TradeScopeFutures position size calculator
Enter what you’re willing to lose and where your stop is. The calculator tells you how many contracts that allows, using each contract’s real point value.
- Risk allowed
- $500
- Risk per contract
- $50
- Actual risk
- $500
- Share of account
- Profit at target
- $1,000
- Target distance
- 20 points
Rounded down, so you never risk more than you chose. Commission and slippage are not included.
How position size is worked out
One contract loses a fixed number of dollars if your stop is hit: the stop distance in points, multiplied by what one point is worth on that contract.
risk per contract = stop in points × point value
contracts = risk in dollars ÷ risk per contract, rounded down
An example. You have a $50,000 account and risk 1%, which is $500. Your stop on MES is 10 points away. One point on MES is worth $5, so one contract risks $50, and $500 ÷ $50 is 10 contracts. The same stop on ES, at $50 a point, risks $500 a contract, so the answer is 1.
Risk per contract at common stops
| Contract | 1 point | 4-point stop | 8-point stop | 10-point stop | 20-point stop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES | $50 | $200 | $400 | $500 | $1,000 |
| MES | $5 | $20 | $40 | $50 | $100 |
| NQ | $20 | $80 | $160 | $200 | $400 |
| MNQ | $2 | $8 | $16 | $20 | $40 |
| CL | $1,000 | $4,000 | $8,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| GC | $100 | $400 | $800 | $1,000 | $2,000 |
Crude oil and gold are quoted in dollars, so a 10-point stop there is a $10.00 move in price, which is far wider than most intraday stops. The full list is in the futures tick value table.
Sizing on a prop firm account
A funded account described as $50,000 does not give you $50,000 to lose. What matters is the drawdown the firm allows, often $2,000 to $2,500 on that size, and the daily loss limit if there is one. Size your risk against those numbers. The prop firm evaluation calculator shows how many losing trades each limit allows.
Questions
How do I calculate position size for futures?
Decide how many dollars you are willing to lose on the trade, then divide by what one contract loses if your stop is hit. That loss per contract is your stop distance in points multiplied by the contract’s point value. Round the answer down to a whole number of contracts.
How many MES contracts equal one ES?
Ten. One point on ES is worth $50 and one point on MES is worth $5, so ten MES contracts carry the same risk as one ES contract.
What does risking 1% per trade mean?
It means sizing the trade so that a full stop-out costs 1% of your account. On a $50,000 account that is $500. Many traders use a figure between 0.5% and 2%. On a prop firm account, base it on the drawdown you are allowed, not the headline account size.
Why does the calculator round down?
Because rounding up would put more than your chosen amount at risk. If one contract already risks more than your limit, the answer is zero: use a micro contract, a tighter stop, or skip the trade.
Does this include commission and slippage?
No. It sizes the trade on the stop distance alone. Commission and slippage add a little to every loss, so leave some room for them.
TradeScope
A calculator tells you what you planned to risk. TradeScope shows what you actually risked.
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More calculators
- Prop firm evaluation calculatorDays to reach a profit target, and how many losses your limits allow.
- Prop firm break-even calculatorWhat an evaluation really costs, and the profit needed to earn it back.
- Futures tick valuesTick size, tick value and point value for the contracts most people trade.
These calculators are for education. They are not advice, and they can’t predict results. Trading futures involves substantial risk of loss. Contract specifications and prop firm rules change, so confirm them with the exchange, your broker or the firm.