Gold ATR Stop-Loss Calculator
Set your XAUUSD stop-loss from volatility: ATR × multiplier gives the stop distance and price, and your balance and risk % give the lot size. Prefilled with today's gold ATR.
- Stop distance
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- Amount at risk
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- Lot size (rounded down)
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- Risk at that lot size
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- Value of a $1 move
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- 2R target for reference
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What the ATR stop-loss calculator does
An ATR stop places your stop-loss a multiple of the Average True Range away from entry, so it sits outside gold's normal noise instead of at a round number. Enter the ATR, a multiplier, your entry, balance and risk percentage. The calculator returns the stop distance, the stop price and the lot size that keeps the loss at your chosen percentage if the stop is hit.
Today's numbers from our data: daily ATR(14) $69.3 and an average H1 range of $16.9 (updated Fri 30 Oct 2026). See how they change on the gold volatility page.
How to use it
- Choose the ATR source. The daily ATR suits swing trades; the H1 figure suits intraday trades. For anything else, read ATR(14) off your own chart and choose "my own value".
- Pick a multiplier. 1.5 to 2 × ATR is a common starting range; test what your method needs.
- Enter your entry price and direction, balance and risk per trade.
- Read the stop price and lot size. Lots are rounded down to 0.01 so you never risk more than you chose.
The formulas
- Stop distance = ATR × multiplier
- Stop price = entry − distance for a buy, entry + distance for a sell
- Amount at risk = balance × risk %
- Lot size = amount at risk ÷ (stop distance × ounces per lot), rounded down to 0.01
Pips and points. The calculator works in dollars of gold price, because that never changes from one broker to the next. With the common $0.10 pip, a $1.00 move in XAUUSD is 10 pips. In MetaTrader a point is the smallest price step, $0.01 on a two-decimal quote, so the same $1.00 move is 100 points, while some traders call a full $1 move “a point”. With 1 standard lot = 100 oz, a $1 move is worth $100 per lot, $10 per 0.10 lot and $1 per 0.01 lot. If your broker labels things differently, the gold pip calculator converts between the conventions.
Worked gold examples
Example 1: a swing trade on the daily ATR. Daily ATR is $66.20 and the multiplier is 1.5, so the stop is $99.30 away: a buy at 4,000 gets a stop at 3,900.70. On a $10,000 account risking 1% ($100), size = 100 ÷ (99.30 × 100) = 0.010, rounded down to 0.01 lot, which risks $99.30. Wide daily stops on gold need very small positions.
Example 2: an intraday trade on the H1 range. With an hourly range of $17.00 and 1.5 × ATR, the stop is $25.50 away (stop 3,974.50 on a buy at 4,000). The same $100 risk now allows 0.039, rounded down to 0.03 lots, risking $76.50.
Example 3: a small account. A $2,000 account risking 1% has $20. With 2 × a $17 ATR the stop is $34.00 away, and 0.01 lot would already risk $34.00. The calculator shows 0.00 lots and a warning: the honest options are a tighter, still-valid stop on a lower timeframe or no trade.
Common mistakes
- Using the daily ATR for a five-minute trade (or the reverse). Match the ATR timeframe to the chart you trade.
- Keeping the lot size when the ATR grows. When gold gets more volatile the stop widens, so the size must shrink to keep the same dollar risk.
- Forgetting news spikes. ATR is an average. CPI, jobs and Fed releases can move far more than one ATR in minutes; check the calendar.
- Treating the ATR stop as the whole plan. The stop should still sit beyond a level that proves the idea wrong. ATR tells you if that level is outside normal noise.
Related tools and lessons
Use the position size calculator when your stop comes from a chart level rather than ATR, check reward against risk with the risk reward calculator, and read the ATR and Bollinger volatility lesson, the XAUUSD stop-loss guide and the risk management lesson.
Before you plug a strategy into any calculator, check how it actually behaved on gold: our gold trading strategies, tested and gold indicator settings, tested hubs show real XAUUSD results with costs, including the losing streaks.
Frequently asked questions
How do you set a stop-loss with ATR on gold?
Multiply the ATR by a factor, often 1.5 to 2, and place the stop that far from entry: below it for a buy, above it for a sell. With a daily ATR of $66 and 1.5 × ATR, the stop is about $99 away.
What ATR multiplier is best for XAUUSD?
There is no single best value. Smaller multipliers (1 to 1.5) give tighter stops that are hit more often; larger ones (2 to 3) survive more noise but need smaller positions. Test the multiplier on your own method and timeframe.
Should I use the daily or the hourly ATR?
Use the ATR of the timeframe you trade. Swing traders usually use the daily ATR; intraday traders use H1 or M15. Mixing them gives stops that are far too wide or far too tight for the trade.
Why is my lot size so small with an ATR stop?
Because gold moves a lot. A wide stop needs a small position to keep the same dollar risk. On a $10,000 account risking 1%, a $99 stop allows only 0.01 lot. That is the method working as intended.
What is the current ATR of gold?
This page prefills the latest daily ATR(14) and the average hourly range from our gold data, with the update date. The gold volatility page shows the full history and an hourly heatmap.
Does an ATR stop guarantee my loss?
No. Stops can fill worse than their price during fast markets, news and weekend gaps, so the real loss can be larger than the calculated risk.
Educational tool only. Not financial advice and not a signal. Check your own broker's contract specification, margin rules and costs. Past data does not predict future prices. See our risk disclaimer.