Position Sizing Calculator
Trade position sizing.
Calculate optimal position size based on account risk and stop loss. Enter account size and risk per trade for an instant result.
What this tool does
This tool calculates position size based on account risk and stop loss distance.
Enter Values
Formula Used
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Disclaimer
Results are estimates for educational purposes only. They do not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.
Position sizing calculator determines how many shares/contracts to trade based on account size, risk tolerance, and stop loss distance. The fundamental formula: position size = (account × risk %) / (entry - stop). Most professional traders risk 1-2% per trade. 100k account × 1% = 1,000 max risk per trade.
Example: 100k account, 1% risk per trade = 1,000 risk. Stock entry 50, stop 45 = 5 risk per share. Position size = 1,000 / 5 = 200 shares. Position value = 10,000 (10% of account). If stopped out: lose 1,000 (1% of account). If 2x reward target: gain 2,000 (2% of account, 2:1 reward/risk).
Position sizing math: 1% risk per trade allows for 100 consecutive losses before account zero (mathematically impossible odds). 2% risk: 50 consecutive losses. 5% risk: 20 consecutive losses (much more likely with normal probability). Bigger position sizes amplify profits but also drawdowns - professional traders rarely exceed 2% risk per trade. Match position size to your strategy's win rate and reward/risk profile.
A worked example
Try the defaults: account size of 100,000, risk per trade of 1%, entry price of 50, stop loss price of 45. The tool returns 200 shares. You can adjust any input and the result updates as you type — no submit button, no reload. That's the real power here: seeing how sensitive the output is to one or two assumptions.
What moves the number most
The result responds to Account Size, Risk Per Trade %, Entry Price, and Stop Loss Price. Not every input has equal weight. Flip one at a time toward extreme values to feel which ones move the needle most for your situation.
The formula behind this
Position size = (account × risk %) / (entry price - stop loss). Everything the calculator does is shown in the formula box below, so you can check the math against your own spreadsheet if you want.
Using this well
Treat the output as one point on a wider map. Run it three times — a pessimistic case, a central case, and a stretch case — and plan against the pessimistic one. That habit alone separates people who stick with an investment plan from those who bail at the first wobble.
What this doesn't capture
Steady-rate math ignores real-world volatility. Actual returns are lumpy; sequence-of-returns risk matters most in drawdown; fees and taxes drag on compound growth; and behaviour changes in drawdowns can reduce outcomes below the projection. Treat the number as one scenario, not a forecast.
£100,000 £ × 1% / (£50 £-£45 £) = 200 shares.
Inputs
This example uses typical values for illustration. Adjust the inputs above to match a specific situation and see how the result changes.
Sources & Methodology
Methodology
Position size = (account × risk %) / (entry price - stop loss).
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What % risk per trade?
Account size and position?
Stop loss placement?
Reward/risk ratio?
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