Position size calculator
Work out how big a position to take so that a stop loss costs you a fixed share of your account, whatever the market.
Or try it on your chart first, no accountPosition Size Calculator
Risk-based position sizing
For informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Always verify calculations independently before placing trades.
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How the calculation works
Dollar risk is your account size times your risk percent. Position size in units is that dollar risk divided by the distance between entry and stop loss. A wider stop gives a smaller position, so every trade risks the same amount.
Example
With a $5,000 account and 1% risk you can lose $50 on the trade. Buying at 48.90 with a stop at 47.90 is 1.00 of risk per unit, so the position is 50 units, worth about $2,445. These numbers are illustrative.
Choosing the risk percent
Many traders risk between 0.5% and 2% per trade so a run of losses does not wipe out the account. The right number depends on your strategy and tolerance; this is educational, not financial advice.
Questions
What is a good risk per trade?
Many traders use 0.5% to 2% of the account per trade. Lower risk means smaller drawdowns during losing streaks.
Does this work for crypto and forex?
Yes. Units are coins for crypto and currency units for forex. Pick gold, silver or a USD-quoted forex pair in the market field and it also shows lots, rounded down to 0.01 (100,000 units per forex lot, 100 ounces per gold lot on most brokers).
Why does leverage show up?
Leverage is the position value divided by your account size. Above about 3x the calculator warns you, above 10x it shows a red warning, because small moves then have a large effect.
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