Enter your entry price and choose a method: a fixed percentage, a fixed rupee amount, or a volatility-based ATR stop. This stop-loss calculator shows where to place it and what it costs, plus a trailing stop-loss table.
Stop-Loss Calculator
Works out where to place a stop-loss, not just what it costs once you already have one.
ATR is a volatility measure; many traders check their charting platform or broker terminal for the current value.
Your stop-loss in detail
| Item | Value |
|---|
Trailing stop-loss (same percentage, locked at each new peak as the price moves in your favour)
| Price reaches | Trailing stop moves to | Locked-in profit per share |
|---|
Educational estimate. Does not include brokerage or slippage, and does not guarantee the exit price.
Most people set a stop-loss by guessing a round number, ₹10 below the entry, or 2% off the top. A stop-loss calculator turns that guess into a chosen distance, in whichever way actually fits the stock: a percentage, a fixed rupee amount, or the stock’s own recent volatility.
How do you use this stop-loss calculator in 3 steps?
- Choose buy or sell, then enter your entry price.
- Pick a method: a percentage of entry, a fixed rupee amount per share, or an ATR multiple for a volatility-based stop.
- Add your quantity and capital if you want the rupee loss and the share of capital it represents.
The trailing stop-loss table below shows where your stop would move as the price runs in your favour, using the same method. Stock Charcha’s stop-loss calculator recalculates every value live as you change an input. Use Copy result to save a summary.
How does the stop-loss calculator work out the three methods?
Each method answers the same question, how far should the stop sit, in a different unit.
Percentage method: Stop-loss = Entry × (1 − percentage), for a buy
Rupee method: Stop-loss = Entry − fixed rupee amount, for a buy
ATR method: Stop-loss = Entry − (ATR × multiple), for a buy
For a short sell, each formula adds the distance instead of subtracting it. ATR, the average true range, measures how much a stock typically moves in a day, so the stop adapts to that stock’s own behaviour instead of a flat number for every stock.
Switch between the three methods on the Stock Charcha stop-loss calculator and watch the stop price, the distance and the capital share all update together, which makes it easier to see the trade-off each method makes.
What does a worked example look like?
Buy at ₹500 with a 2% stop-loss, 100 shares, ₹2,00,000 capital. These figures are illustrative.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Stop-loss distance | ₹10.00 (2.0% of entry) |
| Stop-loss price | ₹490.00 |
| Total loss if hit | ₹1,000 |
| Loss as a share of capital | 0.5% |
The same entry with an ATR of ₹8 and a 1.5 multiple gives a stop at ₹488.00, a slightly wider ₹12 distance. Neither method is wrong on its own, they simply measure risk in different units, and the right choice depends on the stock and your own trading style.
How do the three methods differ on the same stock?
Here is a ₹500 entry under each method, with typical settings.
| Method | Setting | Stop-loss price | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | 2% | ₹490.00 | ₹10.00 |
| Percentage | 5% | ₹475.00 | ₹25.00 |
| ATR | 8 × 1.5 | ₹488.00 | ₹12.00 |
| ATR | 8 × 3 | ₹476.00 | ₹24.00 |
A flat percentage treats every stock the same. An ATR-based stop widens automatically for a stock that moves a lot day to day, so a calm stock and a volatile one are not squeezed into the same distance. A fixed rupee amount is the simplest of the three, but it does not adjust for either the stock’s price or its volatility, so it tends to suit traders who already have a round number in mind.
How does a trailing stop-loss work?
A trailing stop moves up with the price but never moves back down, so it locks in profit as a trade runs in your favour. The table below shows a 5% trail on the ₹500 buy example.
| Price reaches | Trailing stop moves to | Locked-in profit per share |
|---|---|---|
| ₹500.00 | ₹475.00 | None yet |
| ₹520.00 | ₹494.00 | None yet |
| ₹540.00 | ₹513.00 | ₹13.00 |
| ₹560.00 | ₹532.00 | ₹32.00 |
| ₹580.00 | ₹551.00 | ₹51.00 |
| ₹600.00 | ₹570.00 | ₹70.00 |
The stop only starts protecting profit once the price has moved enough to clear the trail distance above the entry. Before that point it still sits below the entry price, which is why the stop-loss calculator shows “none yet” in the early rows.
What does this stop-loss calculator leave out?
It does not include brokerage, STT or other charges, so the real loss is slightly higher than shown. Our brokerage calculator adds those up. It also assumes the stop-loss order fills exactly at that price, which a gap or a halt can break.
ATR needs a value from your charting platform or broker terminal, since this calculator does not fetch live data. This is an educational tool, not a trading system. Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks.
Where should you go after using the stop-loss calculator?
Once you have a stop-loss, size your position with the position size calculator, and check whether the trade is worth taking with the risk-reward ratio calculator. For margin on an intraday trade, see the intraday margin calculator.
The Trading section of the Charcha Knowledge Hub has more. Run the Stock Charcha stop-loss calculator before every trade, so the distance is a choice, not a guess.
Related calculators
Last updated: 3 October 2026. This page uses no rates, slabs or charges, so the maths stays the same until the method changes.
Founder of Stock Charcha. Stock market enthusiast, actively investing since November 2022. About the author
Educational content only. This page is not personalised financial advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell any stock. Please do your own research or speak to a SEBI-registered adviser, and read our disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage stop-loss should I use?
There is no single right number, since it depends on the stock’s typical daily movement. A calm, large-cap stock may suit 2% to 3%, while a volatile small-cap may need more room. An ATR-based stop adjusts for this automatically.
What is ATR and where do I find it?
ATR, the average true range, measures how much a stock typically moves in a day over a recent period, often 14 days. Most charting platforms and broker terminals show it directly on the stock’s chart.
Does a trailing stop-loss guarantee I lock in profit?
It locks in the level, not the exact exit price. A sharp gap down can fill your trailing stop-loss below the level shown, especially around news or at the market open, so treat the locked-in figure as a plan, not a promise.
Is a tighter stop-loss always safer?
Not necessarily. A very tight stop can get hit by normal daily noise even when the overall trade idea is fine, forcing you out before the move happens. The stop needs to sit outside the stock’s typical wobble, which ATR helps measure.
Can I use the stop-loss calculator for short sells?
Yes. Choose Sell (short) as the side, and every method adds the distance above the entry instead of subtracting it below, since a short position loses money when the price rises.