A stock can rise in price while your trade earns less than you expect. Trading fees change your break-even point, and a percentage loss takes a larger percentage gain to recover. Use this free stock profit calculator to see the dollar result before you judge a trade by its headline return.
Enter a single purchase and sale of the same number of shares. You can use a planned sale price to compare scenarios or an actual sale price to review a completed trade.
Put your numbers to work
Change the example values, then select Calculate. All amounts are in U.S. dollars.
No sign-up required. This calculator does not send your entries to Everyday Money or store them.
How to calculate stock profit after fees
Purchase cost = purchase price × shares + purchase fee.
Net sale proceeds = sale price × shares − sale fee.
Net profit or loss = net sale proceeds − purchase cost.
Return = net profit or loss ÷ purchase cost × 100.
Enter total fees for the transaction, not a per-share fee or a percentage. Fractional shares are supported. If your broker charges no commission, leave the relevant fee at zero. A displayed break-even price is rounded to cents; a fractional-share or unusually small trade may need more precision to reach exact break-even.
Example: a $1,000 price gain is not always $1,000 profit
Buy 100 shares at $50 and sell at $60, paying $5 on each transaction. The purchase costs $5,005. The sale returns $5,995 after the selling fee. Your net profit is $990, and your return on purchase cost is approximately 19.78%. The break-even sale price is $50.10 per share.
Why a 20% loss needs a 25% recovery
A share falling from $50 to $40 loses 20%. Returning from $40 to $50 requires a $10 gain on a smaller $40 starting value: 25%. The recovery formula is (original price ÷ reduced price − 1) × 100. This describes arithmetic, not the likelihood or timing of a recovery. A stock does not have to return to your purchase price.
Use the result to compare scenarios
- Enter your purchase details and the total fees.
- Try a lower sale price as well as your target price.
- Compare dollar losses with the amount you can afford to put at risk.
- Check your broker statement for actual charges before relying on a completed-trade estimate.
The SEC explains that investment fees can affect returns in its investment fees and costs guide. This calculator shows the fees you enter; it does not discover your broker’s charges.
Frequently asked questions
Does this calculate capital gains tax?
No. Results are before tax. Holding periods, tax lots, account type, losses, and personal circumstances can change tax treatment. This is not a tax-return calculator.
Can I use it for multiple purchases?
It models one purchase and one sale of an equal share quantity. An average purchase price can help with a rough economic comparison, but it is not a substitute for tax-lot records or tax basis calculations.
Are dividends included?
No. This is a price-and-fee calculator, not a total-return calculator. It also excludes margin interest, options, short sales, splits, foreign exchange, and other corporate actions.
Educational calculation only. A profit scenario is not a forecast or a recommendation to buy or sell.
Explore more free money tools
Browse all Everyday Money calculators, estimate a purchase plan with our savings goal calculator, or compare fees with our membership break-even calculator.
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