Free tool · No signup
Stop Loss Calculator — How Much Is Your Stop Really Risking?
Before you enter a trade, you should know the exact cash value of your stop loss — not a guess. Enter entry, stop and size for NQ, ES, forex pairs or crypto and see the dollar risk instantly, the same number a prop firm's daily drawdown rule measures against.
How much does my stop-loss cost in dollars?
Dollar risk = |entry − stop| × value per point/pip × position size. An NQ trade entered at 19,850 with a stop at 19,700 and 2 contracts risks 150 points × $20 × 2 = $6,000. This is the number prop firms compare against the daily loss limit before you enter a trade.
Your trade
NQ contract specs
Nasdaq 100 pays $20 per point per contracts.
Stop-loss risk in cash
Enter an entry price, stop-loss price and size to see exactly how much cash is on the line.
How it works — the stop loss formula
Every stop loss calculator runs on the same formula: dollar risk = |entry − stop| × value per point/pip × position size. The value per unit comes from the instrument's real contract specs — NQ pays $20 per point per contract, ES $50, MNQ $2, EUR/USD $10 per pip per lot, and crypto pays $1 per $1 of move per unit. That is why the same 50-point stop costs $1,000 on NQ but $2,500 on ES.
The result is then checked against your risk % — the stop loss percentage of the account. A 1% risk rule on a $100,000 account means the stop may cost at most $1,000, so you size the position backwards from that number. Prop firms measure the same dollar result against their daily loss limit, which is why this calculator covers forex, futures and crypto with the real multipliers.
From stop-loss dollars to position size
Once you know what your stop costs in cash, size the trade so that cash risk equals your prop firm allocation: position size = (balance × risk%) ÷ (stop distance × value per unit). Feed both numbers into the position sizing calculator and it returns the exact contracts or lots that keep every loss inside the daily drawdown limit. New here? Read the funded account rules guide for the daily-loss and drawdown numbers to size against, or the max drawdown guide for the limits that end accounts.
Stop-loss cash value across markets
One typical stop distance on each instrument, at a single contract or lot, shows how fast cash risk scales. These use the same real contract specs as the calculator above.
| Market | Value per unit | Example stop | Cash risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| NQ | $20 per points | 150 points | $3,000 |
| ES | $50 per points | 50 points | $2,500 |
| US30 | $5 per points | 200 points | $1,000 |
| BTC | $1 per $1 move | 2,000 dollars | $2,000 |
| ETH | $1 per $1 move | 100 dollars | $100 |
| XAU/USD | $100 per $1 move | 20 dollars | $2,000 |
| EUR/USD | $10 per pips | 0.005 pips | $0.05 |
Example: a 150-point stop on one NQ contract costs $3,000. On a $100,000 account that is 3% of the balance — already above most prop firms' 1% per-trade cap, which is why you size down or tighten the stop.
Per-market calculators
Nasdaq 100 Position Size Calculator
Calculate your exact NQ (Nasdaq 100 E-mini) position size in contracts based on account balance, risk % and stop-loss. Built for prop firm and SMC/ICT traders.
Sized in contracts
Micro Nasdaq 100 Position Size Calculator
Calculate your exact MNQ (Micro Nasdaq 100) position size in contracts by account balance, risk % and stop-loss. Ideal for small prop firm accounts.
Sized in contracts
Bitcoin Position Size Calculator
Calculate your exact Bitcoin position size in BTC based on account balance, risk % and stop-loss. Built for prop firm and SMC crypto traders.
Sized in coins
Ethereum Position Size Calculator
Calculate your exact Ethereum position size in ETH based on account balance, risk % and stop-loss. Built for SMC and prop firm crypto traders.
Sized in coins
Gold Position Size Calculator
Calculate your exact Gold (XAU/USD) position size in lots based on account balance, risk % and stop-loss. Perfect for prop firm and SMC traders.
Sized in lots
EUR/USD Position Size Calculator
Calculate your exact EUR/USD position size in lots based on account balance, risk % and stop-loss in pips. Built for prop firm forex traders.
Sized in lots
S&P 500 Position Size Calculator
Calculate your exact ES (E-mini S&P 500) position size in contracts from account balance, risk % and stop-loss. Built for prop firm traders.
Sized in contracts
Dow Jones (US30) Position Size Calculator
Calculate your exact US30 (Dow Jones) position size in contracts based on account balance, risk % and stop-loss. Built for prop firm traders.
Sized in contracts
Stop loss FAQ
How does a stop loss calculator work?
It multiplies your stop distance (entry minus stop) by the instrument's value per point or pip, then by your position size. The result is the exact dollar amount you lose if the stop is hit — the number that decides whether the trade fits your prop firm risk limit.
What is a good stop loss distance for prop firm trading?
There is no universal distance — it depends on the market's volatility and your trade structure. The rule that matters is the dollar result: your stop loss cash risk should stay at or below your daily drawdown allocation (typically 0.5%-1% of the account) so two or three losses never breach the limit.
Why does the same stop distance cost different amounts on different markets?
Because each instrument has its own value per unit. One point on NQ is $20 per contract, one point on ES is $50, and one pip on EUR/USD is $10 per lot. The same 10-point stop therefore costs $200 on NQ but $500 on ES.
How do I calculate stop loss value myself?
Risk = |entry − stop| × value per point/pip × position size. For example, an NQ trade entered at 19,850 with a stop at 19,700 and 2 contracts: 150 points × $20 × 2 = $6,000 at risk. This calculator does the math instantly for any supported market.
Should my stop loss depend on my account balance?
Yes. Position size should always be derived backwards from a fixed dollar risk (balance × risk%) divided by the stop's cash value per unit. Never pick a stop distance first and size to it blindly — that is how a single loss breaks a prop firm account.
How do I calculate stop loss in pips for forex?
A stop loss pips calculator uses: dollar risk ÷ (pip value per lot × number of lots). For EUR/USD each standard lot is worth $10 per pip, so a 20-pip stop costs $200 per lot. To risk exactly $200, trade one standard lot; to risk $100, use a half lot. Work backwards from the dollar risk you can afford, never forwards from the pip count.
What is a stop loss percentage and how is it calculated?
The stop loss percentage is your risk per trade as a share of the account: risk% = dollar risk ÷ balance × 100. If you risk $500 on a $50,000 account that is 1%. Most traders size the stop so the cash risk lands between 0.5% and 1% of the account — the same range most prop firms allow against their daily loss limit.
How much should I risk per trade on a 1% risk account?
A 1% risk rule means the dollar value of your stop loss equals 1% of the account. On $100,000 that is $1,000 per trade. Divide that by your stop distance's value per unit to get the position size — for NQ (worth $20 per point) a 50-point stop allows one contract ($1,000), while on ES (worth $50 per point) the same 50-point stop costs $2,500, so you can only trade a half or micro contract.
How does a stop loss calculator work for crypto?
For crypto, risk = |entry − stop| × position size in coins. If Bitcoin is $100,000 and you buy 0.1 BTC with a stop at $95,000, the stop risks $5,000 × 0.1 = $500. Cryptocurrency moves are wide, so the percentage result matters more than the price distance — always convert the stop distance into dollars against your risk%.
How does stop loss risk work for futures like NQ and ES?
Futures use fixed contract multipliers: NQ is $20 per point per contract, MNQ is $2, ES is $50, and the Micro ES is $5. A stop is just the point distance times the multiplier times contracts — a 100-point stop on one NQ is $2,000. Futures stop losses must always be sized so the dollar result fits your account risk%, because the multiplier turns small distances into large cash.