About the Futures Profit Calculator
This futures profit calculator turns a price move into dollars. Pick a contract — E-mini and Micro E-mini stock index futures, crude oil, natural gas, gold, silver, Treasury futures, corn or the euro — or enter a custom tick size and tick value, then type your entry and exit prices, direction and number of contracts. It returns the move in points and ticks, the gross profit or loss, commissions and the net result.
It is built for day traders and swing traders who want to know what a trade made or lost, what a stop would cost, or how many ticks a target is worth before placing an order. The tick table also shows what one tick, ten ticks and a full point are worth on your position.
Built-in contract specifications follow the standard tick sizes and tick values CME Group publishes for each contract (for example ES: 0.25 points = $12.50; CL: $0.01 = $10). Treasury futures prices must be entered as decimals (112-16 is 112.5). Exchange fees, margin and overnight financing are not modelled beyond the round-trip commission you enter; always confirm specifications with your broker.
With the default inputs, the net profit / loss is $1,991.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the futures profit calculator
- 1Choose the futures contract, or pick Custom and enter its tick size and tick value.
- 2Select long or short.
- 3Enter your entry and exit prices (or a stop or target price).
- 4Enter the number of contracts and your round-trip commission per contract.
- 5Read the net P&L and the table showing what each tick and point is worth.
Formula and method
Every futures contract has a minimum price increment (tick size) and a fixed dollar value per tick. The number of ticks in a trade is the price change divided by the tick size, reversed for a short position. Multiplying by the tick value gives the profit or loss per contract, and multiplying by the number of contracts gives the gross result.
The point value is the tick value divided by the tick size — for example the E-mini S&P 500 moves in 0.25-point ticks worth $12.50, so a full point is worth $50. Round-trip commissions and exchange fees are charged per contract and subtracted to give net profit or loss.
- Tick size
- Minimum price increment of the contract
- Tick value
- Dollar value of one tick for one contract
- Contracts
- Number of contracts traded
- Commission
- Round-trip commission and fees per contract
Worked examples
Two ES contracts, 20-point gain
A move from 5,000 to 5,020 is 20 points, or 80 ticks of 0.25. At $12.50 per tick that is $1,000 per contract and $2,000 on two contracts. Subtracting $4.50 × 2 = $9 of commissions leaves $1,991.
Short three crude oil contracts
Crude oil falling from $78.50 to $77.20 is a $1.30 drop, or 130 ticks of $0.01. At $10 a tick a short position gains $1,300 per contract, $3,900 on three, and $3,885 after $15 of commissions.
Losing Micro Nasdaq trade
A 50-point drop on a long MNQ position is 200 ticks against you at $0.50 each, or −$100 per contract. Five contracts lose $500, plus $7.50 of commissions, for a net loss of $507.50.
Frequently asked questions
How much is one tick on ES?+
The E-mini S&P 500 (ES) has a tick size of 0.25 index points worth $12.50 per contract, so one full point is $50. The Micro E-mini (MES) is one-tenth the size: $1.25 per tick and $5 per point.
How do you calculate futures profit?+
Divide the price change by the tick size to get the number of ticks, multiply by the tick value and by the number of contracts, then subtract commissions. For a short position, profit comes from the price falling, so the sign is reversed.
What is the tick value of NQ and MNQ?+
The E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) moves in 0.25-point ticks worth $5.00, or $20 per point. The Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 (MNQ) ticks are worth $0.50, or $2 per point.
What is the tick value of crude oil and gold futures?+
Crude oil (CL) moves in $0.01 ticks worth $10 per contract of 1,000 barrels. Gold (GC) moves in $0.10 ticks worth $10 per contract of 100 troy ounces. Micro versions (MCL, MGC) are one-tenth the size at $1 per tick.
How do I enter Treasury futures prices?+
Treasury futures are quoted in points and 32nds, such as 112-16 meaning 112 and 16/32. Convert to a decimal before entering (112-16 = 112.5). ZB ticks are 1/32 worth $31.25 and ZN ticks are 1/64 worth $15.625.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Rates, fees and terms vary — confirm with your lender or a licensed advisor before making decisions.