Futures Profit & Loss Calculator — ES, NQ, CL, GC by Tick and Point
Entry minus exit means nothing without knowing the tick value — the same 50-point move in NQ generates $1,000 per contract while in ES it generates $2,500. Select your contract, enter entry, exit, direction, and contracts to get gross and net P&L in ticks, points, and dollars with estimated commissions already deducted. Ready for your trading journal in one step.
Updated · Reviewed by Foysal Mostafa
Results
Net P&L
+$496.00
Gross P&L
$500.00
Move (ticks)
40.0
Move (points)
10.00
Commission: $4.00 total | Tick value: $12.5 per tick
Why Use the Futures P&L Calculator?
Manually converting entry-exit price differences into ticks and then dollars for different futures contracts is slow and mistake-prone. This calculator handles the entire conversion instantly — giving you gross and net P&L in ticks, points, and dollars for any completed or planned trade, ready for your trading journal.
Formula Used
P&L = (Exit Price − Entry Price) ÷ Tick Size × Tick Value × ContractsWorked Example
Short 2 CL (Crude Oil) contracts from $78.50, cover at $76.80. CL tick = $0.01 = $10. Price move = $1.70 = 170 ticks. Gross P&L = 170 × $10 × 2 contracts = $3,400. Round-trip commission (2 contracts, $1.50/side, 2 sides) = $6. Net P&L = $3,394. Compare: if this were 2 NQ contracts (tick = $5), the same 170-tick move would only be $1,700 — half the dollar gain.
How to Use the Futures P&L Calculator — Step by Step
- 1
Select your futures contract
Choose the contract you traded from the dropdown. The calculator automatically applies the correct tick size and tick value for each contract.
- 2
Choose Long or Short
Select Long if you bought (bought low, sell high) or Short if you sold first (sell high, buy back lower). Direction determines whether a price increase is a gain or a loss.
- 3
Enter entry and exit prices
Input your exact entry price and your target exit price (or actual exit price for a completed trade).
- 4
Enter number of contracts
Enter how many contracts you traded. The dollar P&L scales linearly — 2 contracts = 2x the P&L of 1 contract.
- 5
View gross and net P&L
The calculator shows P&L in ticks, points, and dollars. Net P&L subtracts estimated round-trip commissions ($4 per contract by default, adjustable).
What Your Futures P&L Calculator Results Mean
P&L in Ticks and Points
The price movement expressed in minimum tick units and full index points. Ticks are the most granular unit; points are more intuitive for larger moves on equity index contracts.
Gross P&L
Your profit or loss before commission and fees. The starting point for evaluating trade performance before costs are applied.
Net P&L
Gross P&L minus estimated round-trip commission. This is your actual take-home profit — the number that appears in your account and belongs in your trading journal.
Futures P&L Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions
Q.How do I calculate futures profit in dollars?
P&L = (Exit − Entry) ÷ Tick Size × Tick Value × Contracts. Example: Long 2 ES from 5,000 to 5,010. Move = 10 points = 40 ticks. P&L = 40 × $12.50 × 2 = $1,000 gross profit. Subtract commissions (~$8 for 2 contracts round trip) = $992 net profit.
Q.How much is 1 point worth in ES futures?
1 point in ES = 4 ticks = $50 per contract. So a 10-point move = $500 per contract. A 100-point move (a big day in the S&P) = $5,000 per ES contract. For MES, 1 point = $5 (1/10th of ES).
Q.How much is 1 point worth in NQ futures?
1 point in NQ = 4 ticks = $20 per contract. A 100-point NQ move = $2,000 per contract. For MNQ (Micro), 1 point = $2. The NQ is more volatile than ES in dollar terms per point move, so position sizing is especially important for NQ traders.
Q.How do I calculate profit on a short futures trade?
For short trades, profit = (Entry Price − Exit Price) ÷ Tick Size × Tick Value × Contracts. Example: Short 1 NQ from 18,000, cover at 17,950. Move = 50 points = 200 ticks. P&L = 200 × $5 × 1 = $1,000 profit.
Q.What commissions should I expect for futures trading?
Typical futures commissions range from $0.25 to $4 per contract per side, depending on your broker. Interactive Brokers charges ~$0.85/side. NinjaTrader charges ~$0.09/side for self-clearing accounts. Always factor in round-trip commission (entry + exit) when calculating net P&L. On micro contracts, even $1 round trip represents a larger percentage of your potential profit.
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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