Trading risk calculator: per-trade and daily loss budgets
To turn a risk rule into money, multiply your reference capital by your chosen percentage and divide by 100. This educational calculator compares per-trade and daily budgets. It recommends no risk percentage and does not calculate lot size.
In this guide
Calculate your own amounts
Use one currency for every amount. The initial values are an editable illustration, not a risk recommendation. Calculations run in your browser: entered amounts are not sent to SentinelleTrader.
Risk budget formulas
- Per-trade budget = reference capital × per-trade percentage ÷ 100.
- Daily budget = reference capital × daily percentage ÷ 100.
- Remaining budget = daily budget − losses already counted − an additional reserve for costs or execution differences, with a minimum of zero.
For example, with a reference of 10,000, an illustrative 2% daily cap represents 200 and a 0.5% per-trade budget represents 50. After 50 of losses and a reserve of 10, the remaining budget is 140. These numbers explain arithmetic, not how much it would be prudent to risk on your account.
Why counting losses is not enough
Dividing 140 by 50 leaves two complete budgets of 50. This does not mean “you may take two more trades”: open positions, future fees and execution differences may consume more. The result is a theoretical constant-risk illustration, not permission to trade.
A stop-loss counter and a monetary cap answer different questions. Several small losses can trigger the counter before the money limit; a large loss can reach the limit before the counter. Read about stopping after multiple stop-losses to distinguish the two.
Use the correct calculation reference
Balance, equity, start-of-day balance and an account peak are not interchangeable. Equity includes the result of open positions. This calculator only uses your entered reference and losses. It does not read your account or automatically reproduce your broker’s or prop firm’s formula.
For a challenge, check floating losses, commissions, swaps, profits and the reset time. Do not deduct costs twice if they are already included in the loss figure you enter. The daily loss limit guide explains the checks to perform before comparing two limits.
Why this is not a lot-size calculator
Position size also requires stop distance, point or tick value, contract size and, where relevant, currency conversion. These specifications vary by instrument and broker. A money budget of 50 therefore cannot be converted into one universal lot size for EURUSD, gold and a stock index.
Review your symbol specifications in MetaTrader. A stop-loss order is itself subject to execution conditions: a gap or lack of liquidity can cause an exit away from the requested price. A simple calculation does not remove those risks.
Move from calculation to enforcement
Once you have defined your rules, decide what happens at the limit and when trading may resume. SentinelleTrader can monitor configured limits on an MT4/MT5 account and close new positions while a lock is active. It does not choose an appropriate risk level for you.
Compare the functions of risk management software, then check the daily drawdown displayed before your session. Keep a manual stopping procedure for an unavailable connection. Neither a calculation nor a lock guarantees an exact maximum loss.