Crypto profit calculator
This crypto profit calculator works out the net result of buying a coin and selling it later. Most quick sums forget that you pay a trading fee twice. The calculator applies your fee percentage once when you buy and again when you sell.
The formula
Proceeds = coins × sell price × (1 − fee)
Profit or loss = proceeds − amount invested
Break-even sell price = buy price ÷ (1 − fee)²
Worked example
Illustrative numbers only, not a forecast. You invest $2,500 in bitcoin at $50,000 and sell at $46,000, with a 0.2% fee on each trade.
- Coins bought: 2,500 × 0.998 ÷ 50,000 = 0.0499 BTC (the buy fee was $5).
- Value at the sell price: 0.0499 × 46,000 = $2,295.40.
- Proceeds after the sell fee: $2,295.40 × 0.998 = $2,290.81 (the sell fee was about $4.59).
- Result: $2,290.81 − $2,500 = −$209.19, a loss of about 8.4%.
The price fell 8%, but the loss is 8.4% because of the two fees. The break-even sell price for this trade is 50,000 ÷ 0.998² = about $50,200.60: the price has to rise by roughly 0.4% just to cover costs.
Reading the result
A positive number is profit after trading fees, a negative one a loss. The calculator does not include network fees for withdrawing coins, spreads on "instant buy" screens, or tax, all of which can reduce the real outcome. Our guide to trading fees explains those extra costs.
Try changing only the fee from 0.1% to 1%, a level some one-tap purchase screens effectively charge once the spread is included. On small, frequent trades the difference adds up quickly. For the mechanics behind the coins themselves, see Bitcoin explained and how crypto works.