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Margin and free margin calculator

Estimate a new position’s margin, free margin and margin level after including margin already used by other positions.

Start with an example

Assumed EUR/USD 1.1000 and USD/PLN 4, a 0.12-lot position and leverage 1:30. New margin is 1,760 PLN. With 500 PLN of existing margin and equity of 10,000 PLN, free margin is 7,740 PLN.

Calculation inputs

Changing inputs recalculates the result. Use account currency for amounts unless a field names another unit.

0.10 lot is one tenth of a lot. Where do I find this input?
Base-currency units in one lot. 100,000 is an example; enter the contract size from this instrument’s specification. Where do I find this input?
Quote-currency units per base-currency unit, such as 1.10 USD per 1 EUR. Your assumption, rather than a live quote. Where do I find this input?
Enter 30 for 1:30. The model uses one fixed leverage factor with no volume tiers. This is an input assumption, not a statement about local leverage limits. Where do I find this input?
Labels the amounts. Changing this currency does not fetch an exchange rate or automatically convert the numbers you entered. Where do I find this input?
Enter your own rate in the selected direction. USD → PLN: direct rate 4. JPY → USD: inverse rate 150. Enter 1 when the currencies are the same. These examples are not live rates. Where do I find this input?
Direct: 1 quote-currency unit equals this many account-currency units. Inverse: 1 account-currency unit equals this many quote-currency units. Where do I find this input?
Price currency, such as USD in EUR/USD or JPY in GBP/JPY. It is converted to account currency. Where do I find this input?
Equity and existing margin
Account value including open profit and loss, in account currency. Used to model free margin and margin level. Where do I find this input?
Account-currency amount already reserved. Enter 0 if no margin is currently used. Where do I find this input?
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Result for your inputs

New position notional in account currency—
New position margin—
Total margin in this model—
Free margin after opening, in this model—
Margin level after opening, in this model—

How to interpret the result

Results appear when the calculator starts.

A simplified fixed-leverage model for a linear FX position. It omits margin tiers, hedging, pending orders and special broker rules. Equity is held unchanged, excluding price moves and opening costs. Negative free margin shows a shortfall in this model; the platform checks whether the order can be opened. Margin is not a loss limit. The example leverage is not a rule for every jurisdiction or account.

Calculations run in your browser. A downloaded CSV contains your inputs and results.

Work through the calculations

Pip value → position size → margin → portfolio risk. Transfer with a button and confirm before applying on the next page.

A draft remains usable for 30 minutes and is stored in this browser session on this domain. We do not send it to the server or put amounts in the URL. A browser may retain a restored tab session; use “Clear calculation draft” to remove the data.

How the result is calculated

Notional = lots × contract size × price, converted from quote currency to account currency. New margin = notional / leverage. Total margin = existing margin + new margin. Free margin = equity − total margin. Margin level = equity / total margin × 100%.

Worked example

Hypothetical example: 0.12 lot × 100,000 EUR × 1.1000 USD/EUR = 13,200 USD notional. At 1:30, margin is 440 USD. Equity of 10,000 USD with no other positions gives free margin of 9,560 USD and a margin level of approximately 2,272.73%.

Specifications and conventions: MetaQuotes: margin calculation · MetaQuotes: account properties

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Inputs before results

Where do I find this calculator’s inputs?

Gather the instrument specification, account settings and your own assumptions. Do not treat default values as your broker’s settings.

Three account amountsFictional example. Balance before open P/L: 10,000 USD; Open P/L, no other adjustments: −200 USD; Equity in this model: 9,800 USD; Margin already used: 1,000 USD; Free margin before a new order: 8,800 USD. Conclusion: 10,000 USD balance and 9,800 USD equity are not interchangeable. Subtract new margin from the 8,800 USD free margin; this diagram excludes fees on the new order.ILLUSTRATIVE DIAGRAMBalance before open P/L10,000 USDOpen P/L, no other adjustments−200 USDEquity in this model9,800 USDMargin already used1,000 USDFree margin before a new order8,800 USD
Three account amounts. Original diagram with fictional learning inputs; not a platform screenshot or broker offer.

Conclusion: 10,000 USD balance and 9,800 USD equity are not interchangeable. Subtract new margin from the 8,800 USD free margin; this diagram excludes fees on the new order.

Contract and volume specification

Open the specification for the exact symbol and account type you will use. In MT5: Market Watch → symbol context menu → Specification. Read the contract size per 1 lot and the minimum, maximum and volume step.

100,000 base-currency units per lot is our example assumption. A position of 0.10 lot then represents 10,000 units. A 0.01 step does not establish the minimum or maximum; check all three settings.

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Price in quote currency

Read the instrument price from the appropriate order estimate or use an explicit scenario. EUR/USD at 1.1000 means 1.1000 USD per 1 EUR. It is not the rate converting USD into account currency.

Use the price for the appropriate side of the planned order. The calculator uses an assumed linear-contract model; the platform’s official margin estimate takes precedence when instrument terms differ.

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Currency and conversion direction

Read account currency from account settings and quote currency from the pair: it is USD in EUR/USD. The conversion rate must connect the amount’s currency and account currency; also record the time and source of the quote.

Fictional 1 USD = 4 PLN: direct rate 4 converts 10 USD × 4 to 40 PLN. The same inverse quote is 1 PLN = 0.25 USD; 10 USD / 0.25 = 40 PLN. Enter 1 for identical currencies. Changing the currency label neither retrieves a rate nor converts the amounts you entered.

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Balance, equity and used margin

Read current account amounts in the same currency. Balance, equity including open P/L, and free margin describe different quantities.

For the loss budget, deliberately choose balance or equity and keep that definition throughout the plan. In the margin calculator, enter current equity and margin already used by other positions. Do not substitute free margin for equity or count the new position’s margin twice.

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Leverage for this instrument

Check margin terms for the chosen instrument, volume and account. In a 1:x field enter the denominator, such as 30 for 1:30. It is an input assumption, rather than a statement of your local leverage limit.

The model uses one fixed leverage factor. If your platform applies exposure tiers, fixed margin or different treatment for hedged positions, compare with its order estimate. MetaQuotes OrderCalcMargin returns an account-currency amount without existing positions or orders. Margin does not define the maximum loss.

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Check field meanings in the platform documentation: MetaQuotes: symbol properties · MetaQuotes: order margin estimate · MetaQuotes: account amounts

Understand the inputs and result

Leverage vs margin: exposure, collateral and equity9 min →Equity, balance and margin — three numbers on a trader account11 min →Margin call vs stop out — what is the difference?12 min →