# Day Trading Micros – Is It Actually Worth It?
I spent six months trading micros full-time. Made about $47 a day on average. Not $47K. Forty-seven dollars. Before commissions.
So yeah. I have opinions on this.
The Math Nobody Talks About
One micro ES contract moves $1.25 per tick. You catch a clean 10-point move on ES – that’s $50. Sounds fine until you realize ES closed Friday (March 27) at 6412 after swinging from 6389 to 6568. That’s a 179-point range. With micros, even catching a quarter of that move nets you.. $223 on one contract.
Not bad for a single trade. But most days aren’t 179-point range days. And most traders aren’t catching a quarter of the range.
Realistic scenario for someone trading micros? You’re looking at 2-4 trades a day, maybe 5-15 points average winner, giving back some on losers. Net positive days might average $30-80. Before commissions eat another chunk.
I ran my numbers for Q2 last year. 62 trading days. 38 green. Average green day was $67. Average red day was $41. Net for the quarter: $986.
Nine hundred eighty-six dollars. For three months of full-time screen time.
When Micros Trading Actually Makes Sense
Micros aren’t meant to be your income. They’re meant to be your classroom.
If you’re learning [the difference between micro and mini futures](https://propwhisperer.com/micro-vs-mini-futures/) and trying to figure out which setups actually work for you, micros are perfect. You’re paying real tuition with real money but the bill is $50 instead of $500 when you screw up.
That’s the whole point. Learning costs money. Micros make the tuition affordable.
Where it stops making sense is when you’ve been trading micros for a year, you’re consistently profitable, and you’re still scared to size up. That’s not risk management. That’s avoidance.
The Volume Trap
Some traders try to make micros work by taking more trades. “If one contract makes $50 a day, I’ll just take 20 trades instead of 4.”
No. Stop that.
I did exactly this. Went from 3-4 clean setups to 12-15 trades a day trying to juice the P&L. Win rate dropped from 58% to 41%. Commissions tripled. What was a modest green month turned into my worst red month of the year.
More trades on micros doesn’t scale linearly. It scales your mistakes. If you’re [thinking about margin requirements](https://propwhisperer.com/micro-futures-margin-requirements-what-you-actually-need/) and trying to squeeze more contracts in, you’re solving the wrong problem.
The actual answer is boring. Get consistent on micros, then [scale to minis](https://propwhisperer.com/scaling-from-micros-to-minis-on-a-funded-account/). One mini ES contract is 10x the micro. Same trade, same setup, same risk percentage.. ten times the payout.
The Funded Account Shortcut
Real talk – if you’re profitable on micros but can’t afford to size up with your own cash, a funded account is the obvious move. Companies like [Elite Trader Funding](https://elitetraderfunding.com) let you trade with their capital after passing an evaluation. You keep a percentage of profits without putting $25K+ of your own money at risk.
I know traders who spent two years grinding micros on a $5K personal account making pocket change, then passed a funded eval in three weeks and started pulling real income on minis. Same exact strategy. Just bigger contracts.
So Is It Worth It?
Trading micros is worth it the same way sparring with headgear is worth it. You’re not winning any titles in the gym. But you’re getting the reps in without permanent damage.
If you’re new, trade micros. Learn your setups. Track your stats. Figure out what kind of trader you are.
If you’ve been on micros for over a year with consistent green months and you’re still there.. you’re not being careful. You’re being comfortable. And comfortable doesn’t pay rent.
NQ closed Friday at 23,328. That 743-point daily range on minis would’ve been worth $14,860 per contract. On micros? $1,486. Same chart, same levels, same you. Just different zeros.
Pick your classroom. But don’t live in it forever.