Trading calculators for sizing, risk and cost

Eight small, exact tools for the math you should do before opening a position — how much to risk, where you get liquidated, what funding and fees quietly eat, and what it takes to climb back from a drawdown. Type your numbers; results update as you type.

Please read: these calculators are for calculation and education only. They are not financial advice, not a recommendation to trade, and they do not predict prices. Liquidation and fee figures are estimates — your exchange's rules govern your account.
TOOL 01

Position Size Calculator

Decide the size of a trade from the amount you are willing to lose — not from gut feel. Enter your account, your risk per trade, and where your stop sits; the calculator returns the position that loses exactly that amount if the stop is hit.

Position size (notional)
—

Quantity (units / coins)
—
Amount at risk if stopped out
—
Stop distance
—
Margin needed at 10× leverage
—

The notional is what you open; the margin your exchange locks up is notional ÷ leverage. At 1× (spot) the full notional is your margin.

Formula

Risk amount = Account × Risk%
Quantity = Risk amount ÷ |Entry − Stop|
Notional = Quantity × Entry

Sizing from the stop backwards means a wider stop automatically gives you a smaller position — the loss stays fixed.

Worked example

Account $10,000, risk 2% → you can lose $200. Entry 65,000, stop 63,000 → distance 2,000 per coin.

Quantity = 200 ÷ 2,000 = 0.1 BTC, notional = $6,500. If price hits 63,000 you lose exactly $200 — 2% of the account, as planned.

FAQ

Why default to 2% risk?

It is a widely used ceiling for a single trade: at 2%, even ten consecutive losses cost about 18% of the account — painful but recoverable. Many traders use 0.5–1%. It is a rule of thumb, not a guarantee of safety.

Does leverage change my position size?

No. Leverage changes how much margin is locked, not how much you lose at the stop. Size from the stop first, then pick leverage that comfortably covers the margin.

What if my stop equals my entry?

The distance is zero and no finite position keeps the loss at your risk amount — the calculator will ask you to move the stop.

TOOL 02

Risk / Reward Calculator

Compare what you stand to lose against what you stand to gain before you enter. A trade risking $100 to make $300 has a 1 : 3 risk/reward — it can be wrong two times out of three and still break even.

Risk : Reward
—

Risk per unit
—
Reward per unit
—
Potential loss (with quantity)
—
Potential profit (with quantity)
—
Break-even win rate needed
—

Break-even win rate = 1 ÷ (1 + reward ÷ risk). Fees and slippage are not included here — use the Profit / Loss calculator for net figures.

Formula

Risk = |Entry − Stop|
Reward = |Target − Entry|
R : R = Reward ÷ Risk
Break-even win rate = 1 ÷ (1 + R:R)

Works for longs and shorts — distances are absolute, so direction does not matter.

Worked example

Entry 65,000, stop 63,000, target 71,000, quantity 0.1.

Risk 2,000, reward 6,000 → 1 : 3. You would lose $200 at the stop or gain $600 at the target, and you only need to win 25% of such trades to break even before fees.

FAQ

What is a "good" risk/reward?

There is no universal number — it trades off against your win rate. 1:2 needs a 33% win rate to break even; 1:1 needs 50%. What matters is that your actual win rate beats the break-even line for the ratios you take, after fees.

My target is below my entry (a short). Does it still work?

Yes. Enter your short's entry, stop (above entry) and target (below entry); the distances and ratio are computed the same way.

TOOL 03

Liquidation Price Estimator

Roughly where an isolated-margin perpetual position gets liquidated. Use it to check the distance between your stop-loss and the liquidation price — your stop should always be hit first.

Direction
Estimated liquidation price
—

Adverse move to liquidation
—
Initial margin rate (1 ÷ leverage)
—

Estimate only. Real liquidation prices differ by exchange: they use mark price (not last price), tiered maintenance margins that grow with position size, funding payments, and fees. Always confirm on your exchange before trading.

Formula

Long: Liq ≈ Entry × (1 − 1/Leverage + MMR)
Short: Liq ≈ Entry × (1 + 1/Leverage − MMR)

This is the standard isolated-margin approximation: liquidation happens when losses consume the initial margin minus the maintenance margin that must remain.

Worked example

Long at 65,000, 10× leverage, MMR 0.5%.

