your charts. Click on a chart to trade that symbol.
Its own window
Floating: move it to another monitor.

The panel, tab by tab

Trade

  • Market orders in Free; limit, stop and stop-limit with entry price and expiry in PRO.
  • Before you send: lot, risk in money and %, target, R:R, pip value, margin and commission; in PRO also the swap for 1, 2 and 3 nights, counting the triple-swap day.
  • In PRO, the management rules of this order (break-even, partials, trailing, the broker’s trailing stop) and a label of your own.
Trade · Risk Manager

Positions

  • Every open trade with entry, stop, target, R:R and current R, and the balance you would keep if every stop were hit.
  • PRO: edit a trade or a pending order with its lines back on the chart; move the stop past the entry and the panel says how much profit it locks.
  • Close one, everything, winners, losers, buys, sells, a symbol or half, or break-even in one click. With the market closed, these can be left noted for the open.
Positions · Risk Manager

Rules

  • How you stand against each limit, with the room left today and when it resets.
  • When a limit is hit, the panel tells you where that limit is set and when a change would apply.
  • A looser limit you have just saved shows as pending until the next reset.
Rules · Risk Manager

Results (PRO)

  • Equity curve in money, % or balance, with the trade under your cursor; daily P&L, win rate, profit factor and expectancy.
  • By symbol, weekday and hour, filtering with a click; calendar and full history.
  • Your goals: profit target and minimum trading days.
Results (PRO) · Risk Manager

Settings

  • Every setting explained below. They are saved on your computer, per account, and survive a cTrader restart.
  • PRO: presets keep all your settings under a name (for example “FTMO 100k”) to load them on any account of that computer.
Settings · Risk Manager

Management with cTrader closed

When you send an order from the panel, its management rules, its initial size and its initial risk travel inside the order itself. Who applies them, and when:

The panel
While cTrader is open on that computer.
The Risk Guardian (cBot)
While it runs: 24/7 on a VPS, with your computer off. It reads the rules from the order itself.
The broker’s trailing stop
Always: it runs on your broker’s server, even with everything closed. If it starts at 0 R it is switched on when the trade opens; if it starts later, the panel or the Guardian must be running until then.

If the panel and the Guardian manage the same trade they do not step on each other: a partial close already done is not repeated. Risk Guardian guide ↗

Questions

The order was not sent: “it does not fit”

Its loss at the stop, plus what every open trade and pending order would lose at theirs, would cross a limit (daily, total, weekly or max open risk). Lower the risk or widen nothing: the panel offers the largest size that fits. Nothing was sent, so no spread was paid.

“The minimum lot would risk more than you asked”

Your stop is too wide for your risk on this symbol: even the broker’s minimum lot would lose more. Tighten the stop, raise the risk, or turn on “Allow the minimum size even if it risks more”.

My pending order says “withdrawn by the spread”

With a maximum spread set (PRO), the panel’s pending orders are taken off the market while the spread is wider, and put back after 10 seconds at or under it. You can edit them meanwhile; raising the maximum makes them go back sooner. With the market closed nothing is withdrawn.

I raised a limit but I am still blocked

Looser limits wait for the next reset by default, so a change made in a bad moment does not unblock the day. The Rules tab shows it as pending and when it applies. If you want changes to apply at once, set “Looser limits apply” to immediately.

The panel says it is waiting for data from cTrader

The panel never shows example figures inside cTrader. If it cannot read your account, it says so: restart the plugin, or cTrader. If it keeps happening, write to us with the message shown.

An option says PRO

It belongs to the PRO edition. In the Free edition it is shown so you know it exists, but it is not applied.

Every setting, explained

All of them are in the panel, in Settings. The name under each title is the panel’s label in English. Defaults and ranges belong to this version of the code. PRO marks a setting of the PRO edition. Telegram alerts: bot token and chat id ↗

Your accountLanguage, starting templates and the balance your limits are measured from.3

Language

Default: English
Language

The language of the panel, its messages and its alerts: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese or Italian.

Available values: English / Espanol / Francais / Portugues / Italiano

Account template

Default: Custom
Account template

A starting point that fills your loss limits for you. Custom uses your own settings below. Personal · cautious: 2% daily (from the higher of balance and equity at the reset), 10% maximum, suggested risk 0.5% per trade. Personal · active: 4% daily, 20% maximum, suggested 1%. Funded · static (PRO): 5% daily from the balance at the reset, 10% static maximum, reset at midnight Central European time, acting at 90% of each limit. Funded · trailing (PRO): 3% daily, 6% trailing maximum that stops at the starting balance, acting at 90%. Check them against your own firm’s rules: they are generic starting points.

