Free Calculator

Position Size Calculator

Calculate the exact number of shares, contracts, or units to trade. Risk the right amount on every trade — automatically. Works for stocks, forex, futures, and crypto.

Trade Parameters

Account Balance
$
Risk Per Trade = $500 at risk
%
0.1%1%2%3%4%5%
Entry Price
$
Stop Loss Price
$
Take Profit Price Optional — for R:R calculation
$
Commission Per Side Per trade leg
$

Results

Enter your parameters

Fill in your account balance, risk percentage, entry price, and stop loss to calculate your ideal position size.

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How to Use the Position Size Calculator

Position sizing is the single most important skill in trading. It determines whether your edge survives the inevitable drawdowns or gets wiped out before it can play out. This calculator uses the standard percent-risk method to give you an exact position size based on your personal parameters.

The Position Sizing Formula

Position Size = (Account Balance × Risk %) ÷ (Entry Price − Stop Loss Price)

For example: $25,000 account × 2% risk = $500 at risk. If your entry is $150 and your stop is $147 (a $3 distance), your position size is $500 ÷ $3 = 166 shares.

Why 1–2% Risk Per Trade?

Professional traders almost universally risk 0.5–2% of their account per trade. This isn't arbitrary — it's the range that keeps you in the game through normal statistical variance. At 1% risk, you'd need 50 consecutive losing trades to lose half your account. At 10% risk, just 7 consecutive losses does the same damage.

Adjusting for Market Type

Stocks: Position size is measured in shares. The formula above applies directly.

Forex: Position size is measured in lots. Standard lot = 100,000 units. Account currency must match or be converted. Use pip value to translate the stop distance.

Futures: Position size is measured in contracts. Each contract has a specific dollar value per tick. Factor in the contract multiplier and margin requirements.

Crypto: Position size is measured in coins/tokens. Many exchanges also support fractional position sizes, giving maximum precision.

Common Mistakes to Avoid