Futures profit calculator with presets for ES, NQ, CL, GC, and micro contracts. Turn entry, exit, and contract count into ticks, points, and dollar P&L.
Futures Profit Formula
Futures P&L is measured in ticks – the minimum price increment – each worth a fixed dollar amount:
P = ((Exit - Entry) / TickSize) * TickValue * N
Variables:
- P is the total profit or loss ($); for short trades the price difference is reversed
- Exit and Entry are the trade prices in contract points
- TickSize is the minimum price increment of the contract
- TickValue is the dollar value of one tick per contract ($)
- N is the number of contracts
Pick an outright-futures preset for ES, MES, NQ, MNQ, YM, CL, or GC, or choose Custom and enter the applicable tick size and USD tick value. Set direction, entry, exit and a positive whole contract count; a blank count means 1. Average execution prices may produce fractional ticks. Negative prices are accepted for CL and Custom. The calculator returns gross dollar P&L, signed ticks and price units, the per-contract result and the dollar value of one full price unit. Spread and other special tick rules may differ from the presets.
Common Contract Specifications
| Contract | Tick size | Tick value | $ per point |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-mini S&P 500 (ES) | 0.25 | $12.50 | $50 |
| Micro E-mini S&P (MES) | 0.25 | $1.25 | $5 |
| E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) | 0.25 | $5.00 | $20 |
| Micro E-mini Nasdaq (MNQ) | 0.25 | $0.50 | $2 |
| E-mini Dow (YM) | 1.00 | $5.00 | $5 |
| Crude Oil (CL) | 0.01 | $10.00 | $1,000 |
| Gold (GC) | 0.10 | $10.00 | $100 |
MES and MNQ have one-tenth the contract multiplier of their corresponding E-mini contracts. This reduces the dollar effect of a given index move, but futures losses can still exceed the margin deposit.
Example Problems
Example 1: Long ES scalp.
You buy 2 ES contracts at 5000.00 and sell at 5012.50.
Move = 12.50 points = 12.50 / 0.25 = 50 ticks. P = 50 * $12.50 * 2 = $1,250.
Example 2: Short crude oil.
You short 1 CL contract at 78.50 and cover at 79.10 – the trade goes against you.
Move = (78.50 – 79.10) = -0.60 points = -60 ticks. P = -60 * $10 = -$600 loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a tick and a point?
A point is one whole unit of the quoted price; a tick is the smallest increment the contract actually trades in. ES moves in 0.25-point ticks, so one point is four ticks worth $50. CL moves in 0.01-point ticks, so one point is 100 ticks worth $1,000.
Why can futures losses exceed my margin deposit?
Futures margin is a performance bond, not a maximum loss. Positions are marked to market daily, and a gap through your stop can produce a loss larger than the margin posted – you owe the difference. Position sizing matters more in futures than anywhere else.
Do these results include fees?
No. Commissions and exchange fees typically run a few dollars per contract per round turn. On micro contracts and high-frequency strategies, fees can consume a large share of gross profit, so subtract them when judging a system.
