About the Stop Loss Calculator
This stop loss calculator converts a percentage or per-share dollar amount into exact stop-loss and take-profit prices for a long or short trade. Enter your entry price, how far away you want the stop and target, and your position size, and it returns both exit prices, the dollar loss if the stop is hit, the dollar profit if the target is hit, and the resulting reward-to-risk ratio.
Add your account size to see what share of your capital the trade puts at risk — many traders cap this at 1% to 2% per trade. It works for stocks, ETFs, crypto and any instrument quoted as a price per unit.
Stop orders become market orders when triggered, so in a fast market or on an overnight gap the fill can be worse than the stop price. The loss shown is therefore the planned loss, not a guaranteed maximum, and does not include commissions.
With the default inputs, the stop-loss price is $95.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the stop loss calculator
- 1Choose long or short and enter your entry price.
- 2Pick whether to set exits as a percentage or a dollar amount per share.
- 3Enter the stop-loss and take-profit distances.
- 4Enter your position size and, optionally, your account size.
- 5Use the stop and target prices for your orders and check the account risk.
Formula and method
For a long position the stop sits below the entry and the take-profit above it; for a short the levels are reversed. With the percentage method the distance is the entry price multiplied by the percentage, and with the dollar method it is the fixed amount per share you type in. The stop and target prices are the entry plus or minus those distances.
The dollar loss and profit are the distances multiplied by position size, and their ratio is the reward-to-risk ratio. Account risk divides the planned loss by your account size, which is how position-sizing rules such as “risk no more than 1% per trade” are checked.
- s%
- Stop-loss distance as a percentage of entry
- t%
- Take-profit distance as a percentage of entry
- Shares
- Position size in shares or units
Worked examples
Long at $100 with a 5% stop and 10% target
A 5% stop on a $100 entry is $95, and a 10% target is $110. With 50 shares, being stopped out loses $250 and hitting the target makes $500, a 2 R trade. On a $25,000 account the planned loss is exactly 1%.
Short with dollar-based levels
Shorting at $40 with a $2 stop puts the buy-stop at $42 and the $5 target at $35. On 300 shares that risks $600 to make $1,500 (2.5 R), which is 1.2% of a $50,000 account.
Wide stop on a volatile stock
An 8% stop on a $250 stock is $230 and a 16% target is $290. With 40 shares the planned loss is $800 — 4% of a $20,000 account, double the usual 2% ceiling — so a smaller position of about 20 shares would be more prudent.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate a stop-loss price?+
For a long trade multiply the entry price by (1 − stop percentage): a 5% stop on a $100 entry is 100 × 0.95 = $95. For a short trade multiply by (1 + stop percentage) instead, giving $105. With a dollar stop, simply subtract or add the amount.
What percentage should a stop-loss be?+
There is no single right number. Many swing traders use 5% to 10% for stocks, while day traders use much tighter stops. A better approach is to place the stop where your trade idea is proven wrong, such as below support, and then size the position so that distance risks only 1% to 2% of your account.
What is the difference between a stop-loss and a stop-limit order?+
A stop-loss (stop-market) order becomes a market order once the stop price trades, so it will fill but possibly at a worse price. A stop-limit order becomes a limit order, so it will not fill below your limit — which protects the price but risks not getting out at all in a fast drop.
What is a trailing stop?+
A trailing stop moves with the price by a fixed percentage or amount as the trade moves in your favour, but never moves back. A 5% trailing stop on a stock that rises from $100 to $120 would sit at $114, locking in part of the gain.
Can I lose more than my stop-loss?+
Yes. If a stock gaps down overnight past your stop, the order triggers at the open and fills at the next available price, which can be far below the stop. Stops limit losses in normal trading but are not a guarantee.
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.
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