Skip to main content
TradeCalc
Advertisement
FuturesFree

Futures Commission Calculator — Round Trip Cost for ES, NQ, CL, GC and All CME Contracts

The futures commission calculator shows the exact round-trip commission cost for any futures trade. Enter your broker commission rate per side, the number of contracts, and number of trades per day to see total commission per trade, per day, per week, and per month. Commission is often underestimated by new futures traders — on active trading styles like scalping, commission can consume a significant portion of gross profits. This calculator helps you understand your true cost of trading and set realistic profit targets that account for commissions.

Updated August 29, 2026

Futures Commission CalculatorResults update instantly
$

IB: ~$0.85 | Tradovate: ~$0.10 | TD Ameritrade: ~$2.25

Commission Costs

Per Trade (round-trip)

$3.00

Per Day

$15.00

Per Week

$75.00

Per Month

$315.00

Round-trip = $1.5/side x 2 sides x 1 contracts = $3.00 per trade

Formula Used

Round-Trip Commission = Commission Per Side × 2 × Number of Contracts | Monthly Cost = Daily Trades × Round-Trip Commission × Trading Days

How to Use the Futures Commission Calculator — Step by Step

  1. 1

    Enter commission per side

    Input your broker commission per contract per side (entry or exit). Common rates: Interactive Brokers ~$0.85, NinjaTrader Brokerage ~$0.09 (self-clearing), TD Ameritrade ~$2.25, Tradovate ~$0.10/contract (subscription plan). If unsure, use $1.50 as a typical retail rate.

  2. 2

    Enter number of contracts

    Enter how many contracts you trade per trade. Commission scales linearly — 2 contracts = 2x the commission.

  3. 3

    Enter trades per day

    Enter how many round-trip trades you make per day. A scalper might do 10–20 trades per day; a swing trader might do 1–2.

  4. 4

    Enter trading days per month

    Enter how many days per month you actively trade. The US futures market has roughly 21 trading days per month.

  5. 5

    View total commission costs

    The calculator shows commission per trade, per day, per week, and per month. Compare your commission costs to your average daily profit target to see if your strategy is viable.

About the Futures Commission Calculator

The futures commission calculator shows the exact round-trip commission cost for any futures trade. Enter your broker commission rate per side, the number of contracts, and number of trades per day to see total commission per trade, per day, per week, and per month. Commission is often underestimated by new futures traders — on active trading styles like scalping, commission can consume a significant portion of gross profits. This calculator helps you understand your true cost of trading and set realistic profit targets that account for commissions.

This free futures commission calculator works directly in your browser — no download, no registration, and no delay. All calculations are performed client-side, so your trading data is never transmitted to a server.

The formula used is: Round-Trip Commission = Commission Per Side × 2 × Number of Contracts | Monthly Cost = Daily Trades × Round-Trip Commission × Trading Days. This is the same formula used by professional traders and institutional risk managers worldwide.

Supported asset classes include: Futures. Each asset class applies the correct unit conventions so results are always accurate regardless of the market you are trading.

Futures Commission Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions

Q.What is the typical futures commission rate?

Futures commission rates vary widely by broker: Discount brokers (Tradovate, NinjaTrader): $0.09–$0.35/contract/side. Mid-tier retail brokers (Interactive Brokers, Webull): $0.65–$0.85/contract/side. Full-service retail brokers (TD Ameritrade, Charles Schwab): $1.50–$2.25/contract/side. For active traders, the difference between $0.09 and $2.25 per side compounds massively — 10 trades/day × 2 sides × $2.16 difference = $43.20/day extra cost.

Q.What is a round-trip commission in futures?

Round-trip commission is the total cost to open and close one futures position: (Commission per side × 2 × contracts). If you pay $1.50 per contract per side and trade 2 contracts, your round-trip cost = $1.50 × 2 × 2 = $6.00 per trade. This is the minimum profit per trade you need just to break even on commissions.

Q.How much do commissions affect futures profitability?

Significantly, especially for scalpers. Example: scalper trading 1 ES contract, 10 trades/day at $3 round-trip = $30/day in commissions. ES average daily range is 40–60 points ($2,000–$3,000). To net $100/day profit, the scalper must gross $130 just to cover commissions. Active traders must factor commission into every strategy backtest.

Q.How do prop firm traders handle commissions?

Most prop firms (Apex, TopStep, Earn2Trade) include commissions in their fee structure — typically $0.50–$0.62 per contract per side including exchange fees. Some prop firms offer lower rates for higher-volume traders. Always check if the prop firm charges NFA fees and exchange fees separately or includes them in the stated commission rate.

Q.What are exchange fees vs broker commissions in futures?

Your total cost per contract includes both broker commission AND CME exchange/NFA fees. Exchange fees for ES: ~$0.60/side (CME) + $0.02 NFA = $0.62/side in exchange fees alone. If your broker charges $0.85/side, your true cost = $0.85 + $0.62 = $1.47/side = $2.94 round trip per contract. Always ask your broker if their quoted rate is all-in or excludes exchange fees.

More Futures Calculators

Futures Position Size Calculator

Calculate exact futures contract quantity for ES, NQ, MNQ, MES, YM, CL and GC. Enter account size, risk %, and stop loss to get the number of contracts you should trade.

Futures

Futures P&L Calculator

Calculate exact futures P&L in ticks, points and dollars for ES, NQ, MNQ, MES, CL, GC and more. Enter entry price, exit price and contracts to see your profit or loss instantly.

Futures

Futures Margin Calculator

Calculate initial and maintenance margin requirements for ES, NQ, MNQ, MES, CL, GC and other futures contracts. See total capital needed for any number of contracts.

Futures

Futures TP/SL Calculator

Calculate futures take profit and stop loss levels in ticks, points and dollars for ES, NQ, MNQ, MES and more. Enter entry price and tick distance to get exact TP/SL prices and dollar values.

Futures
Advertisement