Crypto Profit Calculator

What Is a Crypto Profit Calculator?

A crypto profit calculator is a tool that computes the profit or loss from a cryptocurrency trade based on three inputs: how much you invested, the price you bought at, and the price you sold at (or plan to sell at). It outputs the net gain or loss in dollar terms, the return on investment (ROI) as a percentage, and the break-even price you'd need to sell at to recover your costs after fees.

Unlike stock trading, where brokerage commissions have largely gone to zero, crypto exchanges still charge trading fees on every transaction. Fees on centralized exchanges typically range from 0.1% (Binance) to 0.6% (Coinbase) per trade. These fees apply on both the buy side and the sell side, meaning a round-trip trade at 0.1% per side costs 0.2% of the total value traded. This calculator accounts for fees on both legs of the trade so you can see the true profit after all costs.

How Profit and Loss Works in Crypto

The basic formula for crypto profit is straightforward:

Profit = (Sell Price - Buy Price) x Coins Held - Total Fees

However, fees make this slightly more nuanced. When you spend $1,000 on an exchange with a 0.1% fee, only $999 actually goes toward purchasing the asset. The exchange keeps $1 as its trading fee. When you later sell, the same fee applies to the gross sale proceeds. This double deduction means you need the price to rise by more than 0% just to break even.

For example, if you invest $10,000 in Bitcoin at $100,000 per coin with a 0.1% fee, you pay a $10 buy fee and receive 0.0999 BTC. If Bitcoin rises to $110,000 and you sell, your gross proceeds are $10,989. After the 0.1% sell fee ($10.99), your net proceeds are $10,978.01: a profit of $978.01 and an ROI of 9.78%. Without accounting for fees, you would have calculated an even $1,000 profit and 10% ROI.

Understanding ROI in Cryptocurrency

Return on Investment (ROI) measures the percentage gain or loss relative to your initial outlay:

ROI = ((Net Proceeds - Total Cost) / Total Cost) x 100

ROI is a useful metric because it normalizes returns across different investment sizes. A $500 profit on a $1,000 investment (50% ROI) is a better result than a $500 profit on a $10,000 investment (5% ROI). When comparing trades, ROI tells you which one used your capital more efficiently.

Keep in mind that ROI does not account for time. A 50% return over three years is very different from 50% in three weeks. For time-adjusted comparisons, traders use annualized return, which converts any holding period to an equivalent yearly rate. This calculator focuses on absolute ROI, which is the more commonly referenced figure.

Break-Even Price Explained

The break-even price is the minimum sell price required to recover your total investment including all fees. If you buy with a fee and sell with a fee, the break-even price is always higher than the buy price.

The formula is:

Break-Even = Total Cost / (Coins Purchased x (1 - Fee Rate))

For a trade with a 0.1% fee on each side, the break-even price is approximately 0.2% above your buy price. At a 0.5% fee per side, it's roughly 1% above your buy price. Knowing this number helps you set realistic take-profit and stop-loss levels. If your break-even price is $50,100 on a $50,000 buy, you know that any exit below $50,100 is a guaranteed loss.

How to Use This Calculator

Enter your values into the four fields above:

1. Investment amount: the total dollar amount you plan to spend (or already spent) on the trade.
2. Buy price: the price per coin at the time of purchase.
3. Sell price: the price per coin at the time of sale, or your target exit price.
4. Trading fee: the exchange fee percentage per trade (defaults to 0.1%). Check your exchange's fee schedule for the exact rate.

Results update instantly as you type. The calculator shows your net profit or loss, ROI percentage, number of coins purchased, sale proceeds after fees, break-even price, and a full fee breakdown. Use it to model different scenarios before placing a trade, or to verify the actual profit from a completed trade.

Exchange Fee Comparison

Fee structures vary significantly across exchanges. Here are typical maker/taker fees for major platforms:

Maker fees apply when you place a limit order that adds liquidity to the order book. Taker fees apply when you place a market order that removes liquidity. Most casual traders pay taker fees because they use market orders for immediate execution. For simplicity, this calculator applies the same fee rate to both the buy and sell side.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate crypto profit?

Subtract your total cost (investment amount plus buy-side fees) from your net sale proceeds (gross proceeds minus sell-side fees). The formula is: Profit = (Coins x Sell Price) x (1 - Fee Rate) - Investment Amount. This calculator does the math automatically when you enter your buy price, sell price, and investment amount.

What is a good ROI for a crypto trade?

There is no universal benchmark. Day traders often target 1-3% per trade, while swing traders may aim for 10-30% over days or weeks. Long-term holders have historically seen 100%+ annual returns in Bitcoin during bull markets, but also 50-80% drawdowns during bear markets. Any positive ROI after fees is a successful trade.

Why is the break-even price higher than my buy price?

Because exchange fees are charged on both the buy and the sell. When you buy, the fee reduces the amount of crypto you receive. When you sell, the fee reduces your proceeds. Combined, these fees mean the asset price must rise by at least the total fee percentage before you reach break-even. At 0.1% per trade, the price needs to rise roughly 0.2% to cover both fees.

Does this calculator include taxes?

No. Tax treatment of cryptocurrency varies by jurisdiction. In the United States, crypto is taxed as property: short-term gains (held under one year) are taxed at your ordinary income rate, while long-term gains (held over one year) are taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your income bracket. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.

How do maker and taker fees affect my profit?

Maker fees are typically lower than taker fees. If you place limit orders instead of market orders, you pay the maker rate on that side of the trade. For example, using a limit buy on Kraken saves 0.10% compared to a market buy (0.16% vs. 0.26%). Over many trades, this difference compounds significantly. This calculator uses a single fee rate for simplicity, so enter the rate that matches your order type.

Can I use this for any cryptocurrency?

Yes. The math works identically for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, or any other token. Enter the buy and sell prices for whatever asset you are trading. The calculator is currency-agnostic: it computes profit based purely on the price difference and fee structure.

What is slippage and does this calculator account for it?

Slippage is the difference between the expected trade price and the actual execution price. It occurs during volatile markets or when trading large amounts relative to available liquidity. This calculator does not account for slippage. For large orders on low-liquidity pairs, actual results may differ from the calculated values. To reduce slippage, use limit orders instead of market orders.

How much do trading fees cost over many trades?

Fees compound across trades. If you make 100 round-trip trades at 0.1% per side, you pay a total of 20% in cumulative fees on the value traded. Active day traders can easily lose a significant portion of their capital to fees alone. This is why fee rates matter more for frequent traders than for long-term holders who only buy and sell once.