A valve for metering a fluid is described, which is used, in particular, as a fuel injector for internal combustion engines, including an electromagnetic actuator and a valve needle actuatable by the actuator, an armature of the actuator being guided on valve needle, a stop element which limits a movement of the armature relative to the valve needle being situated on the valve needle, and the armature including a spring receptacle which is open toward the stop element and in which a spring supported on the stop element is inserted. The valve needle is guided via the armature and/or the stop element along a longitudinal axis of a housing. Furthermore, as viewed along the longitudinal axis, a length of the spring receptacle is smaller than a spring length of the spring in the non-actuated initial state.