Tradovate Intraday Margins by Contract Type

Margin is the cash your broker parks against an open futures position. The smaller that number, the more contracts your account can carry, which is exactly why day traders pay attention to it. Tradovate runs two margin figures on every contract: a reduced day (intraday) margin while the session is open, and a higher initial margin near the close and for anything you hold overnight. Here's how those break down by contract type, and how to pull the exact number for the symbol you actually trade.

Day Margin vs Initial Margin

Two numbers, two situations.

• Day (intraday) margin is the reduced amount required while you trade inside the session. It's what gives micros and smalls their appeal, you can scale in and out without tying up much capital.
• Initial margin is the full requirement. It applies around the daily close and to any position you carry overnight.

Reduced day margins run roughly 6:00 PM ET to 4:45 PM ET. From 4:45 PM to 5:00 PM ET, and any time you're holding into the close, the account is held to the higher initial margin instead. Plan for that jump if you swing past the session. Getting caught short of initial margin at the close is a fast way to have a position closed on you automatically.

Intraday Margins by Contract Type

These are the starting day-trading margins Tradovate advertises. Treat them as a floor, the exact figure depends on the specific contract and can move (more on that below).

So a standard E-mini S&P (ES) needs around $500 to day-trade one contract, while its micro cousin (MES) needs roughly $50. The micro is one-tenth the size, and the margin scales down with it, same trade idea, a tenth of the capital tied up per contract. When you're weighing which size to trade, margin is only half the math; pair it with the commission difference between micros and minis to see the real cost per trade.

How to Check the Exact Day Margin for Any Contract

Advertised numbers are a starting point. The live figure for your contract sits in Tradovate's margins list, which shows a Day column and an Initial column side by side for every symbol.

Prop-Firm Accounts Work Differently

If you're trading a funded or evaluation account through a prop firm, these broker margins aren't the whole story. Your firm layers its own margin, max-position, and risk rules on top of the platform, and those vary by firm and account size. Check your firm's current rules before you size a trade, because the number in the margins table may not be the limit that actually stops you out.

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