Free trading tools

    Risk-reward calculator.

    The simplest way to know whether a setup is worth taking. Enter your entry, stop and target - and see exactly how much you stand to gain for every dollar you put at risk.

    YOUR TRADE
    Stop lossEntryTake profit
    −1R
    +3.0R

    Most profitable traders aim for at least 2:1. The higher your reward relative to risk, the fewer trades you need to win to stay green.

    RISK-REWARD RATIO
    1 : 3.00excellent
    DirectionLong
    Risk per share$5.00
    Reward per share$15.00
    Breakeven win rate25% win rate

    Win more than 25% of these trades and you come out ahead over time.

    WHY IT MATTERS

    Filter trades before you take them.

    A trade with a 1:3 ratio means you risk $1 to make $3. Even with a 40% win rate, that's a profitable strategy over time - and it's the simplest test of whether a setup is worth your capital.

    01

    Skip setups that don't pay you enough

    If the distance to your target is barely wider than the distance to your stop, the math is working against you. A minimum ratio gives you a hard rule to walk away from trades that look tempting but aren't worth the risk.

    02

    Win less often and still come out ahead

    At 1:3, you only need to win one in four trades to break even. Favorable risk-reward builds a mathematical edge that holds up even when you're wrong more often than you're right.

    03

    Read the ratio against your win rate

    A high ratio isn't automatically better - targets that are far away get hit less often. The breakeven win rate tells you the minimum hit rate this setup needs to be profitable, so you can judge it honestly against your own track record.

    THE FORMULA

    Ratio = Reward ÷ Risk

    Risk = |Entry − Stop|
    Reward = |Target − Entry|
    Ratio = Reward ÷ Risk
    WORKED EXAMPLE
    Long entry $100, stop $95$5 risk
    Take profit $115$15 reward
    Risk-reward ratio1 : 3

    For every $1 you risk you stand to make $3 - so you only need to win 1 in 4 trades to break even.

    Risk-reward, answered.

    What is the risk-reward ratio in trading?
    The risk-reward ratio compares how much you stand to lose on a trade (the distance from entry to stop loss) versus how much you stand to gain (the distance from entry to profit target). A 1:3 ratio means you're risking $1 to potentially make $3.
    What is a good risk-reward ratio?
    A minimum of 1:2 is commonly recommended, meaning your potential profit is at least twice your potential loss. However, the 'right' ratio depends on your win rate - a trader with a 60% win rate can be profitable at 1:1, while a 30% win rate trader needs at least 1:3 to break even.
    How does risk-reward relate to win rate?
    Risk-reward and win rate are inversely related in most strategies. Higher risk-reward targets (like 1:5) typically have lower win rates because the price has to travel further to hit your target. The key is finding the combination where your expectancy - the average profit per trade - is positive.
    Should I always have a positive risk-reward ratio?
    Not necessarily. Some scalping strategies operate with a negative risk-reward (e.g., risking $2 to make $1) but compensate with a very high win rate (80%+). What matters is that your overall expectancy is positive - risk-reward is one piece of that equation.
    MORE FREE TOOLS

    Round out your risk toolkit.

    Want this tracked automatically?

    TradeOlogy logs every trade and computes risk-reward, expectancy, profit factor and more - so you can see which setups actually pay off.

    7-day free trial · Cancel anytime · Setup takes under 2 minutes