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3-Month Momentum Switch vs RSI(14) Mean Reversion

Two rule sets, 59 ETFs, one engine and one window.

Head-to-head: RSI mean reversion won on 33 of 59 ETFs by CAGR. Median CAGR: 3-month momentum: 0.0% · RSI mean reversion: 3.0%. Median max drawdown: 26.2% vs 24.6%.
3-month momentumRSI mean reversion
Median CAGR (59 ETFs)0.0%3.0%
Median max drawdown−26.2%−24.6%
ETFs won (by CAGR)2633
Styleassets with long, persistent cycles, such as index, sector and managed-futures ETFsassets that trend up over time but overshoot on the way, such as broad index ETFs

Where the gap was biggest

ETF3-month momentumRSI mean reversiongap
FAS −2.5%22.3% 24.7%
TECL 7.6%23.9% 16.3%
EEV −9.5%5.0% 14.5%
SOXS −41.1%−53.7% 12.6%
TMF −13.2%−25.0% 11.9%
EEM −1.6%9.5% 11.1%
XLY −3.9%7.0% 10.9%
QQQE −2.9%7.2% 10.1%
XLF 2.7%11.8% 9.1%
TECS −20.7%−29.1% 8.4%
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Frequently asked questions

Which is better: 3-month momentum or RSI mean reversion?

On this 2021-01-04 to 2026-10-02 window, RSI mean reversion produced the higher CAGR on 33 of 59 ETFs. Median CAGR: 3-month momentum 0.0% vs RSI mean reversion 3.0%; median max drawdown: 26.2% vs 24.6%. Which is better depends on the asset and what you optimize for. The per-ETF table shows where each wins.

Dig deeper

3-Month Momentum Switchrules + all 59 ETF results RSI(14) Mean Reversionrules + all 59 ETF results

Backtests are hypothetical, computed by DeployQuant's engine on minute-resolution consolidated US market data (2021-01-04 to 2026-10-02, $10,000 starting capital, no margin, no fees or slippage in the headline run; buy-and-hold puts 98% of the account in at the first open, as the templates do) and do not guarantee future results. Nothing on this page is investment advice. Live trading involves risk of loss.