Available values: Custom / Personal · cautious / Personal · active / Funded · static (PRO) / Funded · trailing (PRO)

Starting balance

Default: 0
Starting balance (0 = today's)

The balance your maximum loss, targets and percentages are measured from. 0 = the balance when the panel first starts on this account. Changing it later starts the account from zero (limits, peak and trading days), but an active daily or weekly block is kept.

Available values: 0 → ∞

PanelWhere the panel opens, how values are coloured and the keyboard shortcuts.7

Where the panel opens

Default: side panel
Open the panel in

Side panel: next to the chart. Bottom: a tab next to Positions and Orders. Its own page: a full tab among your charts. Its own window: floating, so you can move it to another screen. The Risk Manager button in each chart’s toolbar brings it back. It is also the plugin’s only cTrader parameter.

Available values: side panel / bottom (next to Positions) / its own page (a tab among the charts) / its own window

Colour values by sign

Default: On
Colour every value by its sign: losses in red, gains in green

On: every loss in red and every gain in green, across the panel. Off: only the totals are coloured, the classic look.

Available values: On / Off

Keyboard shortcuts PRO

Default: Off
Keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+Shift+letter)

Ctrl+Shift+letter to buy, sell, close everything or move what is in profit to break-even. They go through the same checks as the buttons, and ask for confirmation if you have it on.

Available values: On / Off

Shortcut: buy PRO

Default: B
Buy: letter

The letter for Ctrl+Shift+letter that buys with the ticket as it is.

Available values: Text

Shortcut: sell PRO

Default: S
Sell: letter

The letter for Ctrl+Shift+letter that sells with the ticket as it is.

Available values: Text

Shortcut: close everything PRO

Default: X
Close everything: letter

The letter for Ctrl+Shift+letter that closes every trade of the account.

Available values: Text

Shortcut: break-even PRO

Default: E
Break-even of what is in profit: letter

The letter for Ctrl+Shift+letter that moves the stop of every trade in profit to its entry.

Available values: Text

Position sizeHow the lot is calculated, the default stop and target, and the checks before an order is sent.13

Risk based on

Default: % balance
Risk based on

What the risk per trade is measured on. Free: % of balance or a fixed amount of money. PRO adds % of equity, % of free margin, % of a fixed amount you choose, and fixed lots (no sizing: the lot you type).

Available values: % balance / % equity (PRO) / money / lots (fixed) (PRO) / % free margin (PRO) / % of a fixed amount (PRO)

Risk per trade

Default: 1
Risk per trade (% / money / lots)

How much you risk on each trade, in the unit chosen above: a %, an amount of money or lots. The lot is calculated so that the loss at your stop equals this, and it is always rounded down.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Fixed amount for “% of a fixed amount” PRO

Default: 0
Fixed amount for '% of a fixed amount' (0 = starting balance)

The amount the % is measured on when Risk based on is “% of a fixed amount”, for example your prop firm account size: the risk stays the same even when the balance moves. 0 = the starting balance.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Default stop

Default: 1.5
Default stop (x ATR 14, H1)

Where the stop starts when you open the ticket: this many times the ATR(14) of the H1 chart from the entry. You can then type it in pips or drag its line. If there is no ATR yet, it starts 20 pips away.

Available values: 0.1 → ∞

Default take profit (R:R)

Default: 2
Take profit (R:R, 0 = none)

The target as a multiple of the stop distance, with the R:R lock on: move the stop and the target follows. 0 = no target and the lock off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Maximum spread PRO

Default: 0
Maximum spread to enter at market (pips, 0 = no filter)

A market order does not go in while the spread is wider than this. The panel’s pending orders are withdrawn while the spread is wider, and put back after 10 seconds at or under it (you can still edit them meanwhile). 0 = no filter.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Maximum slippage PRO

Default: 0
Maximum slippage at market (pips, 0 = no limit)

At market, if the order would fill further than this from the price you saw (news, gaps), it does not go in, so your risk stays the one you calculated. 0 = no limit.

Available values: 0 → ∞

What triggers the stop PRO

Default: the normal price (default)
The stop is triggered by

The cTrader stop trigger for the panel’s orders: the normal price (default), the opposite price, or either one twice in a row, so a single spike does not take you out.

Available values: the normal price (default) / the opposite price / the normal price, twice in a row / the opposite price, twice in a row

Include commission in the size

Default: On
Include commission in the size

On: the commission of the round trip counts as part of the risk, so the lot is a little smaller and the loss at your stop, commission included, is what you asked for.

