How to calculate trade profit
Your trade profit is simply what you sold for minus what you paid, scaled by how many shares or units you held. For a long position the formula is:
Net profit = (exit price − entry price) × quantity − fees
For a short position the sign flips — you profit when the price falls — so it becomes (entry − exit) × quantity − fees. Your percentage return is net profit divided by your total cost basis (entry × quantity), which tells you how hard your capital actually worked.
Worked example
You buy 100 shares at $10 and sell at $12,
paying $15 in commissions.
Cost = 100 × $10 = $1,000. Proceeds = 100 × $12 = $1,200.
Gross profit = $200. Net after fees = $185.
Return = $185 / $1,000 = 18.5%.
Why include fees?
Most quick profit calculators ignore commissions and exchange fees, which quietly overstates your results. On small or frequent trades, fees can turn a "winner" into a net loss. This calculator subtracts your round-trip cost so the number you see is the number that lands in your account.
Profit and percentage return by exit price
Here is the same long position — 100 shares bought at $100, no fees — exited at a range of prices, so you can see how the move maps to dollars and percentage return:
| Exit price | Gross P&L | Return on cost |
|---|---|---|
| $90 | −$1,000 | −10% |
| $100 | $0 | 0% |
| $105 | +$500 | +5% |
| $120 | +$2,000 | +20% |
Add fees and every row shifts down by your round-trip cost — the same per-unit impact the break-even calculator reports. To plan a trade before you take it, the target price calculator finds the exit you need for a chosen profit, the position size calculator sets how many shares to buy, and the risk/reward calculator weighs the upside against your stop.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you calculate trade profit?
- Trade profit is the difference between your exit and entry value. For a long position: (exit price − entry price) × quantity. Subtract any fees and commissions to get your net profit. Your percentage return is net profit divided by your total cost basis.
- How is profit calculated on a short position?
- On a short, you profit when the price falls. Profit = (entry price − exit price) × quantity, minus fees. Use the Long / Short toggle and the calculator handles the sign for you.
- Does this calculator include broker fees and commissions?
- Yes. Open the "Fees & commissions" section and enter your total round-trip cost. Net P&L and percentage return both update to reflect it, so the numbers match what actually hits your account.
- Can I use it for crypto and futures?
- Yes. Crypto supports fractional quantities and small decimal prices. For futures, set the contract multiplier (for example 50 for the E-mini S&P 500) so dollar P&L is correct. Forex is coming soon.
- What is the difference between gross and net profit?
- Gross profit is the raw price move times your quantity, before any costs. Net profit subtracts your round-trip fees and commissions. The percentage return is always based on net profit over your cost basis, so it reflects what actually reaches your account rather than the headline move.
- How do I calculate profit across several buys at different prices?
- First work out your blended average cost with the average down calculator, then use that figure as the entry price here. The profit calculator then gives the net P&L and percentage return for the whole position, not just one lot.