Liq ≈ 65,000 × (1 − 0.10 + 0.005) = 58,825 — an adverse move of about 9.5%. At 50× the same math leaves you barely 1.5% of room.

FAQ

Why does my exchange show a different number?

Because this is a simplified model. Exchanges use mark price, risk tiers, and sometimes partial-liquidation engines; cross margin also pools your whole balance. Treat this figure as a planning estimate with a safety buffer, never as exact.

What maintenance margin rate should I enter?

For many major-exchange BTC/ETH perpetuals the lowest tier is around 0.4–0.5%, but it rises with position size. Check the risk-limit table on your exchange.

Does adding margin change the price?

Yes — adding margin (or using cross margin) pushes the liquidation price further away. This estimator assumes fixed isolated margin.

TOOL 04

Funding Rate Cost Calculator

Perpetual futures charge or pay funding every settlement (commonly every 8 hours). A "small" 0.01% rate is 0.03% a day — over a month it can quietly exceed your trading fees. This totals it up.

Your position
Total funding over the period
—

Per settlement
—
Time span covered
—
Total as % of notional
—
Approx. annualised rate
—

Sign convention: with a positive funding rate, longs pay shorts. A negative total here means the funding works in your favour — you receive it. Real rates change every settlement; this assumes the rate you entered stays constant.

Formula

Per settlement = Notional × Rate%
Total = Per settlement × Settlements
Long pays when rate > 0; short pays when rate < 0

Funding is charged on the position's notional value at each settlement timestamp — hold through the timestamp, and you pay (or receive) it.

Worked example

Long, notional $10,000, rate 0.01%, 21 settlements (7 days at 3 per day).

Each settlement costs $1 → $21 total, 0.21% of the position. Scaled up, a 0.1% rate on a $100,000 position held a month (90 settlements) costs $9,000.

FAQ

Who receives the funding I pay?

The traders on the other side of the market — funding is a peer-to-peer transfer that keeps the perpetual price anchored to spot. The exchange does not keep it (aside from any separate fees).

Can I avoid a funding payment?

Funding applies only if you hold the position at the settlement moment. Closing just before and reopening after avoids that one payment but costs spread and fees, and prices often move around settlement — it is rarely free money.

Why is the annualised number so large?

Because it compounds a per-8-hour rate across a full year (×1,095 settlements). It is a comparison figure, not a prediction — real rates fluctuate and often sit near the 0.01% baseline.

TOOL 05

Average Entry / DCA Calculator

Bought in several tranches? Your real break-even is the quantity-weighted average of every fill — not the price of the last one. Add a row per buy and see your true average cost.

Average entry price
—

Total quantity
—
Total spent
—
Number of buys
—

Fees are not included in the average. To fold them in, add each buy's fee to its cost before entering — or check the full picture in the Profit / Loss calculator.

Formula

Average = Σ (Price × Quantity) ÷ Σ Quantity

It is weighted by quantity: a big buy moves your average far more than a small one. A simple mean of the prices would be wrong.

Worked example

Three buys: 0.05 @ 60,000, 0.10 @ 64,000, 0.05 @ 68,000.

Total spent = 3,000 + 6,400 + 3,400 = $12,800 for 0.20 BTC → average entry 64,000. Price above 64,000 and the combined position is in profit, whatever the last fill was.

FAQ

Is "averaging down" a good strategy?

The math here is neutral — it only tells you your break-even. Averaging down lowers your average but increases total exposure and total possible loss; whether that fits your plan and risk limit is a decision, not a calculation. Size the total position with Tool 01 first.

Can I use this for sells / a short?

Yes — the weighted average of your sell prices is your average short entry, computed identically.

TOOL 06

Profit / Loss Calculator — net of fees

Most P&L calculators stop at gross profit. This one deducts the trading fees on both sides first — because a "winning" trade can still lose money once maker/taker fees are counted.

Direction
Net profit / loss (after fees)
—

Gross P&L (before fees)
—
Entry fee
—
Exit fee
—
Total fees
—
Return on position value
—
Break-even exit price
—

Default fee presets (0.02% maker / 0.05% taker) are typical headline rates on large exchanges — your actual tier may differ, so switch to Custom and enter your own. Funding payments are not included; see Tool 04.

