Futures Position Size Calculator
Futures position size is how many contracts you trade so a stopped-out trade costs a set dollar amount. Every contract has a fixed dollar value per point, so contracts = dollar risk ÷ (stop distance in points × point value).
Pick the contract, enter your risk and your stop (as prices, points, or ticks), and get the contract count with the real tick and point values. Covers ES, NQ, YM, RTY, their micros, crude, gold, and silver. No signup, no chart upload.
Last updated
Futures Position Size Calculator
Contracts from your risk and your stop, using the real point value
Enter your risk and your stop to see how many contracts to trade.
The formula
How futures position size is calculated
Contracts = Dollar risk ÷ (Stop in points × Point value)
Tick value = Tick size × Point value
Same idea as sizing a stock, with one extra number. A share moves $1 when price moves $1. A futures contract moves by its point value, so the risk on one contract is the stop distance times that value. The result is rounded down so you never risk more than you planned.
Worked example
$50,000 account, 1% risk ($500). Long NQ-family at 21,000 with a stop at 20,980, a 20-point stop.
On MNQ: 20 × $2 = $40 per contract, so $500 ÷ $40 = 12 MNQ. On NQ: 20 × $20 = $400 per contract, so 1 NQ. A share calculator would have said 25, which on MNQ is $1,000 of risk.
Point and tick values by contract
| Contract | Tick size | Tick value | Point value |
|---|---|---|---|
| ES E-mini S&P 500 | 0.25 | $12.50 | $50 |
| MES Micro E-mini S&P 500 | 0.25 | $1.25 | $5 |
| NQ E-mini Nasdaq-100 | 0.25 | $5 | $20 |
| MNQ Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 | 0.25 | $0.50 | $2 |
| YM E-mini Dow | 1 | $5 | $5 |
| MYM Micro E-mini Dow | 1 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| RTY E-mini Russell 2000 | 0.1 | $5 | $50 |
| M2K Micro E-mini Russell 2000 | 0.1 | $0.50 | $5 |
| CL Crude Oil | 0.01 | $10 | $1,000 |
| MCL Micro Crude Oil | 0.01 | $1 | $100 |
| GC Gold | 0.1 | $10 | $100 |
| MGC Micro Gold | 0.1 | $1 | $10 |
| SI Silver | 0.005 | $25 | $5,000 |
| SIL Micro Silver | 0.005 | $5 | $1,000 |
| NG Henry Hub Natural Gas | 0.001 | $10 | $10,000 |
| 6E Euro FX | 0.00005 | $6.25 | $125,000 |
CME contract specs. Point value is dollars per 1.0 point of price movement, per contract.
Common futures sizing mistakes
- Sizing futures like shares. Dividing your risk by the stop distance ignores the multiplier, so a 20-point MNQ stop looks like $20 of risk when it is $40.
- Mixing up points and ticks. NQ moves in 0.25-point ticks, so a 20-point stop is 80 ticks. Enter the wrong unit and the size is off by 4x.
- Forcing one full-size contract when the stop needs room. If one NQ risks more than your budget, the answer is MNQ or a smaller stop, not more risk.
- Keeping the same contract count on every trade. A 10-point stop and a 40-point stop at the same size are two very different dollar risks.
- Forgetting that margin is not risk. Your broker's margin requirement says what you can hold, not what you should lose if the stop hits.
Trading an evaluation? The prop firm drawdown calculator shows how many of these stops your account can take before it fails. For setups on the contracts themselves, see futures chart analysis.
Sized right. Is the setup worth the contracts?
The calculator tells you how many contracts. It can't tell you if the trade is any good. Upload a screenshot of your ES or NQ chart and SnapPChart grades the setup A+ to F, with an entry, stop, and targets, and sizes it in contracts for you.
Upload a Chart ScreenshotKeep going
Related free tools and guides
- GuideAI tools for futures tradersWhat an AI chart grader does and doesn't do for ES, NQ, and micro futures, and where it fits next to your platform.
- Free toolPosition Size CalculatorFree position size calculator: enter account size, risk percent, entry, and stop loss to get your share size instantly. No signup, no AI, pure risk math.
- Free toolBreakeven Win Rate CalculatorFree breakeven win rate calculator: enter your reward:risk ratio (or entry, stop, target) to see the minimum win rate to break even, plus expectancy.
- Free toolProp Firm Drawdown CalculatorFree prop firm drawdown calculator: enter your balance, peak, and max loss limit to see your liquidation level, buffer left, and losses until you fail.
FAQ
Futures sizing questions
How do I calculate futures position size?
Work out your dollar risk (account size × risk %, or a fixed amount), then divide it by the risk on one contract. Risk per contract is your stop distance in points × the contract's point value. Round down. $500 of risk on a 20-point MNQ stop is 500 ÷ (20 × $2) = 12 contracts.
What is the point value of NQ, MNQ, ES, and MES?
NQ is $20 per point and MNQ is $2. ES is $50 per point and MES is $5. The micros are exactly one tenth of the full-size contracts, which is why they are the go-to when a full-size contract risks too much.
What is a tick value?
The dollar value of the smallest price move. It is tick size × point value. ES and NQ both tick in 0.25 points, so an ES tick is $12.50 and an NQ tick is $5. On MNQ a tick is $0.50.
Why can't I use a normal stock position size calculator for futures?
A stock calculator assumes one unit moves $1 when price moves $1. A futures contract moves by its point value instead, $20 for NQ, $50 for ES. A share calculator gives you a number that is off by exactly that multiplier.
When should I trade micros instead of minis?
When one mini risks more than your budget at the stop the chart actually needs. If this calculator says 0 contracts on NQ, it also tells you how many MNQ fit the same risk. Micros let you keep the right stop and still size correctly.
Does this calculator account for margin or commissions?
No. It sizes the trade from your risk and your stop. Margin decides what your broker lets you hold, and commissions and slippage come out of the result. Check both, especially on a small account.
What about index CFDs like NAS100 or US30?
CFDs are not exchange contracts, so the dollars per point depend on your broker's contract size. Use the regular position size calculator with your broker's value per point instead.
Benjamin Loh
Founder & Developer at SnapPChart
I build AI-powered tools for traders. I created SnapPChart to help day traders analyze chart patterns faster using computer vision and machine learning. Learn more · Follow on X
This calculator is for planning purposes only and is not financial advice. It computes a contract count from the numbers you enter and published CME contract specs. It does not know your broker's margin, fees, slippage, or your other open positions. Futures trading involves substantial risk of loss.