Calculator
Forex lot size calculator
Find the right position size for a trade. Enter your account balance, how much you are willing to risk and your stop loss in pips, and the calculator works out the lot size that keeps the loss within your limit.
- Position size
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- Amount at risk
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- Units
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- Mini lots / micro lots
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- Pip value at this size
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- Pip value per standard lot
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Lot size is rounded down to 0.01 lots, the smallest size most brokers allow, so the real risk is never above your limit. Results are in US dollars for a USD account.
The position size formula
Position sizing turns a risk limit into a trade size. It works the same way on every pair:
- Risk amount = account balance × risk %. For example, 1% of $10,000 = $100.
- Pip value per lot for the pair: $10 on EUR/USD and other USD-quoted pairs, less or more on others (see the pip calculator).
- Lot size = risk amount ÷ (stop loss in pips × pip value per lot). With a 25 pip stop: $100 ÷ (25 × $10) = 0.40 lots.
| Pair | 1 pip | Pip value, 1 standard lot |
|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD, GBP/USD, AUD/USD | 0.0001 | $10.00 |
| USD/JPY at 150.00 | 0.01 | $6.67 |
| USD/CAD at 1.3600 | 0.0001 | $7.35 |
| EUR/GBP with GBP/USD at 1.2700 | 0.0001 | $12.70 |
| XAU/USD (100 oz) | $0.01 | $1.00 |
Your stop loss should come from the chart, such as a level where your trade idea is wrong, not from the size you want to trade. Size the position to fit the stop, not the other way round. Remember that the spread and any commission add to the cost of every trade; compare them with the trading cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate lot size in forex?
Decide how much of your account you will risk, for example 1% of $10,000 = $100. Divide that by your stop loss in pips times the pip value per lot. With a 25 pip stop on EUR/USD ($10 a pip per standard lot), $100 ÷ (25 × $10) = 0.40 lots.
What lot size should I use for a $100 account?
Risking 1% of $100 is $1. With a 20 pip stop on EUR/USD, that is $1 ÷ (20 × $10) = 0.005 lots, which is below the 0.01 lot minimum at most brokers. Small accounts often need a micro or cent account, a wider risk percentage or a smaller stop to trade at all.
How much should I risk per trade?
Many traders risk 0.5% to 2% of their account on a single trade, so a run of losses doesn’t wipe them out. The right figure depends on your strategy and tolerance for drawdowns. Nothing here is investment advice.
What is a standard, mini and micro lot?
A standard lot is 100,000 units of the base currency, a mini lot 10,000 and a micro lot 1,000. In lot terms they are 1.00, 0.10 and 0.01 lots.
Risk warning: CFDs and leveraged forex are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly. Between roughly 60% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs, depending on the provider. Consider whether you understand how they work and can afford to lose your money. Read the full risk warning.