Futures Calculator: Profit, Tick and Point Value

How to use the futures calculator

1. Pick the contract, for example NQ or its micro, MNQ.
2. Enter the move in points, in ticks, or as entry and exit prices, choose long or short and the number of contracts.
3. Add fees if you want the net result: the round-turn commission and exchange fees per contract from your platform.
4. Optionally enter your prop firm account's drawdown and profit target to see how big the trade is relative to them.

How futures profit is calculated

Every futures contract has a fixed dollar value per point, set by the exchange. Profit or loss is:

P&L = Points moved × Point value × Contracts − Fees

Or in ticks: ticks moved × tick value × contracts. A tick is the smallest step a contract can move, and the tick value is the tick size times the point value. For the E-mini S&P 500, a tick is 0.25 points, so it is worth 0.25 × $50 = $12.50.

Example: you buy 2 NQ at 20,000 and sell at 20,010. That is 10 points, or 40 ticks, and 10 × $20 × 2 = $400 before fees.

Futures tick and point values

The tick and point values of the contracts most traded at futures prop firms, from each contract's CME Group specs (checked October 25, 2026):

For energy and metals a "point" is a 1.00 move in the price: one dollar per barrel for crude oil, one dollar per ounce for gold and silver, one dollar per MMBtu for natural gas.

NQ and MNQ point value

One NQ point is worth $20 and one tick $5. One MNQ point is worth $2 and one tick $0.50. So 10 points is $200 on NQ and $20 on MNQ, per contract.

ES and MES point value

One ES point is worth $50 and one tick $12.50; one MES point is worth $5 and one tick $1.25.

Gold futures tick value

Gold (GC) moves in 0.1 ticks worth $10, so a one-dollar move is $100. Micro Gold (MGC) is one tenth of that: $1 a tick and $10 a dollar.

Mini vs micro futures

Micro E-mini contracts (MES, MNQ, MYM, M2K) and the micro energy and metals contracts (MCL, MGC) are one tenth of the full-size contract, with the same tick size. That makes them the easiest way to size down: if one NQ risks too much of your drawdown, three to five MNQ might fit. Most prop firms count 10 micros as one mini against their contract limit.

What a move means for a prop firm account

On a typical 50K futures evaluation, the maximum drawdown is $2,000 and the profit target $3,000. A 10-point NQ move against you with 2 contracts costs $400, or 20% of your drawdown; the same move in your favor is 13% of the target. The calculator shows these shares so you can judge a trade before you take it. To size trades from your drawdown, use our futures position size calculator, and read how trailing drawdown works.