Edge Score summarizes several parts of a Backtest. Sample size affects how much confidence you can place in that summary.

What Edge Score combines#

The score adds up points in five areas: Profit (35), Drawdowns (15), Consistency (15), Execution (15) and Proof (20). Proof is the part about the amount of data behind the result: whether there are enough trades, whether the most recent trades show the edge on their own, and whether it holds without the 3 best trades.

Tiers: 85 or above is an Exceptional Edge, 70 a Strong Edge, 50 a Moderate Edge, 30 a Weak Edge, and below 30 No Edge. When Profit, Drawdowns, Consistency or Execution earn less than a quarter of their points, that area is named as weak.

Why sample size matters#

A small sample can look unusually strong or weak because a few trades have more influence. As more trades are added, the result has more evidence behind it.

The score starts at 30 trades. The Proof row then says how many trades the edge needs before it is clear, and Proof rises as you add them.

Read score and evidence together#

  1. Check the number of trades and covered period.
  2. Read the Edge Score.
  3. Inspect drawdown and loss behaviour.
  4. Check whether results are spread across the sample.
  5. Review robustness evidence.
  6. Compare the summary with the underlying trade log.

Avoid one-number decisions#

Use Edge Score to find where to inspect, not as a pass or fail signal. A decision still depends on your goals, risk limits, and the uncertainty in the evidence.

Return to Read your first Backtest result for the full reading order.

Read Evidence and limitations for the uncertainty and data-quality limits that apply across Quantprove analyses.