LotSizelyThe $700 account example
Target cash risk: $700 × 1% = $7.
Assume the symbol is worth $0.10 per pip at 0.01 lot.
Loss at the stop: 100 pips × $0.10 = $10.
The smallest available volume would risk approximately $10, which is $3 above the $7 target. The raw mathematical volume is 0.007 lot, but a broker accepting only 0.01 steps cannot place it.
Why LotSizely still displays 0.01
The displayed number tells you the platform minimum; the amber warning tells you that the minimum does not satisfy the chosen risk. Showing 0.00 would be misleading because it is not a tradable position, while silently showing 0.01 would hide the excess risk.
$10 − $7 = $3 above target
Ways the inputs can change
A trader can decide not to take the position, use an account or instrument that supports a smaller volume, or reassess the setup. Increasing the percentage risk only to make the minimum lot “fit” changes the risk plan and should not be treated as a calculation fix.
A shorter stop reduces the cash risk of the minimum lot, but moving a stop closer without a market-based reason can increase the chance of ordinary price movement reaching it. The calculator should follow the trading plan, not rewrite it.
Do not round a raw result upward
Suppose a formula returns 0.019 lot and the volume step is 0.01. Rounding to 0.02 increases exposure above the computed target. LotSizely rounds down to 0.01. This may underuse the risk budget, but it avoids exceeding it through rounding.
Some symbols accept 0.01 lot, others may require 0.10, 1.00 or a different unit. Check “Minimal volume” and “Volume step” in the exact symbol's MT5 Specification.
What the warning does not include
The warning estimates price movement to the stop. Spread, commission, slippage, swaps and gaps can increase the final loss. A displayed target of $7 is not a guarantee that execution will close the position at exactly $7.
Primary reference
MetaTrader 5 states that minimum volume and volume increments are limited by the brokerage company. These values are available in the Symbol Specification.