Stock Profit Calculator
Calculate your trading profit or loss after commissions and taxes.
For educational purposes only. This calculator does not provide investment advice.
Gross Profit
—
Net Profit
—
Total Cost
—
Return %
—
📊 Visual Analysis
What This Calculator Does
The Stock Profit Calculator shows your exact trading profit or loss after accounting for commissions and taxes. Enter your buy price, sell price, number of shares, and costs — the calculator breaks down gross profit, net profit, total cost, and return percentage.
Formula
Total Cost = Buy Price × Shares + Buy Commission. Taxes apply only to gains, not to the principal.
Input Fields Explained
Buy Price per Share ($)
The price you paid per share when purchasing the stock.
Sell Price per Share ($)
The price per share when you sold the stock (or current price if calculating unrealized profit).
Number of Shares
The total number of shares in the trade.
Buy Commission ($)
The fee your broker charged for the buy order. Many brokers now offer $0 commissions, but some charge for options, OTC stocks, or large orders.
Sell Commission ($)
The fee charged for the sell order.
Tax Rate (%)
Capital gains tax rate. In the US, long-term gains (held over 1 year) are taxed at 15% or 20% depending on income. Short-term gains are taxed at your ordinary income rate.
Example Calculation
You buy 100 shares at $50, sell at $62. Buy commission $5, sell commission $5, tax rate 15%.
Gross Profit = ($62 − $50) × 100 = $1,200
Commissions = $5 + $5 = $10
Taxable Gain = $1,200 − $10 = $1,190
Tax = $1,190 × 15% = $178.50
Net Profit = $1,200 − $10 − $178.50 = $1,011.50
Return % = $1,011.50 / ($5,000 + $5) = 20.2%. Without accounting for costs, you might have thought you earned 24%.
How to Read the Result
The raw trading profit before commissions and taxes. Useful for understanding the price movement impact.
What you actually keep after all costs. This is the number that matters for your wallet.
Net profit as a percentage of your total cost. Makes it easy to compare trades of different sizes.
Common Mistakes
- Ignoring commissions and fees. Small fees add up, especially for frequent traders. A $5 commission on a $100 trade is 5% of your capital.
- Forgetting taxes. Capital gains taxes can take 15-37% of your profit. Calculate after-tax returns to know your real earnings.
- Confusing realized and unrealized profit. Until you sell, your profit is theoretical. Paper gains can disappear quickly.
- Not considering position size. A $500 profit on a $1,000 investment (50%) is very different from $500 profit on a $50,000 investment (1%).
When This Calculator Is Useful
- Calculating exact profit after all trading costs
- Comparing the profitability of different trades
- Estimating after-tax proceeds before selling
- Tracking trading performance for tax reporting
Breakeven Sell Price (Educational)
After commissions, breakeven sell price is slightly above your buy price:
Taxes apply only on taxable gains. Short-term vs long-term rates vary by jurisdiction — use one rate here for modeling only.
Limitations
- Does not account for the time held — use the Stock Return Calculator for annualized returns
- Tax calculations are simplified — actual capital gains taxes depend on income, holding period, and local laws
- Does not include bid-ask spread costs or slippage
- This tool does not provide buy or sell recommendations
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate stock profit?
Stock profit = (Sell Price - Buy Price) x Number of Shares - Commissions - Taxes. For example, buying 100 shares at $50 and selling at $62 with $10 in commissions gives you a net profit of $1,190.
What costs should I include?
Include buy commissions, sell commissions, and any applicable taxes on capital gains. These costs reduce your actual profit and can be significant for frequent traders.
What is the difference between gross and net profit?
Gross profit is the raw price difference (sell price minus buy price) times shares. Net profit deducts commissions and taxes to show what you actually keep.
How is the return percentage calculated?
Return % = Net Profit / Total Cost x 100%. Total cost includes the buy price times shares plus buy commissions. This gives you the percentage gain on the money you actually put in.
How do taxes affect stock profit calculations?
Capital gains taxes reduce your actual profit. In many jurisdictions, long-term gains (held over one year) are taxed at lower rates than short-term gains. Dividends may also be taxed separately. This calculator shows gross profit before taxes — your after-tax return will be lower. Consult a tax professional for rates applicable to your situation.
🔧 Related Calculators
Educational Disclaimer
This calculator is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not provide investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. The results are based on the inputs and assumptions you provide and may not reflect real market conditions, fees, taxes, or risks. Always do your own research or consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.