Key takeaways
The MES vs MNQ calculator below turns a reader-entered point move into ticks and dollars. CME specifies MES at $5 per S&P 500 index point with a 0.25-point tick worth $1.25, while MNQ is $2 per Nasdaq-100 index point with a 0.25-point tick worth $0.50. Two MES contracts moving 10 points equal a $100 move; three MNQ contracts moving 25 points equal a $150 move. An optional drawdown budget shows illustrative budget use only. It does not choose a contract, position size, direction, margin amount, or prop-firm breach line.
How we researched this article
BestProps used document-based research from primary firm sources, checked August 1, 2026. The complete source list, scope, limitations, and commercial-state record appear near the end of this article.
MES and MNQ are Micro E-mini equity index futures. They track different indexes and convert the same point move into different dollar amounts. That distinction matters in a prop account, where a small sizing error can consume more of the account’s drawdown allowance than intended.
This guide compares the exchange-defined contract arithmetic and supplies a transparent calculator. It does not assume a broker margin, commission, live quote, pass probability, or return.
Use the MES vs MNQ Calculator
Choose MES or MNQ, enter a whole number of contracts, and enter a non-negative point move in 0.25-point increments. Add an optional drawdown budget if you want to compare the resulting dollar move with a limit you already confirmed from your prop firm’s current official rules.
MES vs MNQ move calculator
Enter a scenario. Results show movement magnitude, not profit, loss, or a recommended position.
Whole numbers from 1 to 1,000.
Zero or more, in 0.25-point increments.
Use a value you confirmed. Leave blank to omit budget results.
- Ticks in the move
- Tick value per contract
- Dollar move magnitude
- Budget used
- Budget remaining
The result is direction-neutral. A 10-point move is converted to a $100 magnitude for two MES contracts whether you are modeling a favorable or unfavorable move. The tool does not know your entry, stop, open profit and loss, commissions, slippage, or the firm's breach formula.
MES vs MNQ Contract Values
As checked July 31, 2026, CME states that the Micro E-mini S&P 500 futures contract is $5 times the S&P 500 Index and has a minimum tick of 0.25 index points. That makes one MES tick worth $1.25 per contract.
CME states that the Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 futures contract is $2 times the Nasdaq-100 Index and also has a minimum tick of 0.25 index points. That makes one MNQ tick worth $0.50 per contract. CME's Micro E-mini FAQ lists the same outright tick values and product codes.
| Contract | Underlying index | Dollar value per point | Minimum tick | Dollar value per tick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MES | S&P 500 | $5.00 | 0.25 point | $1.25 |
| MNQ | Nasdaq-100 | $2.00 | 0.25 point | $0.50 |
The contracts differ in both their underlying indexes and their dollar multipliers. A comparison of dollar movement does not establish that one contract has lower risk, lower volatility, easier execution, or greater suitability for a particular strategy.
How the MES and MNQ Math Works
- Ticks = point move divided by 0.25.
- Dollar move = contracts multiplied by point move multiplied by the contract's dollar value per point.
- Budget used = dollar move divided by the optional drawdown budget, multiplied by 100.
For two MES contracts and a 10-point move, the move contains 40 ticks. At $1.25 per tick per contract, the dollar magnitude is $100. For three MNQ contracts and a 25-point move, the move contains 100 ticks. At $0.50 per tick per contract, the dollar magnitude is $150.
If the MES example is compared with an $80 drawdown budget, it uses 125% of that illustrative budget and leaves negative $20. That negative amount is an over-budget planning result, not a prediction that a firm will breach or close an account. Firm rules may include open profit and loss, daily resets, trailing thresholds, consistency rules, or other inputs this calculator does not model.
Apply MES vs MNQ Math to a Prop Account
Start with the firm's own documents. Confirm the account stage, the rule name, whether the threshold is static or trailing, whether open profit and loss counts, the reset time and timezone, and whether fees or commissions affect the measured balance or equity. Our prop firm drawdown rules guide explains why those definitions must be separated.
Then use the calculator only for the contract-movement slice of the decision. For example, a trader can enter the maximum point move they want to examine and compare the output with a personal planning budget. The output should not be treated as a recommended stop distance or number of contracts.
Other requirements can still control evaluation progress. A program may also apply minimum trading day rules or consistency conditions that are unrelated to MES or MNQ contract values.
MES and MNQ Calculator Limits
This page intentionally excludes live prices, notional contract value, margin, broker commissions, exchange fees, slippage, liquidity rankings, volatility forecasts, correlations, trading signals, and strategy advice. Those values either change, depend on a provider, or require assumptions that do not belong in a transparent contract-arithmetic tool.
The calculator accepts a maximum of 1,000 contracts to keep the input bounded. That software limit is not a trading recommendation or a statement about any prop firm's contract cap. The point move must be divisible by 0.25 because that is the displayed outright tick increment for MES and MNQ.
Futures trading involves substantial risk. Contract arithmetic can help you check a scenario, but it cannot determine whether a trade or funded-account plan is appropriate for you.
MES vs MNQ Questions
Is one MES point worth more than one MNQ point?
Yes. Under the CME contract specifications checked July 31, 2026, one MES index point is $5 per contract and one MNQ index point is $2 per contract. The two contracts track different indexes, so the dollar comparison alone does not compare their expected movement.
How many ticks are in a 10-point MES or MNQ move?
Both contracts use a 0.25-point outright tick in the cited CME specifications, so a 10-point move contains 40 ticks. The dollar result differs because an MES tick is $1.25 per contract and an MNQ tick is $0.50 per contract.
Does the MES vs MNQ calculator include commissions?
No. Entered point movement is converted with the exchange-defined multiplier and tick size only. Commissions, exchange fees, platform fees, slippage, and provider-specific costs are excluded.
Can the calculator tell me how many contracts to trade?
No. It calculates a scenario you supply. It does not infer a position size, stop distance, direction, profit target, or probability of passing a prop-firm evaluation.