Available values: On / Off

Ask before sending or closing

Default: On
Ask before sending or closing

On: every order and every close is described with its numbers and waits for Confirm. Off: it goes at once.

Available values: On / Off

Allow the minimum size even if it risks more

Default: Off
Allow the minimum size even if it risks more

Off (default): if even the broker’s minimum lot would risk more than you asked, nothing is sent and the panel tells you how much the minimum would risk. On: the minimum lot is sent anyway.

Available values: On / Off

Orders need a stop loss

Default: On
Orders need a stop loss

On: the panel does not send an order without a stop. Off: you can send one without a stop, and its risk cannot be sized or counted.

Available values: On / Off

Order label

Default: RB Risk
Order label

The label written on the panel’s orders. Useful to recognise them in cTrader’s history, or to filter them in other tools. In PRO you can also set a label per order in the ticket.

Available values: Text

Daily and maximum lossYour two main limits, how they are measured, when the day resets and what happens when one is hit.16

Daily loss limit %

Default: 5
Daily loss limit %

The most you allow yourself to lose in a day, as a %. It counts open trades: the loss is your equity against the day’s reference. 0 = no daily limit.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Daily loss limit amount

Default: 0
Daily loss limit amount (overrides %)

The same limit as an amount of money. If it is above 0 it overrides the %.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Daily loss measured from

Default: balance at reset
Daily loss measured from

The reference the day’s loss is measured from: the balance at the reset, the equity at the reset, the higher of both, or the day’s highest equity (so giving back today’s open profit also counts). Match your prop firm’s rule.

Available values: balance at reset / equity at reset / the higher of both / intraday equity peak

Daily % is a % of

Default: starting balance
Daily % is a % of

What the daily % is calculated on: the starting balance (fixed, the usual prop firm rule) or the day’s reference (it moves with your account).

Available values: starting balance / daily reference

Maximum loss %

Default: 10
Maximum loss %

The most you allow the account to lose in total, as a % of the starting balance. It counts open trades. 0 = no maximum loss.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Maximum loss amount

Default: 0
Maximum loss amount (overrides %)

The same limit as an amount of money. If it is above 0 it overrides the %.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Maximum loss type

Default: static
Maximum loss type

Static: the floor is the starting balance minus the maximum loss and never moves. Trailing end of day (PRO): the floor rises with the highest balance at the start of a day. Trailing intraday (PRO): it rises with the highest equity, even within the day.

Available values: static / trailing (end of day) (PRO) / trailing (intraday) (PRO)

Trailing loss stops at the starting balance

Default: On
Trailing loss stops at the starting balance

For the trailing types: once the floor reaches the starting balance it stops rising, as most funded accounts do. Off: it keeps rising with your peak.

Available values: On / Off

Day resets at

Default: 00:00 UTC
Day resets at

When a new trading day starts for the daily limit, the daily targets and the trade counts: midnight UTC, midnight Central European time, 17:00 New York, 17:00 Chicago, or an hour of your own. Daylight saving is handled.

Available values: 00:00 UTC / 00:00 Central Europe / 17:00 New York / 17:00 Chicago / custom UTC hour

Reset hour (UTC)

Default: 0
Reset hour (UTC, custom)

The hour of the reset when Day resets at is your own hour, 0 to 23 UTC.

Available values: 0 → 23

When a limit is hit

Default: close all and block
When a limit is hit

Close all and block: every trade of the account is closed, pending orders are cancelled and no new trades are allowed until the limit resets. Only block new trades: what is open stays open, pending orders are cancelled and nothing new goes in; a trade opened from elsewhere is closed right after it opens.

Available values: close all and block / only block new trades

Act at % of the limit

Default: 100
Act at % of the limit (safety margin)

A safety margin: act before the limit, for example at 90%, to leave room for slippage and gaps between the decision and the fill. 100 = act exactly at the limit.

Available values: 50 → 100

Warn at % of the limit

Default: 70
Warn at % of the limit

When the loss reaches this share of a limit, the status turns amber and you get an alert.

Available values: 10 → 100

Looser limits apply

Default: at the next reset
Looser limits apply

Tighter limits always apply at once. Looser ones (a higher limit, more trades…) wait for the next reset by default, so editing the settings in a bad moment does not unblock the day. Immediately: they apply at once.

Available values: at the next reset / immediately

Protect PRO

Default: all trades of the account
Protect

Which trades the limits act on: all trades of the account (default), manual trades only, the panel’s trades only, or trades whose label contains a text. The loss is always measured on the whole account.

Available values: all trades of the account / manual trades only / this panel's trades only / label contains...

Label contains PRO

Default: Empty
Label contains (for 'label contains')

The text for Protect = label contains.

