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Risk-Reward Calculator

Turn an entry, stop and target into risk distance, reward distance, RR ratio, breakeven win rate and optional expectancy.

Trade plan

Use the same price distance unit as entry/stop/target, such as 0.0010 on EUR/USD.
RR = reward distance ÷ risk distance · breakeven win rate = 1 ÷ (1 + RR)

Risk-reward result

Risk-reward ratio
Risk distance
Reward distance
Breakeven win rate
EV in R
EV in money
Net RR after costs
RR only becomes useful when paired with a realistic win rate and costs.
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Risk warning. CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. A significant proportion of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs; where a broker publishes an official percentage, we show it only with the source and capture date. Consider whether you understand how CFDs work and can afford the risk. Full risk disclosure.

Educational tools for non-US traders · not directed at US persons.

Quick answer

Risk-reward ratio is reward distance / risk distance. For a long from 1.2000 with a 1.1950 stop and 1.2100 target, risk is 0.0050, reward is 0.0100 and RR is 2.0. The breakeven win rate is 1 / (1 + RR), so a 2R setup breaks even before costs at 33.33%.

How it works

What risk-reward measures

Risk-reward compares the distance from entry to stop with the distance from entry to target. It is a price-structure number: how much the trade can gain if the target is hit versus how much it loses if the stop is hit. It does not say how often either outcome will happen.

The formula

For a long trade: risk = entry - stop and reward = target - entry.

For a short trade: risk = stop - entry and reward = entry - target.

RR = reward ÷ risk

breakeven win rate = 1 ÷ (1 + RR) = risk ÷ (risk + reward)

If you enter a win rate W, expectancy in R is EV = W × RR - (1 - W). If you also enter a money risk amount, money expectancy is W × reward money - (1 - W) × risk money. When costs are entered in the same price units as the stop distance, net RR is reward ÷ (risk + costs).

How to use this calculator

  1. Choose long or short.
  2. Enter the entry, stop and target prices.
  3. Optionally enter an estimated win rate to calculate expectancy in R.
  4. Optionally enter a risk amount to convert expectancy into money.
  5. Add costs in price-distance units if you want the net RR estimate.

Worked example - a 2R long setup

For a long trade with entry 1.2000, stop 1.1950 and target 1.2100, the risk distance is 1.2000 - 1.1950 = 0.0050. The reward distance is 1.2100 - 1.2000 = 0.0100. So RR = 0.0100 / 0.0050 = 2.0, and the breakeven win rate is 1 / (1 + 2) = 33.33%.

Breakeven is a floor, not a target

The breakeven win rate only says where the simplified math reaches zero before unmodeled costs and execution effects. It is not a target win rate and not a quality label. A 2R setup with a very low actual win rate can still have negative expectancy; a lower RR setup with a high, stable win rate can have positive expectancy.

Common mistakes

  • Reading RR alone. RR without win rate is incomplete. Expectancy needs both payoff size and hit rate.
  • Ignoring direction. For a long, the stop must be below entry and the target above it. For a short, those signs reverse. This tool rejects direction mismatches.
  • Leaving out costs. Spread, commission and slippage widen effective risk, so the net RR can be lower than the headline price distance suggests.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate risk-reward ratio?
Divide reward distance by risk distance. For a long, risk is entry - stop and reward is target - entry. For a short, the signs reverse.
What is the breakeven win rate for a 2R trade?
Before costs, it is 1 / (1 + 2) = 33.33%. That is the simplified breakeven point, not a recommended or sufficient target.
Why does the calculator reject my stop or target?
The stop or target is probably on the wrong side of entry for the selected direction. A long needs stop below entry and target above entry; a short needs stop above entry and target below entry.
Does a higher RR mean a better trade?
Not by itself. RR must be paired with a realistic win rate and costs. A high-RR setup that rarely reaches target can still have negative expectancy.
How do costs affect RR?
Costs increase the effective risk distance. This calculator estimates net RR as reward / (risk + costs) when you enter costs in the same price units as the trade distance.

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