Set Daily & Weekly Loss Limits in Tradovate
One ugly session can wipe out weeks of steady gains if you let it run. Here's how to set daily and weekly loss limits, plus profit targets, that automatically flatten your positions and lock the account the second you hit them.
One ugly session can wipe out weeks of steady gains if you let it run. Tradovate gives you a hard stop for exactly that problem. Whether you're enforcing your own discipline, protecting a funded account, or wiring up automation like PickMyTrade, you can set daily and weekly loss limits, plus profit targets, that automatically flatten your positions and lock the account the second you hit them. Here's how to set them up, and what to expect when one fires.
What Are Tradovate Loss Limits?
Loss limits are account-level thresholds you configure under Risk Settings: a Daily Loss Limit, a Weekly Loss Limit, and matching profit triggers. Tradovate measures them on your real-time net P/L, commissions and fees included, not some rounded-off number after the fact. Hit a limit and the platform liquidates your open positions, cancels working orders, and locks the account until the next session. That last part matters: with the account locked, there's no talking yourself into one more revenge trade to "make it back."
Set Loss Limits in Tradovate: Step-by-Step
Open Risk Settings
Log in to Tradovate, click the button in the upper-right corner to open Application Settings, then click Risk Settings.
Choose the Account to Protect
Pick the trading account you want to guard from the account selector, each account carries its own limits, so a setting on one won't cover another. These fields apply to live and demo Tradovate Brokerage accounts. On most prop-firm evaluation accounts the limits are pre-configured and controlled by the firm, so what you see varies by firm and account size. Check your firm's current rules before you touch anything.
Enable and Set Your Daily Loss Limit
Toggle Daily Loss Limit on and enter the maximum net loss you're willing to take in a single session. Don't leave the field sitting at zero, an unset or zero value won't protect you the way you think. Tradovate's daily session runs from 5:00 PM CT to 3:45 PM CT the next day, and your P/L updates live as you trade, so the counter is always current.
Add a Weekly Loss Limit
Toggle Weekly Loss Limit on and enter your maximum cumulative loss for the week. The weekly session runs from 5:00 PM CT Sunday through 3:45 PM CT Friday. If your combined losses reach the cap, the account stays locked until it resets at 5:00 PM CT Sunday, a full stop for the rest of the week, not just the day.
Set Profit Targets and Save
If you want to protect a good day, enable the Daily Profit Trigger and Weekly Profit Trigger to lock in gains once you're up by a set amount. When your platform offers a Lock Risk Settings toggle, turn it on so you can't quietly nudge a limit higher mid-session, that's the whole point of a hard rule. Then scroll down and click Save to apply everything.
What Happens When a Limit Is Hit
- Auto-liquidation, your open positions are closed on a "not held" basis and any working orders are canceled.
- Account lock, no new positions until the next session: 5:00 PM CT for daily limits, 5:00 PM CT Sunday for weekly limits.
- Unlocking early, for a loss limit, raise the value or switch the setting off; a profit trigger that's already fired stays locked until the session resets.
- Margin still wins, your brokerage margin policy takes precedence, so a margin liquidation can fire before your custom loss limit ever does.
Why You'd Need This
- Enforce hard discipline so a losing streak can't spiral into a big drawdown.
- Respect a funded account's daily and weekly loss rules without babysitting the balance every minute.
- Kill revenge trading outright, once you're locked out, you're done for the session.
- Bank a good day automatically by letting a profit trigger flatten and lock you out at your target.
Automate This with PickMyTrade
PickMyTrade wires your TradingView alerts straight through to Tradovate, so your strategy's entries and exits fire on their own while your Risk Settings sit underneath as the hard backstop. No manual clicking, no second-guessing a stop when the tape gets fast.
Let Risk Settings Be the Backstop
PickMyTrade wires your TradingView alerts straight through to Tradovate, so entries and exits fire on their own while your Risk Settings sit underneath.
Start Your Free 5-Day TrialFrequently Asked Questions
Yes. Daily and weekly limits are calculated on net P/L, which factors in commissions and fees in real time.
Usually not. On most evaluation accounts the limits are pre-set and enforced by the firm, so confirm your firm's rules before attempting any change.
Wait for the next session to start at 5:00 PM CT, or raise/disable the Daily Loss Limit to unlock it early.
This guide is for educational and informational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or trading advice. Trading futures and other leveraged products carries a substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. PickMyTrade is an independent third-party automation platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Tradovate, Inc. "Tradovate" and all related names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Platform features and steps change over time, so always confirm the current process in the official Tradovate platform and documentation before acting.