Best Futures to Trade for Beginners

Futures trading keeps drawing more attention as traders look for leveraged, low-cost ways to gain exposure to different markets. But with hundreds of contracts available, from crude oil to equity indexes, it can be hard to know where to start.

Choosing the right futures contract is one of the most important decisions a beginner can make. The best contracts offer low fees, strong liquidity (how easily you can buy or sell without moving the price), and manageable volatility. In this guide, we’ll walk through the best futures to trade for beginners, explain why certain contracts stand out, and show you what actually determines your risk on each one.

Key Takeaways

• Not all futures contracts are ideal for beginners. The best ones combine high liquidity, smaller contract sizes, and manageable volatility, so you can learn the mechanics without taking on outsized risk.
• Margin alone doesn’t tell you your real risk. Tick value does. Two contracts can have similar margin requirements but very different dollar swings per price move, and tick value is what actually drives that swing.
• Micro futures are the standard starting point. Contracts like MES (S&P 500), MGC (Gold), and M6E (Euro FX) let you trade major markets with lower capital and clearer position sizing than their full-size counterparts.
• Contract selection depends on your trading style. Equity index futures tend to offer more consistency, while commodities and currencies can move more if you’re prepared for it.
• Practice and platform access matter as much as contract choice. Starting with a demo account on a beginner-friendly platform like MetroTrader helps you build confidence with real-time data before risking capital.

What Makes a Futures Contract Beginner-Friendly?

Before we look at specific contracts, it helps to know what actually makes a futures product suitable for new traders. Not all contracts are created equal.

Here’s what to look for:

• Liquidity: Highly traded contracts with tight bid-ask spreads are easier to enter and exit. They also reduce slippage, the difference between the price you expect and the price you actually get filled at.
• Smaller contract sizes: Micro futures give you exposure to major markets with lower capital requirements and reduced dollar risk per contract.
• Reasonable volatility: Some price movement is good. Beginners should avoid contracts that swing wildly without a clear plan for managing that movement.
• Low margin requirements: Futures trading involves leverage, which can magnify both gains and losses. Contracts with lower initial margin help you control how much cash is tied up per position.
• Simple fundamentals: Contracts that move with widely reported news, like the S&P 500 or gold, tend to be easier for beginners to follow and understand.

When you’re starting out, your focus should be on learning how the market works, not chasing the biggest possible move. That’s why micro futures and well-known products are usually the best entry points.

Best Futures Contracts for Beginners

Here’s a closer look at some of the most commonly recommended contracts for new futures traders. These are popular, liquid, and offer a reasonable balance of opportunity and risk.

Intraday margins below are approximate and change with market volatility. Always confirm current figures on MetroTrade’s margins page before trading.

1. Micro E-mini S&P 500 (MES)

• Exchange: CME
• Contract Size: $5 x S&P 500 Index
• Tick Value: $1.25
• Approximate Intraday Margin: ~$50

MES is one of the most beginner-friendly futures contracts available. It tracks the S&P 500 index, which represents the 500 largest U.S. companies. Because it’s tied to such a broad market, it tends to be less volatile than individual stocks or niche commodities.

MES trades nearly 24 hours a day and has deep liquidity. Orders are typically filled quickly, and you can enter and exit positions without large price gaps. It’s also a solid contract for practicing technical setups before scaling into larger positions.

2. Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 (MNQ)

• Contract Size: $2 x Nasdaq-100 Index
• Tick Value: $0.50
• Approximate Intraday Margin: ~$100
• Best For: Traders who want more movement to work with

MNQ tracks the Nasdaq-100, which includes large technology names. It tends to move more than the S&P 500, which can make it appealing for short-term traders looking for bigger intraday ranges.

Because of its popularity, MNQ is heavily traded and liquid. But its larger price swings mean risk management, defined stop-losses and a clear plan before entry, matters even more here than with MES.

