How Much Money Do You Need to Start Copy Trading?

There is no single minimum amount to start copy trading. The real answer depends on three things: what your brokerage account requires, the typical size of the trades in the strategy you want to follow, and how you choose to size your own copies.

Your broker sets the floor

Because copy trading runs through your own brokerage account, your broker’s account minimum is the starting point. Many modern brokers have no minimum to open an account, so technically you can start with very little. The more important question is whether your balance is enough to actually participate in the strategy.

Sizing lets you scale down, within limits

Good copy-trading software uses proportional sizing, so a trader with a large account does not force a large trade into your small one. With RelayTrades you set a sizing multiplier or a maximum position size, and copied orders are scaled to your account before they are placed. That means you can follow a big strategy with a modest balance.

There is a floor, though. If a strategy buys a single share of a high-priced stock, or trades options contracts, there is a minimum dollar amount below which the trade simply cannot be mirrored in your account. Very small accounts may skip those trades. RelayTrades detects what your account can trade and applies your limits, so an order that would not fit is capped or skipped rather than forced.

Do not forget fees

On a small balance, costs matter more. Factor in any subscription cost to follow a paid strategy plus your broker’s commissions, both are a larger percentage of a small account. Starting with a comfortable amount helps fees stay proportionate.

A sensible approach: start with an amount you are genuinely comfortable risking, use conservative sizing, and scale up only once you understand how a strategy behaves in your account. Never trade with money you cannot afford to lose.