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TRADING INCOME

Trading Salary Calculator

Calculate the capital you need to replace your salary through trading. Get a reality-checked breakdown across conservative, moderate, and optimistic return scenarios.

Calculate the capital you need to replace your salary through trading. Get a reality-checked breakdown across conservative, moderate, and optimistic return scenarios.

  • Get an instant result with the exact inputs that matter for this metric.
  • Compare scenarios quickly (best case vs worst case) before taking action.
  • Understand what the output means and how traders/investors use it in practice.
  • Use it for planning and education — no login required.

Trading Salary Calculator

Find the minimum trading capital required to replace your income. This is a planning tool — not a guarantee. Most professional traders target 2–5% monthly return on capital.

Pro traders: 2–5% is excellent

Capital Required to Earn ₹1,50,000/month

₹50,00,000

at 3.00% monthly return (36.00% annualised)

Capital to Match Salary

₹33,33,333

To earn ₹1,00,000/month

Capital to Cover Expenses

₹20,00,000

Bare minimum to sustain

Strategy Expectancy

0.650R

Min win rate: 33.33%

Capital Required by Return Scenario

ScenarioMonthly ReturnCapital for TargetAnnual Return
Conservative (1.5%/mo)1.50%₹1,00,00,00018.00%
Moderate (3%/mo)3.00%₹50,00,00036.00%
Optimistic (5%/mo)5.00%₹30,00,00060.00%
Exceptional (8%/mo)8.00%₹18,75,00096.00%

Reality Check: Only ~1% of retail traders consistently earn 3.00%/month on capital. Professional hedge funds target 15–25% annually. Before leaving a job, ensure 24 months of expenses are secured, strategy is profitable across 200+ trades, and capital is not borrowed.

DETAILS

About this Trading Salary Calculator

This section explains what the calculator does, what goes into the result, and how to interpret the output so you can apply it confidently.

What this tool does

Purpose

This calculator turns a few key inputs into a clear output you can act on — a number that traders and investors commonly use for planning and decision-making.

Use it to compare scenarios quickly and to understand the trade-offs behind the final result.

When it is helpful

  • To sanity-check assumptions before committing money.
  • To compare two or more scenarios side-by-side (conservative vs aggressive).
  • To convert a “feel” into a number you can plan around.
  • To learn what the metric means and how it is used in practice.

How to read the result

Interpretation

Treat the output as a planning number. Small changes in inputs (time, rate, price, quantity, risk, or cashflows) can change the outcome meaningfully — so keep assumptions realistic.

If the tool returns multiple outputs, focus on the ones that drive decisions (e.g., net result, breakeven, or risk-adjusted value), not just the biggest number.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Using overly optimistic return assumptions.
  • Ignoring fees/taxes where they matter.
  • Optimizing precision instead of making a better decision.
  • Treating the result as a prediction instead of a plan.

Example calculations and results

Example 1 (3% monthly target)

Target ₹1,50,000/mo, Expected return 3%/mo, Win rate 55%, Avg R:R 2

Capital needed for target₹50.00 L
Capital to match salary (₹1,00,000/mo)₹33.33 L
Capital to cover expenses (₹60,000/mo)₹20.00 L
Expectancy0.650R
Breakeven win rate33.33%

Graphical view

Expenses capital
₹20.00 L
Salary capital
₹33.33 L
Target capital
₹50.00 L

Example 2 (lower monthly return assumption)

Target ₹1,00,000/mo, Expected return 2%/mo, Win rate 45%, Avg R:R 1.5

Capital needed for target₹50.00 L
Expectancy0.125R
Breakeven win rate40.00%

Graphical view

Capital needed
₹50.00 L

Small changes in monthly return assumptions massively change required capital (because it’s a division).

HOW IT WORKS

Simple steps to get your result

1

Enter Your Income Target

Input your current salary and the monthly income you want to earn from trading.

2

Set Expected Return

Enter the realistic monthly return % you consistently achieve on trading capital.

3

Get Capital Requirement

See the capital needed across 4 scenarios, strategy expectancy, and a reality check.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What monthly return should I expect as a trader?+

Honest benchmarks: 1–2%/month is achieved by top retail traders. 3–5%/month is professional-level. Anything above 5%/month consistently is exceptional and extremely rare. Most retail traders lose money overall.

When should I consider trading full-time?+

Only when: (1) you have 24 months of expenses saved outside trading capital, (2) your strategy shows profitability across 200+ trades over 12+ months, (3) you have replaced at least 50% of your salary through trading income consistently.

What is strategy expectancy?+

Expectancy = (Win Rate × Average Win) − (Loss Rate × Average Loss). Positive expectancy means your strategy is profitable over many trades. Even a 40% win rate can be profitable with 3:1 R:R — expectancy would be 0.6R per trade.

Should I trade borrowed capital?+

Never trade with borrowed money, loans, or capital you cannot afford to lose. Trading capital must be genuine risk capital — money whose loss would not impact your lifestyle or obligations.

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