Futures Profit Calculator
Profit or loss on a futures trade in points, ticks and money, with each contract's point value and tick size: E-mini and micro index futures, crude oil, gold, silver, natural gas and euro FX.
One E-mini S&P 500 (ES) contract moves $50 per index point and $12.50 per 0.25 tick: buying at 6,000 and selling at 6,025 makes $1,250 before fees. The micro (MES) is a tenth: $5 a point, $1.25 a tick.
The words on this page, explained simply
New to this? Here is what each term means, in plain English.
- Point value
- Money gained or lost per contract for a one-point price move.
- Tick
- The smallest price step a futures contract trades in.
- Breakeven
- The price at which a trade neither makes nor loses money.
A futures contract's profit is the price move times its point value times the number of contracts. Pick a contract to load its point value and tick size, enter entry, exit and fees, and choose long or short.
Point values and tick sizes
| Contract | Point value | Tick | Tick value |
|---|---|---|---|
| ES — E-mini S&P 500 | $50 | 0.25 | $12.50 |
| MES — Micro E-mini S&P 500 | $5.00 | 0.25 | $1.25 |
| NQ — E-mini Nasdaq-100 | $20 | 0.25 | $5.00 |
| MNQ — Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 | $2.00 | 0.25 | $0.50 |
| YM — E-mini Dow ($5) | $5.00 | 1 | $5.00 |
| MYM — Micro E-mini Dow | $0.50 | 1 | $0.50 |
| RTY — E-mini Russell 2000 | $50 | 0.1 | $5.00 |
| M2K — Micro E-mini Russell 2000 | $5.00 | 0.1 | $0.50 |
| CL — Crude oil (WTI, 1,000 barrels) | $1,000 | 0.01 | $10.00 |
| MCL — Micro WTI crude (100 barrels) | $100 | 0.01 | $1.00 |
| GC — Gold (100 troy oz) | $100 | 0.1 | $10.00 |
| MGC — Micro gold (10 troy oz) | $10 | 0.1 | $1.00 |
| SI — Silver (5,000 troy oz) | $5,000 | 0.005 | $25.00 |
| NG — Natural gas (10,000 MMBtu) | $10,000 | 0.001 | $10.00 |
| 6E — Euro FX (125,000 EUR) | $125,000 | 5e-05 | $6.25 |
From CME Group's contract specifications, checked 9 Nov 2026. Choose Custom for any other contract.
The formula
Points = (exit − entry) for a long, (entry − exit) for a short. P/L = points × point value × contracts − fees. Ticks = points ÷ tick size. Futures are leveraged: a small price move is a large share of the margin posted.
Key takeaways
- P/L = points × point value × contracts − fees.
- ES: $50 a point, $12.50 a tick; MES $5 and $1.25.
- NQ: $20 a point, $5 a tick.
- CL: $10 a tick (0.01); GC: $10 a tick (0.10).
Frequently asked questions
How much is one point on ES worth?
$50 per contract; one tick (0.25 points) is $12.50. On the micro MES, $5 a point and $1.25 a tick.
How much is one tick on NQ?
$5: NQ moves $20 per point and its tick is 0.25 points. On MNQ, $0.50 a tick.
How much is a tick on crude oil futures?
$10 on CL (1,000 barrels × $0.01) and $1 on the micro MCL (100 barrels).
How do you calculate futures profit?
Multiply the price change in points by the contract's point value and the number of contracts, then subtract fees. Short trades profit when the price falls.