Free tool
Position size calculator
Work out how many lots to trade from your balance, risk and stop loss, for any major or cross pair and gold, in your own account currency.
Quick answer: position size = money you are willing to lose ÷ (stop in pips × pip value per lot). With $10,000, 1% risk ($100) and a 30-pip stop on EUR/USD, where a lot is worth $10 a pip, that is $100 ÷ $300 = 0.33 lots. Always round down, so the loss never exceeds your limit.
Position size
- Units
- Money at risk
- Pip value at this size
- Your risk budget
Illustrative prices. Type your platform's live price. Lots are rounded down to 0.01, so the money at risk never exceeds your budget.
How it's calculated
Your position size follows from three things you decide before the trade: how much you are willing to lose (your risk per trade), where your stop loss goes, and the pip value of the pair in your account currency.
Lots = risk amount ÷ (stop in pips × pip value per standard lot), rounded down to 0.01
Worked example
You have a $10,000 account and risk 1%, so your budget is $100. You plan to buy EUR/USD with a 30-pip stop. One pip on a standard lot of EUR/USD is $10, so one lot would lose 30 × $10 = $300 at the stop. $100 ÷ $300 = 0.333 lots, rounded down to 0.33 lots (33,000 euros). At that size each pip is worth $3.30 and the stop costs 0.33 × 30 × $10 = $99.00.
Now take a $5,000 account risking 1% ($50) on USD/JPY at 150.00 with a 20-pip stop. A pip on one lot is ¥1,000 ÷ 150 = $6.67, so the stop costs 20 × $6.67 = $133.33 per lot. $50 ÷ $133.33 = 0.375, rounded down to 0.37 lots, which risks $49.33.
Common mistakes
- Using $10 a pip for every pair. Yen pairs, crosses and gold have different pip values. The pip value calculator shows the real figure.
- Moving the stop to fit a size you like. Put the stop where the trade idea is proven wrong, then let the size follow. A wider stop means a smaller size, not more risk.
- Rounding up. 0.336 lots rounded to 0.34 puts more at risk than you chose. Always round down.
Leverage lets you open a larger position than your deposit, and losses can exceed what you expect if the market gaps past your stop. Check the deposit needed with the margin calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What lot size should I use on a $1,000 account?
It depends on your stop, not just the balance. Risking 1% of $1,000 is $10. With a 20-pip stop on EUR/USD, where a standard lot is worth $10 a pip, that is $10 ÷ (20 × $10) = 0.05 lots. With a 50-pip stop it is 0.02 lots.
Why does the calculator round down?
Brokers trade in steps of 0.01 lots. Rounding up would put more money at risk than you chose, so the calculator always rounds down. The money at risk shown is the real figure at the rounded size, which is at or just below your budget.
How much should I risk per trade?
A common guideline is 1% or less of the account on any one trade, so a losing streak does not wipe out much of your capital. It is a guide and guarantees nothing. Whatever figure you choose, choose it before the trade and stick to it.
Does the result include the spread and commission?
No. The calculator sizes the loss between your entry and your stop. The spread, any commission and slippage on a fast market add to that, so a real loss can be a little larger. If your costs are high, size slightly smaller.