Free tools

Position size calculator

Risk-based position sizing is the core of money management. Enter how much of your account you're willing to risk and your stop-loss distance, and this calculator returns the lot size that keeps your loss within that limit.

Contract size · Pip size

These are typical standard values — they vary by broker and instrument, so confirm and adjust them to match your own account.

Result

Amount at risk
100.00 USD
Pip value (1 lot)
10.00 USD
Recommended lots
0.50
Position units
50,000
Money per pip
5.00 USD

How to use it

  1. 1 Enter your account balance and the percentage you want to risk on the trade.
  2. 2 Enter your stop-loss distance in pips.
  3. 3 Pick your instrument (adjust the contract size and pip size to match your broker if needed).
  4. 4 Read the recommended lot size and the money at risk per pip.

How the position size is calculated

Risk amount = balance × risk %. Lot size = risk amount ÷ (stop-loss in pips × pip value per lot). Keeping risk to a small, fixed percentage of your account on each trade is a common risk-management rule.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I risk per trade?

Many traders limit risk to 1–2% of account equity per trade, but this is a personal risk decision, not advice. The calculator works with whatever percentage you enter.

What is a lot?

A lot is a standardized trade size. In forex, one standard lot is 100,000 units of the base currency; a mini lot is 0.1 and a micro lot is 0.01. The calculator returns the lot size as a decimal you can round to your broker's minimum step.

Does this include spread and commission?

No. The result sizes your position by stop-loss risk only. Real costs such as spread, commission, swap and slippage will affect your actual loss — always confirm them with your broker.

Put the numbers to work

Practice these positions risk-free on the Merini demo — real-time charts and paper trading with virtual funds, in your browser, no install.

Open the free demo

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This content is for information and education only and is not investment advice or solicitation. Trading conditions (hours, margin, fees, tick value, etc.) vary by exchange, broker, time, and daylight saving — always verify with your own broker before trading. Derivatives trading can result in losses exceeding your deposit.