Trading Tools Comparison

Should I use a 2-input risk-of-ruin formula, or a fuller 6-input model?

Both TradingHabits and Liberated Stock Trader publish a free risk of ruin calculator, and neither runs a randomized simulation. The real difference is how many inputs each formula takes, and whether it assumes an even risk-to-reward payoff or lets you set your own.

TradingHabits and Liberated Stock Trader (LST) both publish a free risk of ruin calculator, and both use a closed-form formula rather than a Monte Carlo simulation of randomized trade sequences. Where they differ is scope. TradingHabits' version takes two inputs, win rate and risk per trade, assumes a fixed 1:1 risk-to-reward ratio, and returns a single risk-of-ruin percentage instantly. LST's version takes six inputs, win rate, reward-risk ratio, risk per trade, a custom ruin threshold, account size, and a trade sample window, and returns a fuller result set built around expectancy: the risk of ruin percentage itself, plus system expectancy in R, break-even win rate, win rate edge, and the ruin threshold converted into a dollar figure.

The comparison below is based on Liberated Stock Trader's own published risk of ruin calculator page as of mid-2026.

The Basics, Side by Side

  TradingHabits Liberated Stock Trader
Price Free, all calculators Free calculator page; site also sells a paid "LST Pro" training membership
Signup required No account, no email, no login No account required to use the calculator itself
Methodology Closed-form "gambler's ruin" formula, assumes a fixed 1:1 risk-to-reward ratio Closed-form approximation built from expectancy, break-even win rate, and win rate edge, allows any reward-risk ratio
Inputs Win rate and risk per trade only Win rate, reward-risk ratio, risk per trade, ruin threshold, account size, trade sample window
Output format A single risk-of-ruin percentage Risk of ruin percentage, system expectancy in R, break-even win rate, win rate edge, and the ruin threshold in dollars
Best for A fast, directional read on how win rate and risk per trade interact, without entering a reward-risk ratio or a ruin threshold first A fuller read that accounts for an uneven reward-risk ratio and translates the result into a dollar drawdown against a real account size

What Each One Actually Does Well

Where TradingHabits fits

  • You want an instant answer from just two numbers, without setting a reward-risk ratio, a ruin threshold, or an account size first.
  • You're comparing how risk of ruin shifts as you change win rate or risk per trade in isolation, using the same simple formula every time.
  • You want this calculator as one step in a linked five-tool sequence, alongside expectancy, losing-streak probability, streak sizing, and drawdown recovery.
  • Your strategy's average winner and average loser are roughly similar in size, where the 1:1 assumption doesn't distort the estimate much.

Where Liberated Stock Trader fits

  • Your reward-risk ratio isn't 1:1, and you want that asymmetry built directly into the calculation instead of assumed away.
  • You want the ruin threshold expressed as an actual dollar figure against your account size, not just a percentage in the abstract.
  • You want expectancy, break-even win rate, and win rate edge returned alongside the ruin estimate in the same result.
  • You're already browsing Liberated Stock Trader's other calculators (Kelly Criterion, drawdown recovery, position size) and want to stay on one site.

Using Both

A trader could get a fast directional read from TradingHabits' two-input formula, then run the same strategy's real reward-risk ratio and account size through LST's fuller model to see the ruin threshold expressed in actual dollars rather than a percentage alone. Neither replaces sound position sizing, both are estimates built on the numbers entered, not a guarantee of what a live account will actually do.

A note on this comparison: Liberated Stock Trader's features and pricing are based on its own public risk of ruin calculator page as of mid-2026 and are subject to change without notice; confirm current details directly on Liberated Stock Trader before making a decision. Trading Habits is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Liberated Stock Trader. This page is provided for informational comparison only and is not an endorsement or criticism of either product.

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