Work out the exact number of contracts to trade so a single stop-loss never breaches your prop firm drawdown. Built for trailing, EOD and static drawdown rules.
$0Risk per trade
0Max contracts
$0Risk per contract
0Losing trades to breach
0Ticks to breach at size
Tick values are standard CME contract specifications. “Max drawdown” is your account’s loss limit — the point at which the firm closes the account. Sizing against the drawdown buffer (not raw balance) is how funded traders survive trailing-drawdown rules.
Size against the drawdown, not the balance
The fastest way to fail a funded challenge is over-sizing. Prop firms close your account the moment you touch the maximum drawdown — so the buffer between your equity and that line is the only number that matters. Pick a percentage of that buffer to risk per trade, and the calculator converts it into a hard contract limit using the real tick value of the instrument you trade.
The math it runs
Risk per trade ($) = max drawdown × risk %
Max contracts = risk $ ÷ (stop-loss ticks × tick value), rounded down
Losing trades to breach = max drawdown ÷ risk per trade
Trading micros (MES, MNQ, MGC) lets you size precisely on smaller $25K–$50K evaluations where a single ES contract would be too heavy. If your firm uses a trailing drawdown, remember the buffer shrinks as your equity rises — re-run the numbers as the account grows. See each firm’s exact rule type on our reviews.
Position size & drawdown FAQ
How do I calculate position size for a prop firm account?
Size against your drawdown buffer, not your account balance. Decide what percentage of the max drawdown you will risk per trade (1–2% is common), divide that dollar risk by your stop-loss distance in ticks multiplied by the contract’s tick value, and round down. That is the maximum number of contracts you can trade without a single loss breaching your risk rule.
What is the tick value of ES, NQ and MNQ futures?
One tick of E-mini S&P 500 (ES) is worth $12.50; E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) is $5.00 per tick. The micros are one-tenth: Micro E-mini S&P (MES) is $1.25 and Micro E-mini Nasdaq (MNQ) is $0.50 per tick. Micros let you size precisely on smaller evaluation accounts — the calculator includes all the common CME contracts.
Why size against drawdown instead of account balance?
Prop firms fail you on the drawdown, not the balance. With a trailing drawdown the loss limit follows your equity up, so the buffer — the distance between your equity and the drawdown line — is the number that actually matters. Risk a fixed percentage of that buffer and you control exactly how many losing trades it takes to blow the account.
How many losing trades can I take before failing?
That is the “losing trades to breach” output: your max drawdown divided by your dollar risk per trade. Risking 2% of a $2,500 drawdown means $50 per trade and roughly 50 full-stop losses before the account is gone. Lower risk per trade buys more survivability — the trade-off is slower account growth.
Tick values are standard CME contract specifications. This tool is for position-sizing education only and is not a recommendation to trade. Prop firm accounts are simulated funded-account programs. Not financial advice.
