Calculate exact P&L in dollars for futures contracts. Supports NQ, ES, MNQ, MES, YM, MYM, RTY, M2K, GC and CL.
Futures trading is leveraged, and that leverage means a few points of movement can translate into hundreds or thousands of dollars of profit or loss. Unlike stocks, where one share equals one dollar of exposure per dollar of price, every futures contract has a fixed multiplier that converts price movement into cash. One point on the E-mini Nasdaq (NQ) is worth $20, while one point on its micro cousin (MNQ) is worth $2. If you do not know your contract's tick and point value cold, you cannot know your real dollar risk — and that is how futures accounts get blown up.
This calculator removes the guesswork. Pick your contract, enter your entry and exit prices, and it returns the move in points and ticks alongside the exact P&L per contract and across your full position. It already knows the specifications for the most actively traded index, metal, and energy contracts, so you do not have to memorise a specification sheet or do mental math while a trade is live.
The most valuable use is before you enter, not after. By converting your planned stop-loss distance into dollars, you can confirm the trade fits your risk budget and choose between full-size E-minis and the smaller micros accordingly. Micros (MNQ, MES, MYM, M2K) are one-tenth the size of their E-mini equivalents, which makes them ideal for small accounts, precise position sizing, and testing a strategy with real money but minimal exposure.
| Symbol | Name | Tick Size | Tick Value | Point Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NQ | E-mini Nasdaq 100 | 0.25 pts | $5.00 | $20.00 |
| MNQ | Micro Nasdaq 100 | 0.25 pts | $0.50 | $2.00 |
| ES | E-mini S&P 500 | 0.25 pts | $12.50 | $50.00 |
| MES | Micro S&P 500 | 0.25 pts | $1.25 | $5.00 |
| YM | E-mini Dow | 1 pt | $5.00 | $5.00 |
| MYM | Micro Dow | 1 pt | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| RTY | E-mini Russell 2000 | 0.10 pts | $5.00 | $50.00 |
| M2K | Micro Russell 2000 | 0.10 pts | $0.50 | $5.00 |
| GC | Gold Futures | 0.10 pts | $10.00 | $100.00 |
| CL | Crude Oil | 0.01 pts | $10.00 | $1,000.00 |
The MNQ (Micro Nasdaq) is 1/10th the size of the NQ (E-mini Nasdaq). One point in the NQ is worth $20; in the MNQ it's $2. Micros are ideal for smaller accounts or testing strategies.
Divide your dollar risk by the point value. For example: $100 risk on NQ ÷ $20/point = 5 points of stop loss room.
A tick is the minimum price movement. A point is 1 full unit of price. For NQ, 1 point = 4 ticks (since the tick size is 0.25). Each tick is worth $5; each point is worth $20.
Micros let you risk a sensible amount on a small account. A single NQ contract can swing $200 in seconds; an MNQ swings $20 for the same move. That ten-times-finer granularity means a trader with a few thousand dollars can still apply proper risk management instead of being forced into oversized positions.
No — the result is gross P&L based purely on price movement. Subtract your broker's round-trip commission and exchange fees to get your net result. On micros especially, fees are a larger share of each trade, so factor them in when evaluating a scalping strategy.
Because of the built-in leverage, futures demand even stricter discipline than stocks. Start by deciding the dollar amount you are willing to lose, then work backwards: divide that figure by the contract's point value to find how many points of stop room you can afford, and choose between micros and E-minis so the stop sits at a level the chart actually justifies. This keeps the leverage working for you instead of against you.
Combine this calculator with the Position Size Calculator to fix your dollar risk and the Risk/Reward Calculator to confirm the payoff is worth it. Knowing your exact tick value before entry is the difference between trading futures as a controlled, repeatable process and gambling with an account you can lose in a single bad afternoon.