Formula

Gross = (Exit − Entry) × Qty  [× −1 if short]
Fees = Entry×Qty×FeeIn% + Exit×Qty×FeeOut%
Net = Gross − Fees

Break-even exit solves Net = 0, so it sits slightly beyond your entry by exactly the round-trip fee.

Worked example

Long 0.5 BTC, entry 65,000, exit 68,000, taker fees 0.05% both sides.

Gross = 3,000 × 0.5 = $1,500. Fees = $16.25 + $17.00 = $33.25. Net = $1,466.75 — and your real break-even exit is 65,065.03, not 65,000.

FAQ

Maker vs taker — what's the difference?

A maker order adds liquidity (a limit order resting on the book) and usually pays a lower fee; a taker order removes liquidity (market order, or a limit order that crosses the spread) and pays more. The presets here — 0.02% / 0.05% — are typical; check your exchange's fee schedule and your VIP tier.

Why is my break-even above my entry on a long?

Because you pay fees twice — entering and exiting. Price must move far enough to cover both before the trade is truly flat.

Does return % account for leverage?

No — it is measured against the position's entry value. To get return on margin, multiply by your leverage (a 4.51% move at 10× is ≈45.1% on margin, before funding).

TOOL 07

Leverage & Margin Calculator

Convert between position size, leverage and the margin actually locked up — in either direction. Know the exposure you are really carrying, not just the deposit you put down.

Margin required
—

Position size (notional exposure)
—
Margin locked
—
A 1% adverse move costs
—
…as % of your margin
—

Margin here is initial margin for an isolated position. Exchanges also require maintenance margin, and cross-margin mode pledges your whole balance — the "1% move" rows show why high leverage leaves so little room.

Formula

Margin = Notional ÷ Leverage
Notional = Margin × Leverage
1% move P&L = Notional × 1%

Leverage multiplies your exposure, not your edge: gains and losses both scale with the full notional.

Worked example

You have $1,000 margin and choose 20×: notional = $20,000 of exposure.

A 1% move against you costs $200 — 20% of your margin. A 5% move wipes the margin out entirely (liquidation comes slightly earlier; see Tool 03).

FAQ

Does higher leverage make a trade riskier per dollar?

Per dollar of notional, no — a $20,000 position loses the same $200 on a 1% move at any leverage. Per dollar of margin, yes: the same position on less margin means a smaller move liquidates you. Risk is set by position size and stop (Tool 01); leverage only decides how much collateral backs it.

Isolated vs cross margin?

Isolated limits the loss to the margin assigned to that position. Cross shares your whole account balance as collateral — liquidation is further away, but a blow-up can take the entire account.

TOOL 08

Drawdown Recovery Calculator

Losses and gains are not symmetric: lose 50% and you need +100% just to get back to even. Enter a drawdown to see the climb it creates — the strongest argument for keeping drawdowns small.

Gain needed to break even
—

Balance after drawdown
—
Amount to recover
—

At a 100% drawdown the account is gone and no gain recovers it — the required gain is infinite. Every row of the table below is the same formula.

Formula

Gain needed % = D ÷ (100 − D) × 100

where D is the drawdown in percent. The denominator shrinks as losses grow, which is why the required gain accelerates non-linearly.

Worked example

A 30% drawdown on $10,000 leaves $7,000.

Gain needed = 30 ÷ 70 × 100 = +42.86% on the remaining $7,000 to recover the $3,000 lost. The deeper the hole, the steeper the wall: at 90% down you need +900%.

Reference table

DrawdownGain to recover

FAQ

Why doesn't a 50% gain undo a 50% loss?

Because the percentages apply to different bases. $10,000 − 50% = $5,000; then +50% of $5,000 is only $2,500, landing at $7,500. Recovery gains are calculated on the smaller, post-loss balance.

How do traders limit drawdowns?

By capping risk per trade (Tool 01) so no single loss — or short losing streak — digs a hole that needs an unrealistic gain to escape. Ten straight 2% losses is a ≈18.3% drawdown needing +22.4%; ten straight 10% losses is ≈65%, needing +187%.

Reading the curve

Below 10% the recovery gain is close to the loss itself. Past 30% it pulls away sharply, and past 50% it explodes. This asymmetry — not any single trade — is what ends most accounts.

A note on streaks

Drawdowns usually arrive as streaks, not single events. If your per-trade risk is r, n consecutive losses compound to 1 − (1 − r)ⁿ — check your worst plausible streak against the table before you size up.