📊 Profit & Loss Calculator

Calculate gross profit, net profit, margin percent, and markup from revenue, COGS, and expense inputs.

Trade P&L — Entry, Exit, and Fees

BrainyCalculators editorial insight — unique to this tool

Stock and crypto P&L = (exit − entry) × quantity − fees. A 100-share buy at $45, sell at $52 with $10 round-trip commission nets $690. Indian equity STCG at 15% (if applicable) applies on holdings under 12 months — calculator shows gross P&L; tax is separate.

When to use this calculator

Use for single-trade profit/loss with fees. For portfolio average cost, use Stock Average; for forex pips, use Forex Profit.

Finding how many units to sell before profit starts?

This page reports profit at a given volume. For break-even units, use the Break-even Calculator →

Asset Type

Quantity (shares / units)

Buy Price ($)

Sell Price ($)

Buy Commission ($)

Sell Commission ($)

Capital Gains Tax Rate (%) optional

What is Profit and Loss?

Profit and loss summarizes revenue minus costs to show gross and net profit and margin percentages for a stated sales volume.

Use this page when you know units sold or revenue and want margin outcomes. Break-even finds how many units you need before profit turns positive.

Revenue calculator focuses on top-line sales formulas; P&L subtracts costs for bottom-line profit.

P&L Formula

Buy Total = Qty × Buy Price + Buy Commission

Sell Total = Qty × Sell Price − Sell Commission

Gross P&L = Sell Total − Buy Total

Tax = max(0, Gross P&L) × Tax Rate

Net P&L = Gross P&L − Tax

Break-even = (Buy Total + Sell Commission) ÷ Qty

Example

Buy 100 shares at $50 ($5 commission), sell at $65 ($5 commission), 15% capital gains tax.

Buy Total = 100×$50 + $5 = $5,005

Sell Total = 100×$65 − $5 = $6,495

Gross P&L = $6,495 − $5,005 = $1,490

Tax = $1,490 × 15% = $223.50

Net P&L = $1,266.50 (25.3% ROI)

How the Profit & Loss Calculator Works

Formula, assumptions, and calculation steps for this finance tool.

Methodology

Financial calculators use time-value-of-money, rate conversion, amortization, or return formulas depending on the tool. Inputs are normalized to matching periods before the final result is calculated.

Calculation Steps

Enter the principal amounts, rates, terms, or cash flows requested by the calculator.
Convert annual rates to the correct monthly, daily, or yearly period when needed.
Apply the finance formula for payment, return, yield, or future value.
Show the result with supporting totals such as interest, gain, or balance.

Assumptions and Limits

Rates are assumed constant unless the calculator asks for a schedule.
Taxes, fees, and inflation are included only when fields are provided.
Financial results are estimates for planning, not investment or lending advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is trading profit calculated?

Gross profit = (Sell Price × Qty) − (Buy Price × Qty) − all commissions. After applying capital gains tax, you get your net profit.

What is break-even price?

Break-even is the sell price at which you recover your entire cost (buy price + all commissions). Above break-even you are profitable; below you are at a loss.

How does tax affect returns?

Capital gains tax directly reduces your net return. In the US, short-term gains (held <1 year) are taxed as ordinary income (up to 37%). Long-term gains are taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on income.

Short vs long-term capital gains?

Assets held longer than one year qualify for long-term capital gains rates, which are significantly lower in most countries. Holding for the long term can reduce your tax burden considerably.

Real-World Applications

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Equity Trading P&L Tracking

Track the profit or loss on individual stock positions — calculating gross P&L (price change × shares), net P&L after brokerage commissions (buy + sell commissions), and tax liability on any realised gains to give the true after-tax return on the trade.

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Forex Trade Profit Calculation

Calculate profit on a currency trade in the account currency — converting the pip gain or loss multiplied by lot size and pip value back to the base account currency, then deducting spread cost and swap charges for multi-day positions.

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Property Investment Gain

Calculate net profit from a property sale — subtracting purchase price, stamp duty/transfer tax, renovation costs, legal fees (both purchase and sale), agent commission, and capital gains tax from the sale price to determine actual profit.

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Cryptocurrency Trade Profit

Calculate net P&L on crypto trades — accounting for buy and sell transaction fees, which on decentralised exchanges can be significant (0.3–1%), and calculating capital gains tax liability based on jurisdiction-specific rules for crypto asset disposals.

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Tax Return Reporting

Summarise all realised trading P&L for the tax year — separating short-term gains (held < 12 months, taxed as ordinary income in the US) from long-term gains (held ≥ 12 months, taxed at reduced capital gains rates) for accurate Schedule D reporting.

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Portfolio Performance Attribution

Aggregate trade-level P&L across all positions to calculate portfolio-level return — attributing profit and loss by asset class, sector, or strategy to identify which trading approaches generated alpha and which detracted from performance.

Common Mistakes

Ignoring commissions and transaction costs

Small trades and frequent traders underestimate how significantly commissions erode P&L. A 0.1% commission on both buy and sell amounts to 0.2% round-trip cost — on a trade targeting 1% profit, commissions consume 20% of the expected gain. Always calculate net P&L inclusive of all transaction costs.

Confusing unrealised and realised profit

A position showing a paper gain (unrealised P&L) has not generated any profit until it is closed. Unrealised gains can disappear if the position moves against you before closing. Tax obligations (in most jurisdictions) also arise only on realised gains — the P&L you actually lock in by selling, not the floating gain on an open position.

Not accounting for holding costs on leveraged positions

Leveraged positions (CFDs, margin accounts) typically incur daily overnight financing charges (swap rates). On a multi-week trade, these financing costs can materially reduce net P&L — especially in high-interest-rate environments. The gross price move profit must be reduced by the total financing cost to calculate true net profit.

Calculating return on the full position value instead of capital at risk

On a leveraged trade using 10:1 margin, a 2% price gain on the position is a 20% return on the margin deposited. Reporting the 2% gross return against the full position value understates the actual return on capital deployed — and similarly understates losses when the trade moves against you.

Forgetting tax on profitable trades

Pre-tax P&L significantly overstates take-home profit for large gains. Capital gains tax rates range from 15–20% in the US (long-term), 10–20% in the UK (CGT), to ordinary income rates on short-term gains. Including a realistic tax rate in profit calculations gives a more accurate picture of actual wealth generated by a trade.

Capital Gains Tax Quick Reference (2024)

Jurisdiction	Short-Term Rate	Long-Term Rate
US (Federal)	Ordinary income (10–37%)	0%, 15%, or 20%
UK	10–20% (CGT)	10–20% (same rate)
Canada	50% of gain included in income	50% of gain included
Australia	Marginal income rate	50% discount if held >12 months
Germany	Flat 26.375% (incl. solidarity)	Same flat rate

References

IRS. Publication 550: Investment Income and Expenses. Internal Revenue Service, 2024.
HMRC. Capital Gains Tax — Rates and Allowances. HM Revenue & Customs, 2024.
Elder, A. Come Into My Trading Room. Wiley, 2002.
Schwager, J.D. Market Wizards. Wiley, 1989.
CFA Institute. CFA Program Curriculum — Equity Investments. CFA Institute, 2024.