Futures Break-Even Calculator — Ticks Needed to Cover Commission and Fees
Every futures trade must first recover the round-trip commission before generating any actual profit — and micro contract traders can need 6 ticks just to break even on fees alone. Enter your contract and all-in commission rate to see your exact break-even in ticks, points, and dollars. Any scalp target set below this threshold is a guaranteed net loser on every winning trade.
Updated · Reviewed by Foysal Mostafa
Break-Even Point
Break-Even Ticks
0.24
Break-Even Points
0.0600
Break-Even ($)
$3.00
Total Round-Trip Cost
$3.00
ES needs to move 0.24 ticks to cover commissions. Tick value = $12.5 per tick.
Why Use the Futures Break-Even Calculator?
Every futures trade requires the market to move a minimum number of ticks just to cover commissions. Scalpers targeting 4–6 ticks on MNQ need nearly 6 ticks just to break even — leaving almost no room for actual profit. Know your break-even threshold before designing any strategy that targets small tick counts.
Formula Used
Break-Even Ticks = (Commission Per Side × 2 × Contracts) ÷ (Tick Value × Contracts)Worked Example
Trading MES (Micro E-mini S&P). All-in commission per side = $1.47 (IB rate + CME exchange fees). Round-trip = $2.94. MES tick value = $1.25. Break-even ticks = $2.94 ÷ $1.25 = 2.35 ticks. Minimum scalp target must be at least 3 ticks just to net any profit. A 2-tick scalp target is actually a guaranteed losing trade after fees at this commission rate.
How to Use the Futures Break-Even Calculator — Step by Step
- 1
Select your futures contract
Choose your contract from the dropdown. Each contract has a different tick value, which directly determines how many ticks you need to cover a given commission amount.
- 2
Enter commission per side
Enter your all-in commission per contract per side, including exchange fees. If unsure, check your broker statement or use $1.50 as a conservative estimate.
- 3
Enter number of contracts
Enter how many contracts you are trading. Note that break-even ticks per contract stays the same regardless of contract count — it is a per-contract calculation.
- 4
View break-even ticks and price move
The calculator shows break-even in ticks, in points, in dollar terms, and the minimum price move required. Any trade that closes with less movement than the break-even will be a net loss after commissions.
What Your Futures Break-Even Calculator Results Mean
Break-Even Ticks
The number of ticks the market must move in your favour just to cover the round-trip commission. Any trade that closes within this many ticks of entry is a net loss after costs.
Break-Even in Points and Dollars
The same threshold expressed in full points and dollar terms. For ES: 0.38-tick break-even = 0.095 points = $4.74. For MNQ: 5.88-tick break-even = 1.47 points = $2.94.
Minimum Price Move Required
The exact price movement (in dollars) your trade needs to achieve just to return to zero after commissions. Any take-profit target set below this level guarantees a net loss on every win.
Futures Break-Even Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions
Q.What is the break-even tick count for ES futures?
For ES with a typical all-in commission of $4.74 round trip (2 sides × $2.37 at TD Ameritrade rates including exchange fees): Break-even = $4.74 ÷ $12.50 = 0.38 ticks — less than 1 tick. At Interactive Brokers ($2.94 round trip): $2.94 ÷ $12.50 = 0.24 ticks. ES has such high tick value that commission is a small fraction of one tick, making it commission-friendly for scalpers.
Q.What is the break-even tick count for NQ futures?
For NQ at $2.94 round trip (IB all-in): Break-even = $2.94 ÷ $5.00 = 0.59 ticks — still under 1 tick. For MNQ at $2.94 round trip: $2.94 ÷ $0.50 = 5.88 ticks. This is why micro contracts have a much higher commission-to-tick-value ratio — MNQ traders need nearly 6 ticks just to cover commissions versus less than 1 tick for NQ traders.
Q.Why does break-even matter for futures scalping?
Scalpers target 4–10 ticks per trade. If commissions consume 2 ticks, a 4-tick scalp only nets 2 ticks — cutting profitability in half. A high break-even erodes your edge on small wins. Scalpers should choose brokers with the lowest all-in rates and avoid micro contracts unless position sizing forces it. Always calculate your break-even before sizing your strategy.
Q.How does slippage affect break-even in futures?
Slippage (the difference between your intended fill price and actual fill price) adds to your effective break-even. A 1-tick slippage on entry and exit adds 2 ticks to your real break-even. For ES market orders during fast markets, 1–2 ticks of slippage is common. Limit orders eliminate slippage but risk missing fills. Always include slippage in your real break-even analysis: True Break-Even = Commission Ticks + Expected Slippage Ticks.
Q.How do I reduce my break-even ticks in futures trading?
Three ways: (1) Lower commissions — switch to a discount broker or negotiate a volume rate. (2) Trade larger contracts — full ES vs MES has the same dollar commission but 10x the tick value, meaning 10x lower break-even in ticks. (3) Use limit orders — avoid slippage on entries. Even saving $0.50/side (1 tick of break-even on MNQ) compounds significantly over hundreds of monthly trades.
About the Author
Forex Trader & Software Developer · Founder, TradeCalc
Active forex trader since 2019, specializing in risk management and systematic position sizing. Built TradeCalc to replace manual spreadsheets used in live trading. Every calculator is cross-verified against broker platforms before publishing.
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