Available values: Text

More rulesWeekly loss, profit targets, consistency, trade counts, open risk, hours and goals for Results.15

Weekly loss limit % PRO

Default: 0
Weekly loss limit %

The most you allow yourself to lose in a week, as a % of the starting balance, counting open trades. When hit, the week is blocked until the next week starts. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Daily profit target % PRO

Default: 0
Daily profit target % (locks profits)

Locks the day’s profit: when today’s result reaches this % of the starting balance, everything is closed and the day is blocked, so you do not give it back. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Weekly profit target % PRO

Default: 0
Weekly profit target %

The same for the week: at this % of the starting balance, everything is closed and the week is blocked. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Best day cap (consistency) PRO

Default: 0
Best day max % of total profit (consistency)

For consistency rules: no single day may make more than this % of your total profit. The panel shows how much you can still make today; when today reaches it, everything is closed and the day is blocked. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → 99

Max trades per day PRO

Default: 0
Max trades per day

After this many trades in a day, no new ones until the reset. Pending orders are cancelled and trades already open are not touched; a trade opened meanwhile from elsewhere is closed. 0 = no limit.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Max losses in a row PRO

Default: 0
Max losses in a row (per day)

After this many losing trades in a row in the same day, no new trades until the reset. Pending orders are cancelled and trades already open are not touched; a trade opened meanwhile from elsewhere is closed. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Pause after a loss PRO

Default: 0
Pause after a loss (minutes)

After a losing trade, no new trades for this many minutes. Pending orders are cancelled and trades already open are not touched; a trade opened meanwhile from elsewhere is closed. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Max open trades and orders PRO

Default: 0
Max open trades and orders

The panel does not send a new order when this many trades and pending orders are already open. 0 = no limit.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Max open risk % PRO

Default: 0
Max open risk % (all stops hit)

The panel adds what you would lose if every open trade and pending order hit its stop. A new order that would take that above this % of the balance is not sent. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Max open risk % per symbol PRO

Default: 0
Max open risk % per symbol

The same check, symbol by symbol, so you do not stack too much risk on one market. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Trading hours (UTC) PRO

Default: Empty
Trading hours UTC (07:00-16:00, empty = always)

Outside these hours no new trades are allowed, for example 07:00-16:00. It can cross midnight (22:00-06:00). Pending orders are cancelled and trades already open are not touched; a trade opened meanwhile from elsewhere is closed. Empty = always.

Available values: Text

Close everything at PRO

Default: Empty
Close everything at (UTC HH:mm, empty = off)

Every day at this time (UTC, HH:mm) every trade of the account is closed, and you get an alert. Empty = off.

Available values: Text

Only the symbols of a watchlist PRO

Default: Empty
Only trade the symbols of this cTrader watchlist (empty = all)

Write the exact name of one of your cTrader watchlists: the panel will not open trades on any other symbol. Empty = all symbols.

Available values: Text

Profit target (Results) PRO

Default: 0
Profit target % (Results)

A goal shown in the Results tab, for example a challenge target: how far you are from it. It does not close or block anything.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Minimum trading days (Results) PRO

Default: 0
Minimum trading days (Results)

A goal shown in the Results tab: how many trading days you have and how many you need. It does not close or block anything.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Trade managementYour general rules for break-even, partial closes and trailing, and other automatic actions.17

Manage trades automatically PRO

Default: Off
Manage trades automatically

Turns on your general management rules below. Each order can also carry rules of its own, chosen in the ticket or later with the Rules button on its card, or none. The rules travel inside the order, so the Risk Guardian can apply them too.

Available values: On / Off

Break-even at R PRO

Default: 1
Break-even at R (0 = off)

When a trade has gone this many times its initial risk in your favour (1 R = the distance to its first stop), its stop moves to the entry. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Break-even offset PRO

Default: 0
Break-even offset (pips)

How many pips beyond the entry the break-even stop goes, for example to cover commission. 0 = exactly at the entry.

Partial close 1 at R PRO

Default: 0
Partial 1 at R (0 = off)

At this many R in profit, close part of the trade. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Partial close 1: % PRO

Default: 50
Partial 1 close %

The % of the initial size closed at partial 1. A partial already done is never repeated.

Available values: 0 → 100

Partial close 2 at R PRO

Default: 0
Partial 2 at R (0 = off)

A second partial close at this many R. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Partial close 2: % PRO

Default: 25
Partial 2 close %

The % of the initial size closed at partial 2.

Available values: 0 → 100

Partial close 3 at R PRO

Default: 0
Partial 3 at R (0 = off)

A third partial close at this many R. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Partial close 3: % PRO

Default: 25
Partial 3 close %

The % of the initial size closed at partial 3.

