Tools · Calculator · Beginner

Crypto profit calculator (with fees)

A price that rises 10% does not give you a 10% gain. Fees on the way in and out take a cut; this tool shows how much.

By Protocol Insights editorial teamChecked against 4 sources3 min read

Gold-coloured Bitcoin tokens beside a calculator showing the word TAX and dollar bills — Photo: “Crypto Currency Tax (Bitcoin and Calculator)” by edwinchuen, CC BY 2.0, via commons.wikimedia.org. Converted to black and white.

On this page

How do you use the crypto profit calculator?
How is it calculated?
Worked example: why is a 10% price rise only an 8.68% gain?
How do fees and the sell price change the result?
What does this calculator not tell you?
What mistakes do people make when calculating crypto profit?
Questions readers ask
Sources

The short version

Profit after fees = cash back after the sell fee − money you put in.
With the defaults, a move from $50,000 to $55,000 with 0.6% fees each way returns $86.84, not $100.
Break-even is the buy price divided by (1 − buy fee) × (1 − sell fee): $50,605.44 in the default example.
The prices are ones you type in; the result is arithmetic, not a forecast, and ignores spreads, network fees and tax.

Real profit is the cash you get back after both trading fees, minus what you put in. With the defaults — $1,000 in at $50,000, out at $55,000, 0.6% fee each way — the result is $86.84, not $100, and break-even is $50,605.44.

Calculator — Profit after fees

Profit / loss

$86.84

Return on money in

8.68%

Break-even sell price

$50,605.44

Units bought (after fee)

0.01988

Cash back after sell fee

$1,086.84

Showing the worked example below. Change any number and press Calculate.

How do you use the crypto profit calculator?

Money in ($). The total you spend, including the buy fee.
Buy price per unit. The price of one coin when you buy.
Sell price per unit. A price you want to test. The site shows no live prices; any figure is your assumption.
Buy fee and sell fee (%). The percentage your platform charges on each trade.

The results show profit or loss, return on the money you put in, the break-even sell price, how many units you bought after the fee, and the cash you get back after the sell fee.

How is it calculated?

With money in I, buy price B, sell price S, buy fee f_b and sell fee f_s (as decimals):

Units = I × (1 − f_b) ÷ B — the fee comes off before you buy.
Cash back = Units × S × (1 − f_s) — the fee comes off the sale.
Profit = Cash back − I and Return = Profit ÷ I.
Break-even price = B ÷ ((1 − f_b) × (1 − f_s)) — the sell price at which cash back equals money in.

Stacks of coins beside a falling line chart — Photo: “Graph With Stacks Of Coins” by kenteegardin, CC BY-SA 2.0, via flickr.com. Converted to black and white.

Worked example: why is a 10% price rise only an 8.68% gain?

Without fees the same move would return $100.00. The $13.16 gap is the two fees ($6.00 + $6.56) plus the growth you missed on the $6.00 that never got invested.

How do fees and the sell price change the result?

Each row changes one input from the defaults ($1,000 in, buy $50,000, sell $55,000, 0.6% fees).

Scenario	Profit / loss	Return
Sell at $45,000	−$110.77	−11.08%
Sell at $50,000 (price unchanged)	−$11.96	−1.20%
Sell at $55,000 (defaults)	$86.84	8.68%
Sell at $60,000	$185.64	18.56%
Fees 0% each way	$100.00	10.00%
Fees 0.1% each way	$97.80	9.78%
Fees 1.5% each way	$67.25	6.72%

Fees cut both ways: they shrink gains and deepen losses. Selling at the price you paid still loses $11.96.

What does this calculator not tell you?

Spreads. The SEC notes that the gap between buying and selling prices is a cost on top of any commission, and that dealers advertising no commission may build their charge into a wider spread. See bid-ask spread.
Price slippage. A market order fills at the current market price, which Investor.gov warns may differ from the price you saw. On decentralised exchanges this is called slippage.
Network and withdrawal fees. Fixed charges for moving coins are not included.
Tax. In the US, the IRS treats digital assets as property. Its FAQ says your basis includes fees paid to acquire them, and holding for one year or less makes a gain short-term. See how crypto is taxed.

What mistakes do people make when calculating crypto profit?

Using the price change as the return. A 10% move gave 8.68% here.
Forgetting the sell fee. It applies to the larger, post-gain amount.
Counting a gain before selling. Until you sell, the figure is unrealised and can disappear.

Questions readers ask

Why do I lose money if the price does not move?

Because you paid two fees. With 0.6% each way, buying and selling at $50,000 returns $988.04 on $1,000 — a $11.96 loss.

How do I use this if my platform charges a flat fee?

Convert it to a percentage of the trade. A $5 fee on a $1,000 purchase is 0.5%.

Is my profit taxable?

In many countries, yes. In the US the IRS treats a sale of crypto as a disposal of property, and the fee you paid to buy is part of your basis. Rules differ elsewhere; see crypto tax basics.

Can I use it for stocks or ETFs?

Yes. The arithmetic is the same for any asset bought and sold with percentage fees.

Bottom line

Fees turn a headline price move into a smaller real result, and they make break-even sit above your buy price. Use the calculator to see that gap before you trade, and remember that the sell price is only a scenario you chose.

Sources

Internal Revenue Service, Frequently asked questions on virtual currency transactions (2026)Primary source
Internal Revenue Service, Digital assets (2026)Primary source
US Securities and Exchange Commission, Investor Bulletin: Foreign Currency Exchange (Forex) Trading for Individual Investors (2011)Primary source
Investor.gov, US Securities and Exchange Commission, Market order (glossary) (2026)Primary source

Educational content only — not financial, investment, legal or tax advice. Crypto-assets are high-risk and you could lose all the money you put in. Rules differ by country; check with your national regulator. See our risk disclosure and editorial policy.