Futures Contract Calculator
Calculate the notional value, margin requirement, and potential profit/loss for futures contracts based on contract size, price, number of contracts, and margin rate.
Published by:
isCalculator Editorial Team
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How to use this tool?
How to Use the Futures Contract Calculator
This calculator computes the notional value, margin requirement, and profit/loss for a futures position. Follow these steps:
- Enter Contract Size – The number of units per contract (e.g., 1000 barrels, 100 oz). Must be a positive number.
- Enter Price per Unit – The current market price in dollars (e.g., $50). Must be positive.
- Enter Number of Contracts – How many contracts you want to trade (minimum 1).
- Enter Margin Rate (%) – The percentage of notional value required as margin (e.g., 5 for 5%).
- Enter Exit Price (optional) – The price at which you plan to close the position. Leave blank if not needed.
- Select Position – Check Long Position for buying (profit if price rises) or uncheck for short (profit if price falls).
- Click Calculate – Results appear instantly: Notional Value, Margin Required, and Profit/Loss (green for profit, red for loss).
Formulas Used:
- Notional Value = Contract Size × Price × Number of Contracts
- Margin Required = Notional Value × (Margin Rate / 100)
- P/L (Long) = (Exit Price – Entry Price) × Contract Size × Number of Contracts
- P/L (Short) = (Entry Price – Exit Price) × Contract Size × Number of Contracts
All values are in US dollars. Ensure inputs are positive numbers; invalid entries will highlight in red.
Previous Results
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Frequently Asked Questions
A futures contract is a standardized legal agreement to buy or sell a particular commodity or financial instrument at a predetermined price at a specified future date.
Margin is calculated as a percentage of the notional value. For example, if the notional value is $50,000 and the margin rate is 5%, the required margin is $2,500.
Notional value is the total value of the underlying asset that the futures contract controls, calculated as contract size multiplied by price per unit and number of contracts.
