Risk Management
Size Every Trade Like a Pro
Most traders focus on entries. The ones who last focus on sizing. This calculator tells you exactly how many lots or contracts to trade so that if your stop is hit, you lose only the small percentage of your account you chose — nothing more. It works for every major Forex pair, futures contract, and CFD. No spreadsheets, no guessing — just clean, disciplined math before every trade.
Forex Majors & Crosses
NQ · ES · YM · GC · SI
Risk % Based Sizing
Pips & Ticks Supported
Calculator
Position Size Calculator
FX pips · Futures ticks · Risk-based sizing — enter your setup, get the right size.
— lots
Position Size
Enter your setup below and hit Calculate.
Enter ticks for futures, pips for FX.
Pips (FX)
Ticks (Futures)
Advanced
Formula: size = (account × risk% − buffer) ÷ (stop × $/pip or $/tick). Floored to lot step, clamped to [min, max].
FX: XXXUSD = $10/pip. USDJPY = 1000/price. Crosses = 10 × QUOTEUSD. Futures: ES $12.50, NQ $5, GC $10, SI $25, YM $5, MBT $0.50 per tick.
FX: XXXUSD = $10/pip. USDJPY = 1000/price. Crosses = 10 × QUOTEUSD. Futures: ES $12.50, NQ $5, GC $10, SI $25, YM $5, MBT $0.50 per tick.
How To Use
Understanding the Inputs
1
Instrument
Select the market you're trading. Choosing a symbol automatically sets the correct pip/tick value and mode — Forex pairs use pips, futures and CFDs use ticks. For crosses like GBPJPY or EURAUD, a price field will appear for the quote currency rate.
2
Account Size
Your total trading account balance in USD. This is the base the risk percentage is calculated from. Use your actual balance, not your buying power or margin.
3
Risk %
The percentage of your account you're willing to lose if the stop is hit. Most disciplined traders use 0.5%–1% per trade. At 1% on a $10,000 account, your max loss per trade is $100 — small enough to survive a losing streak without blowing up.
4
Stop Distance
The distance from your entry to your stop loss. For Forex enter pips, for futures/CFDs enter ticks. Always identify your stop level on the chart first — based on structure, key levels, or volatility — then enter that distance here. Never size your position first and place your stop around it.
5
Mode — Pips vs Ticks
Automatically set when you choose a symbol. Pips are used for Forex pairs. Ticks are used for futures and CFDs like NQ, ES, gold, and silver. A pip is the smallest price movement in FX (0.0001 for most pairs). A tick is the minimum price increment for a futures contract — NQ ticks are 0.25 points, each worth $5.
6
Round Down to Lot Step
When checked, the result is floored to the nearest valid lot or contract increment. Always leave this on — it ensures you never accidentally exceed your risk by rounding up. For futures this means whole contracts; for Forex it rounds to the nearest 0.01 lot.
Quick Tips
Stop first, size second
Always place your stop at a logical chart level before calculating size. Your stop defines your risk — the calculator sizes around it, not the other way around.
Keep risk consistent
Use the same risk % on every trade. Consistency compounds over time. Changing size based on conviction is how traders overtrade and blow accounts.
Use the slippage buffer
In the Advanced section, add a small dollar buffer for commissions and spread. This keeps your actual risk inline with your plan, especially on faster-moving markets like NQ.
Pips vs ticks confusion
When in doubt, select the symbol first — the calculator auto-sets the correct mode. If you're on a cross pair like GBPJPY, enter the current USDJPY price when prompted.
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