3. Micro Crude Oil (MCL)

• Contract Size: 100 barrels
• Tick Value: $1.00
• Approximate Intraday Margin: ~$100
• Volatility: Higher than the index contracts above, driven by global events, inventory data, and OPEC decisions

Crude oil is one of the most actively traded commodities in the world, and MCL gives traders access to the energy markets at a reduced size. Oil prices react to widely reported news, like inventory reports or geopolitical headlines, which can make the contract easier to follow from a fundamentals standpoint.

That said, MCL is better suited to traders who are comfortable with faster, less predictable price action than a true first contract. Energy markets can gap and whipsaw around news in ways that equity index futures typically don’t. If you’re choosing your very first contract, MES or MGC are usually the steadier starting points, with MCL as a next step once you’ve built some experience managing volatility.

4. Micro Gold (MGC)

• Contract Size: 10 troy ounces
• Tick Value: $1.00
• Approximate Intraday Margin: ~$300
• Why It’s Good for Beginners: Globally recognized asset with strong liquidity

Gold is often seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning it tends to attract buying interest when inflation rises or during periods of economic uncertainty. MGC gives traders exposure to metal futures without the higher cost of a full-size gold contract.

It trades actively and reacts to macroeconomic factors like interest rate decisions and inflation reports, which gives beginners a relatively clear narrative to follow.

5. 1-Ounce Gold Futures (1OZ)

• Contract Size: 1 troy ounce
• Tick Value: $0.25
• Approximate Intraday Margin: ~$30
• Why It’s Beginner-Friendly: Smallest gold contract available, with very low capital requirements

The 1-Ounce Gold futures contract (ticker: 1OZ) is one of the newest and most accessible ways to trade gold on the CME. At one-tenth the size of Micro Gold and one-hundredth the size of standard Gold, it offers simple, direct exposure to gold prices with a very small tick value.

It’s a good fit for traders who want to follow gold’s price action without committing to a larger position size. Like MGC, it responds to inflation reports, central bank decisions, and broader economic sentiment.

6. Micro EUR/USD Futures (M6E)

• Contract Size: 12,500 EUR
• Tick Value: $1.25
• Approximate Intraday Margin: ~$50
• Market Hours: 24/5, with the most movement during European and U.S. trading hours

Currency futures like M6E let traders take positions on exchange rates. EUR/USD is the most liquid currency pair in the world, making this a reasonable contract for beginners who want to explore currency trading through a regulated, centrally cleared futures market.

It tends to suit news-driven traders who want to trade around central bank decisions or major economic data releases.

7. Micro Corn (MZC) and Micro Soybeans (MZS)

• Contract Size: 500 bushels
• Tick Value: ~$2.50 each
• Approximate Intraday Margin: MZC ~$50, MZS ~$100
• Why They’re Good: Seasonal patterns and USDA reports make fundamentals easier to follow

Agricultural futures are often overlooked by beginners, but they offer clean trends tied to supply, weather, and demand. Micro Corn and Micro Soybeans are especially active around USDA report releases and planting and harvest seasons, which gives traders a recognizable calendar of events to watch.

Tick Size and Tick Value: The Number Beginners Often Skip

You’ll notice every contract above lists a tick value alongside its margin. That’s not a minor detail. It’s arguably more important than margin when it comes to understanding your actual risk.

Margin tells you how much capital you need to open a position. It does not tell you how much you stand to gain or lose as the price moves. That’s where tick size and tick value come in.

Tick size is the smallest price increment a contract can move. Tick value is the dollar amount that increment is worth on one contract. Two contracts can have a similar margin requirement and still carry very different risk per trade if their tick values are far apart.

For example, MES and MNQ have similar intraday margins, but MNQ’s tick value is smaller per tick while its price tends to move more per minute. Knowing both numbers, not just margin, is what lets you size a position correctly.

Tick Value Comparison

For a deeper walkthrough of how this math works, see Futures Tick Value Explained for Beginner Traders.

