Position Size Calculator
Work out how big a trade can be so that hitting your stop loss costs exactly what you chose to risk: lots for forex and CFDs, contracts for futures. Free: try it right away, then keep using it with a free account.
How the position size is calculated
Every position size comes from three numbers: how much you are willing to lose, how far away your stop loss is, and what that distance costs per lot or per contract.
- Money at risk = account balance × risk %. With $10,000 and 1% risk, that is $100.
- Forex and CFDs: lots = money at risk ÷ (stop distance × units per lot × currency conversion). On EURUSD a 20-pip stop is 0.0020, and one lot of 100,000 loses 0.0020 × 100,000 = $200 over it, so $100 of risk allows 0.50 lots.
- Futures: contracts = money at risk ÷ (ticks to the stop × tick value). An ES stop 10 points away is 40 ticks × $12.50 = $500 per contract.
Rounded down, never up
The size is rounded down, to 0.01 lot or to a whole contract, so the loss at your stop can come out a little under your target but never over it. A futures stop that falls between two ticks is counted to the next tick, because prices only move in whole ticks.
When one futures contract is too big
With $250 at risk, that 10-point ES stop does not fit even one contract. The micro contract, MES, is one tenth of the size: 40 ticks × $1.25 = $50 per contract, so five fit. The index, energy, metal and currency futures in the calculator all have a micro version, and it points to it when the full-size contract is too big for your risk.
Check your contract specification
Units per lot for CFDs differ between brokers: gold is 100 ounces per lot at most of them, while an index CFD can be 1, 10 or more units per lot. The defaults here are common values and every one can be changed, so match them to your broker's contract specification. Futures tick sizes and values follow the exchange's published specifications. Commission, swap and slippage are not included.
FAQ
How do I calculate position size in forex?
Decide how much of your balance to risk (1% of $10,000 is $100), measure the stop in price (20 pips on EURUSD is 0.0020), and divide the risk by what one lot loses over that distance (0.0020 × 100,000 = $200). $100 ÷ $200 = 0.50 lots. When the pair is not quoted in your account currency, the loss is converted first; the calculator does that for you.
How many futures contracts can I trade?
Divide your money at risk by what one contract loses at the stop: the stop in ticks times the tick value. With $1,000 at risk and a 25-point NQ stop (100 ticks × $5 = $500 per contract), that is two contracts.
Can I enter the stop loss in pips, points or ticks?
Yes, and it is the default: pips for a currency pair and for gold or silver, the price distance for other CFDs, and points or ticks for futures, with no entry price needed. On gold 1 pip is taken as 0.10 (a $1 move is 10 pips); if your broker counts 1 pip as 0.01, switch it with one click. Risking $250 on MNQ with a 73-point stop, for example: that is 292 ticks × $0.50 = $146 per contract, so one contract. Add a take profit to see the risk/reward ratio and the profit at the target, or enter the entry, stop and target as prices instead.
What is a tick value?
The money one contract gains or loses when the price moves by one tick, the smallest step the exchange allows. On ES a tick is 0.25 points and is worth $12.50; on the micro MES it is worth $1.25.
Does it work for prop firm accounts?
Yes. Enter your account size and the most you want to lose on the trade, and the size keeps the loss at your stop to that amount. Your firm's daily loss and drawdown limits still apply on top; Account Guardian (Pro) can warn you as you approach them.
Is the calculator free?
Yes. You can try it three times without an account, and with a free account (no card needed) you can use it as often as you like. It is also in the app's sidebar, with your broker balance filled in when an account is connected.