Available values: 0 → 100

Trailing stop PRO

Default: Off
Trailing stop

Off, in pips, or in multiples of the ATR. The stop follows the price at the distance below, from the R set in “Trailing starts at R”. In the ticket you can also choose the broker’s own trailing stop, which runs on the broker’s server even with cTrader closed.

Available values: Off / pips / x ATR

Trailing distance PRO

Default: 2
Trailing distance (pips or x ATR)

How far behind the price the trailing stop stays, in pips or times the ATR.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Trailing starts at R PRO

Default: 1
Trailing starts at R

The trailing only starts once the trade is this many R in profit. It only ever tightens a stop.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Add a stop: pips PRO

Default: 0
Add a stop to trades without one: pips (0 = off)

A trade opened without a stop (from the platform’s ticket, your phone…) gets one this many pips away. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

…or at a % of risk PRO

Default: 0
...or at % risk of balance (0 = off)

Instead of pips, the stop is placed where that trade would lose this % of the balance. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

Cut risk after N losses in a row PRO

Default: 0
After N losses in a row, cut risk (0 = off)

After this many losing trades in a row, the risk per trade is multiplied by the factor below until you win one. 0 = off.

Available values: 0 → ∞

…risk multiplier PRO

Default: 0.5
...risk multiplier until a win

For example 0.5 risks half until the next win.

Available values: 0.1 → 1

Keep the risk when a pending stop moves PRO

Default: On
Keep the risk when a pending order's stop is moved

Move the stop of one of the panel’s pending orders further away and its size is reduced to keep the same risk. Move it closer and the size is not increased.

Available values: On / Off

Weekend and alertsWhat to do before the weekend close, and how you are told.8

Before the weekend close

Default: warn me
Before the weekend close

Off, warn me, close everything (PRO) or close half (PRO), a chosen number of minutes before the market closes for the weekend. Weekend gaps can jump past a stop.

Available values: Off / warn me / close all (PRO) / close half (PRO)

Minutes before the close

Default: 30
Minutes before the close

How long before the weekend close the action above happens.

Available values: 1 → 600

cTrader alert near the stop PRO

Default: 0
cTrader alert when a trade has gone this % of the way to its stop (0 = no)

A native cTrader price alert when a trade has gone this % of the way to its stop. It also reaches the cTrader app on your phone, and it follows the stop if you move it. 0 = no.

Available values: 0 → 99

Sound alerts

Default: On
Sound alerts

A sound with each alert, besides the on-screen banner.

Available values: On / Off

Telegram alerts PRO

Default: Off
Telegram alerts

Alerts to your own Telegram bot: close to a limit, a limit hit, actions taken. You need a bot token and your chat id: see our Telegram guide.

Available values: On / Off

Telegram bot token PRO

Default: Empty
Telegram bot token

The token BotFather gives you when you create your bot. It is stored on your computer and never shown again in full.

Available values: Text

Telegram chat id PRO

Default: Empty
Telegram chat id

The chat where the bot writes to you.

Available values: Text

Email alerts to PRO

Default: Empty
Email alerts to (uses cTrader email settings)

An address for the same alerts. It uses the email settings of your cTrader. Empty = no email.

Available values: Text

ChartWhat the panel draws on the chart.6

Shade risk and target

Default: On
Shade the risk (red) and the target (green)

Shade the risk in red (entry to stop) and the target in green (entry to target) between the ticket’s lines.

Available values: On / Off

Hide other lines while preparing

Default: Off
Hide the cTrader lines of open trades and orders while I prepare a new one

Hide the cTrader lines of open trades and orders while you prepare a new one, so you grab the right line. They come back when the ticket lines are off. While you edit a trade they are always hidden on that chart.

Available values: On / Off

Show open trades and orders

Default: On
Show my open trades and orders on the chart (zones and figures)

Each open trade and pending order of the chart’s symbol with its red and green zones; the figures on them are PRO. The lines are cTrader’s own and can be dragged as usual.

Available values: On / Off

Shade intensity

Default: 18
Shade intensity %

How strong the red and green shading is, from 5% to 90%.

Available values: 5 → 90

Figures on the lines PRO

Default: On
Write price, pips, % and money on the lines

Write the price, the pips, the % and the money on the entry, stop and target lines.

Available values: On / Off

Line labels: short or full PRO

Default: short: price and money (easier to read)
Line labels

Short: price and money, easier to read. Full: also the pips, the % move and the label.

Available values: short: price and money (easier to read) / full: also pips, % move and label