Comparing the Contracts at a Glance

A Simple Way to Size Your First Position

Once you know a contract’s tick value, you can plan your risk before you ever place a trade. Instead of relying on a fixed percentage rule, it’s more practical to start with a dollar amount you’re comfortable risking per trade, based on your account size.

Here’s an example using MES:

Say you’re trading a $2,000 account and decide you’re comfortable risking $40 on a single trade. MES has a tick value of $1.25. A stop-loss placed 32 ticks away from your entry would risk approximately $40 (32 x $1.25 = $40) on one contract.

If that same stop distance were placed on MNQ instead, at a tick value of $0.50, the dollar risk would be lower for the same number of ticks, which is one reason some beginners start there when they want a bit more room to be wrong.

The point isn’t to memorize this math for every contract. It’s to build the habit of converting “how many ticks away is my stop” into “how many dollars am I risking” before you enter, not after.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Your First Contract

When selecting your first product, keep these in mind:

• Trading hours: Choose a contract that’s active during the hours you can actually watch it. Equity index futures see their busiest activity during the U.S. trading session.
• News sensitivity: Contracts that react to widely reported news and economic data tend to be easier for beginners to follow and understand.
• Margin and capital: Use micro contracts to start small while you learn how margin and leverage work together.
• Platform access and costs: Platforms like MetroTrader offer direct access to CME micro futures with low commissions and transparent margin data.

If you’re unsure where to begin, MES and MGC tend to be the most well-known and easiest to learn from, given their liquidity and relatively steady behavior compared to contracts like MCL or MNQ.

How to Get Started Trading Futures

Ready to start? Here’s a straightforward path:

1. Open an account with a regulated broker. Look for a futures broker that offers direct CME access, transparent costs, and responsive customer support.
2. Start with a free demo account. MetroTrader offers a 30-day simulated trading account, so you can test the platform before risking capital.
3. Understand margin and leverage. Know the difference between intraday and overnight margin, and always use stop-losses to define your risk ahead of time.
4. Choose a beginner-friendly contract. Start with MES, MGC, or another liquid micro contract before branching into higher-volatility markets like MCL or MNQ.

Trading futures doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right tools and a clear plan, you can build your skills at your own pace.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

Even the most beginner-friendly contracts can lead to trouble if approached the wrong way. Watch out for these common errors:

• Jumping into volatile markets without preparation. Contracts like MCL or MNQ can move quickly, and sizing them the same way you’d size MES is a common way to take on more risk than intended.
• Sizing off margin instead of tick value. Margin tells you what you can open. Tick value tells you what you stand to lose. Skipping the second number is one of the most common beginner mistakes.
• Ignoring margin and overleveraging positions. Just because you can afford the margin for several contracts doesn’t mean that position size matches your risk tolerance.
• Trading illiquid contracts with poor fills. Stick to contracts with consistent daily volume, especially early on.
• Trading during low-volume periods, like Sunday evenings or major holidays, when spreads widen and price action can behave unpredictably.

A smart beginner keeps things simple, starts small, and focuses on consistency over any single trade.

Conclusion

There’s no single “best” futures contract for everyone, but some clearly stand out for new traders. Contracts like MES, MGC, and 1OZ offer manageable risk, strong liquidity, and a reasonable learning curve, while MNQ, MCL, and M6E offer more movement for traders ready to take on additional volatility.

The key is matching a contract to your risk tolerance, available trading hours, and the markets you’re most interested in following. Margin tells you what a position costs to open. Tick value tells you what it actually risks. Knowing both is what separates a beginner who sizes trades intentionally from one who’s just guessing.

MetroTrade makes it straightforward to get started, with a free simulated trading account and live access to CME contracts like MES, MGC, MCL, and more. Open your account today and take the first step toward trading futures.

Frequently Asked Questions

The content provided is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered trading, investment, tax, or legal advice. Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for every investor. Past performance is not indicative of future results. You should carefully consider whether trading is appropriate for your financial situation. Always consult with a licensed financial professional before making any trading decisions. MetroTrade is not liable for any losses or damages arising from the use of this content.