How long did you demo trade before going live?
Some traders spend a year on a demo account; others open a live account the same week. Both groups tend to have strong opinions about it.
If you've made the move, tell us:
- How long you traded on demo, and roughly how many trades you placed
- What you measured before deciding you were ready: win rate, drawdown, whether you followed your rules
- What surprised you in your first month of live trading
The common experience is that fills, spreads and emotions all feel different once real money is involved. Our demo vs live guide covers the differences, but first-hand accounts are more useful than any guide. If you're still on demo, post the questions you're trying to answer before you switch.
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Rather than a fixed number of weeks, many traders use a checklist before moving to a live account. A sample one:
- At least 50 to 100 demo trades following written rules, recorded in a journal.
- Rules followed on at least 90% of trades. Checking this matters more than the win rate.
- A realistic account size and position size on demo. Practising with $100,000 when you'll fund $1,000 teaches the wrong habits.
- Costs included in the results, since some demo accounts have tighter spreads or ideal fills.
- A plan for the first month live: smaller size than on demo, and a loss limit that pauses live trading if reached.
The biggest difference most people report is emotional: the same trade feels very different when the loss is real money. Starting live at a size where losses are small is the usual way to bridge that gap. More in demo vs live trading.
Members, which item on this list would you add or remove?
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