What the calculator shows
The headline number is the net profit or loss: the price move times your size, minus all fees. Two returns sit next to it, because they answer different questions. Return on position is profit divided by the full value of what you bought. Return on margin is profit divided by the money you actually put up, which is larger when you use leverage.
The break-even price is the exit price at which the trade makes exactly zero after fees. On a long it sits above your entry, on a short it sits below. If your target is closer than the break-even price, the trade loses money even when it goes your way.
Longs and shorts
A long trade profits when the exit is above the entry. A short trade profits when the exit is below the entry. Choose the side and the calculator does the rest, including which direction the break-even price moves.
Leverage
Leverage does not change the profit in dollars. It changes how much of your own money is tied up, so the percentage return on margin grows and shrinks with it. A 5% price move on 10× leverage is a 50% move on your margin, in either direction.
The formulas
net P&L = gross P&L − fees
position value = entry × size
margin used = position value ÷ leverage
return on margin = net P&L ÷ margin used
break-even (long) = entry + fees ÷ sizeFor a short, direction is −1 and break-even is entry − fees ÷ size.
Worked examples
A winning stock trade
Buy 50 shares at $100 and sell at $110, with $10 of fees, no leverage. Gross profit is 50 × $10 = $500, net profit after fees is $490. The position was worth $5,000, so the return is 9.80%.
The same trade with 5× leverage
The profit is unchanged at $490, but you only put up $1,000 of margin. The return on your own money becomes 49%. A move against you would be magnified by the same factor.
A short that works
Short 10 units at $100 and cover at $90, with $5 of fees. Gross profit is $100, net is $95. The break-even price is $99.50, just below your entry.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate profit on a trade?
Subtract your entry price from your exit price, multiply by the size, and flip the sign for a short. Then subtract fees. The calculator does this and also shows the percentage returns.
What is the break-even price?
The exit price where profit equals fees, so net profit is zero. For a long it is entry plus fees divided by size.
How is return on margin different from return on position?
Return on position divides profit by the full position value. Return on margin divides it by the money you put up, which is smaller when you use leverage, so the percentage is bigger.
Does leverage change my profit?
Not in dollars. It reduces the margin you must put up, so the percentage return on that margin is larger, and so is the percentage loss if the trade goes wrong.
Which fees should I include?
Everything you pay for the trade: commissions, spread, overnight or funding costs. Enter the total for the whole trade.
Can I use it for crypto and forex?
Yes for any asset priced per unit. For forex in lots, convert your lot size to units first (1 standard lot is 100,000 units) or use the pip value calculator.
Better entries make the math easier.
A trade's profit starts with where you get in. These indicators help you find entries with room to run.
Guides that explain it
Last updated October 2026. For education only. Not financial advice. Results depend on your inputs and cannot predict future performance.