Stock Profit Calculator
Calculate the profit, loss, return percentage, and net proceeds of a stock trade after brokerage and fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is stock profit calculated?
Profit = (sell price − buy price) × shares, minus any fees. Return % divides that profit by your total invested amount.
Does it include taxes?
No. The estimate excludes capital gains tax, which depends on your country and holding period. Use a capital gains calculator for that.
Why include fees?
Brokerage and commissions apply to both the buy and sell legs and reduce your real net profit, especially on small trades.
Understanding the Stock Profit Calculator
A stock profit calculator shows the gross and net result of a trade after accounting for buy and sell prices, share count, and trading costs. Enter your entry price, exit price, number of shares, and any brokerage or fees to see total profit or loss, return percentage, and the net amount after costs. It is for traders and investors checking the real outcome of a position before or after closing it. Figures are educational estimates and exclude taxes unless you enter them; calculations run privately in your browser.
How it works
The tool multiplies your buy and sell prices by the number of shares to get the total cost and total proceeds. Gross profit is proceeds minus cost. It then subtracts trading fees, commissions, or charges on both legs to give net profit, the figure that actually lands in your account. Return percentage divides profit by the amount invested, so you can compare trades of different sizes on equal footing. A negative result is a loss. Because fees apply to small trades proportionally more, the net return on a tiny position can be noticeably lower than the headline gross gain.
Worked example
You buy 50 shares at 200 and sell at 230, paying 20 in total fees. Cost = 50×200 = 10,000; proceeds = 50×230 = 11,500. Gross profit = 1,500. After 20 in fees, net profit = 1,480. Return = 1,480 / 10,000 × 100 = 14.8%. Had the stock instead fallen to 190, you would have a gross loss of 500 and a net loss of 520 once fees are included.
Tips & common mistakes
- Always include fees and commissions on both the buy and the sell; they cut into every trade.
- Capital gains tax can reduce your take-home profit; this estimate excludes it unless you add it.
- Return percentage, not raw profit, is the fair way to compare trades of different sizes.
- Short holding periods are often taxed at higher rates than long-term holdings in many countries.
- A profitable single trade is not a strategy; track results across many trades, not just winners.
Sources & methodology
- • U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Investor.gov — Trading basics and costs (https://www.investor.gov)
- • Investopedia — How to Calculate Profit and Loss on a Stock (https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/plstatement.asp)
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Reviewed by the TopOpenTools editorial team · Last updated June 2026. These tools provide general estimates for educational purposes only and are not financial, tax, insurance, investment, or medical advice. Verify important decisions with a qualified professional.