EA Risk Per Trade Calculator
How much can I afford to lose on each trade, and what position size corresponds to that risk?
Risk per trade
Maximum Affordable Loss
$100.00
Position size
Actual broker lot size may vary depending on symbol specification, account currency, contract size, tick value, commission, spread and execution conditions.
Risk levels compared
Illustrative risk planning bands only. The table shows mathematical consequences; it does not recommend a risk level.
Methodology
Important: Estimation Only
This calculator provides mathematical projections based on the assumptions and historical/backtest statistics entered by the user. It is not a guarantee or prediction of future trading results. Actual EA performance may vary significantly due to market conditions, volatility, liquidity, spread, slippage, execution quality, commission, swap, news events, market sentiment, changes in market regime, broker conditions and differences between backtest, forward-test and live trading.
Past performance and backtest results do not guarantee future results.
How risk per trade and lot size are calculated
Maximum loss = balance × risk %
Lots = maximum loss ÷ (stop distance × value per 1.00 lot)
The value per lot comes from the pip value, from tick value and tick size, or from contract size multiplied by the price distance. The lot size is rounded down to your broker's lot step so the loss at the stop never exceeds the planned amount.
Worked example
On a $10,000 account risking 1%, the maximum affordable loss is $100. With a 50-pip stop on EURUSD and a pip value of $10 per standard lot, one lot would lose $500 at the stop, so the position size is $100 ÷ $500 = 0.20 lots.
The comparison table then shows what ten consecutive losses would do at each risk level, which is often the clearest way to see why small percentages matter for automated strategies that trade frequently.
Frequently asked questions
How is the maximum affordable loss calculated?
Maximum affordable loss equals the account balance (or equity) multiplied by the risk percentage. For example, 1% of a $10,000 account is $100.
How is the lot size calculated?
Lot size equals the maximum loss divided by the loss per 1.00 lot at the stop, which is the stop distance multiplied by the pip or tick value per lot. The result is rounded down to your broker's lot step so the planned risk is not exceeded.
Why might my broker show a different position size?
Contract size, tick value, account currency conversion, commission and minimum lot step differ between brokers and symbols. Always confirm the symbol specification in your trading platform.
What risk per trade should I use?
The calculator does not recommend a risk level. The comparison table shows the mathematical effect of each level on a losing streak so you can judge it against your own drawdown tolerance.