Profit / Loss Calculator [Free Tool]
Estimate your exact profit or loss on a trade before you place it, costs included. See the outcome at your target and at your stop, so there are no surprises later.
Disclaimer: Trading financial instruments involves risk, and everything on this page is provided for educational purposes only. Nothing here is financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any instrument.
Net Profit / Loss (USD)
+$1000.00
ROI 90909.09%
Pips
100.0
How is this calculated?
Gross P&L = Price Difference × Lot Size × Contract Size
Pips = Price Difference ÷ Pip Size
Net P&L = Gross P&L − Trading Fee; ROI = Net P&L ÷ Position Value
Read the full user guide
Every parameter, formula, and worked example — a complete reference for this tool.
How is trading profit and loss calculated?
Profit and loss (P&L) is the difference between what you paid to enter and exit a trade, adjusted for position size and for every cost in between. Calculating it before you trade shows the exact outcome if the market reaches your target or your stop — before you commit any capital. The calculator handles the three main market conventions for you: pips and lots for forex, shares for US stocks, and coins for crypto, returning both the gross result and the net result after costs.
Key concepts
Gross P&L
The price change multiplied by position size, before costs.
Net P&L
Gross P&L minus commission, fees and slippage.
Market conventions
Forex uses pips and lots, stocks use shares, crypto uses coins.
A worked example with real numbers
- 1
Enter the trade
You buy 200 shares at $25 and sell at $28, long. Gross P&L is ($28 − $25) × 200 = $600.
- 2
Subtract the costs
Commission and slippage total $12, so net P&L is $588.
- 3
Read both figures
The gross $600 is the raw move; the net $588 is what you actually keep — the honest number.
- 4
Check the short route
If you had shorted from $28 to $25, the formula flips: ($28 − $25) × 200 = $600 as well, because a short profits as price falls.
How to use it
Choose the market
Forex, US stocks or crypto changes the unit and formula.
Enter entry, exit and size
The prices and the quantity traded.
Read the result
The calculator returns gross and net profit or loss.
The formula, step by step
P&L
P&L = (Exit − Entry) × Size (long) or (Entry − Exit) × Size (short)
Deduct costs for net result.
Mistakes traders make
✗ Quoting gross P&L as if it were the bottom line
✓Costs are real. The net figure is what reaches your account; the gross number only flatters the result.
✗ Forgetting the formula flips for shorts
✓Longs earn entry-to-exit; shorts earn the same distance in reverse. Mixing them up reverses the sign.
✗ Ignoring overnight and funding costs on held positions
✓Swaps and financing are separate lines that belong in the net result when a position is held across rollover.
When this tool fits — and when it does not
Use it when
- ✓Before a trade, to see exactly what the target and stop are worth in dollars.
- ✓After a trade, to reconcile what the platform reports.
- ✓When converting pips, shares, or coins into account currency.
Skip it when
- ✗Using gross numbers for journaling and performance tracking.
- ✗Comparing P&L across markets without matching units.
- ✗Treating P&L as the final word while forgetting fees and financing.
Practical tips that actually help
Always compute net, never just gross
Make net P&L the habit. It keeps your records honest and reveals whether costs are eating the edge.
Check the math in the account currency
Forex P&L first appears in the quote currency; convert to your account currency so the money figure is unambiguous.
Fold overnight costs into held trades
For multi-day positions, add swaps or funding so the net result reflects everything, not just the price move.
Related & next steps
Frequently asked questions
Gross vs net P&L — why does it matter?▾
Costs like commissions and slippage are real. Ignoring them overstates results, which is why net P&L is the honest number.
Does P&L include overnight fees?▾
Swaps or financing beyond the scope of a basic P&L check are separate; add them when relevant to your market.
How does the formula differ for a short trade?▾
For a long you earn as price rises, so P&L is the exit minus the entry. For a short the order is reversed: you profit as price falls, so the formula flips to entry minus exit, multiplied by size.
Why do forex P&L results quote pips instead of money?▾
Pips are a universal measure of price movement that works across currencies, but your account is funded in one currency. The calculator converts the pip move into your account currency so the money result is unambiguous.
What is the difference between realized and unrealized P&L?▾
Realized P&L is locked in when you close the trade. Unrealized P&L is the floating gain or loss on an open position, which changes with price until you actually exit.
Should I calculate P&L before entering a trade?▾
Yes, and it is the whole point of the tool. Running the numbers first shows exactly what the trade yields at your target and costs at your stop, which makes it far easier to decide whether the trade is worth taking.
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The formulas are standard market math. Actual results depend on your broker's pricing, spreads and fees.
Disclaimer: The tools and content on this site are provided for educational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. Trading and investing involve a substantial risk of loss, and past performance does not guarantee future results.