Profit/Loss Calculator: Figure Out Your Trade P&L with Fees
Hey, I've been there - trying to crunch numbers after a trade and not knowing the real take-home. This calculator does it for you: punch in entry price, exit price, position size, and all fees, and you'll see the actual net result, not some rough guess. Real traders check this every day because it's the only number that matters: did you actually make money after costs? It shows you straight up, no BS.
How the P&L Calculator Works
Enter your trade details: Entry price, exit price, position size, and fees. Pick your position type: Long, short, or options. See results right away: Gross profit, fees, net P&L, ROI, and key metrics. The formula's simple: (Exit Price - Entry Price) × Position Size = Gross Profit. Subtract all fees for net P&L. I kept it straightforward so you don't have to do the math by hand - trust me, it's a time-saver.
Smart Ways to Track Your P&L
Focus on net, not gross. That's what counts after all the bites are taken. Separate realized from unrealized. Realized is closed trades; unrealized is open positions. Factor in every cost: Commissions, spreads, slippage, borrow fees, taxes. Calculate expectancy: (Win Rate × Avg Win) - (Loss Rate × Avg Loss) shows your true edge. Review monthly for patterns. Track capture ratio: (Real P&L / Peak Unreal) - how much of the wins do you lock in? Most folks overlook this, but I swear it's game-changing for improvements.
Real-Life P&L Examples
Example 1: Day Trader - Quick Execution
Sarah trades tech stocks, with 6 months under her belt, aiming for 0.5-1% per trade. Entry $178.50, exit $179.80, 140 shares. Commission $1.40 + platform $0.25 = $1.65 total. Gross: $182. Net: $180.35. ROI: 0.72%. Sarah figured out she needs a 65%+ win rate to profit. Now she's sharpening her exit timing instead of chasing big moves. Result: Her ROI jumped from 0.42% to 0.68% by focusing on speed. I've seen this shift the game for people.
Example 2: Forex Scalper - Leverage Impact
John scalps EUR/USD during London overlap at 50:1 leverage. Entry 1.09450, exit 1.09520, 5 lots. 70 pips × $10 per pip × 5 lots = $3,500 gross. Spread $120, slippage $25. Net: $3,355. ROI: 67.1%. John switched brokers from 1.5 to 0.8 pip spreads, saving ~$1,600/month. He shifted to 50+ pip targets, cutting trades by 40%, but net profit rose 120%. It's a solid tweak worth trying if you're in the trenches.
Example 3: Swing Trader - Deployed Capital ROI
Michael holds positions 3-15 days in large-cap stocks. Entry $485.20, exit $522.80, 200 shares, 23 days. Gross: $7,520. Fees (commission, margin, borrow): $49.50. Net: $7,465.50. ROI: 7.70%. Michael captured 99.3% of the peak move. By optimizing for deployed ROI instead of whole account, he cut holds from 18 to 12 days, win rate to 63%, net ROI from 4.2% to 6.8% per trade. That's what I push - focus on efficiency.
Example 4: Options - Income Strategy
David sells covered calls on AAPL holdings. 100 shares at $175 = $17,500. Sells 10% OTM call for $2.50 premium = $250. Net premium: $248. Stock expires at $183. Stock P&L: $800. Call P&L: $243. Total: $1,043 (5.96%). Over 12 months: $5,200 premiums. Total return 35.3% vs 28% buy-and-hold, plus 7.3% from premiums alone. Pretty cool, right? Options add income without extra risk if you play it smart.
How Results Shift with Variables
Position size multiplies everything. Double the shares, double the P&L and losses. Fees eat away quietly. 0.2% round-trip × 100 trades = 20% of profits gone. Leverage amps both sides. 50:1 on 1% move = 50% of account. Pros stick to 3-5:1. Time matters. 5% in 5 days (365% annual) beats 5% in 100 (18%). Win rate vs reward. 40% with 3:1 beats 70% with 0.9:1. Capture. 80%+ of peaks = patience; <50% = holding too long. Slippage grows. $5K fine, $500K 0.3-0.8%. You probably underestimate this one.
Common P&L Mistakes
Mistake 1: Ignoring All Fees
The slip-up: Traders forget spreads, platforms, borrows besides commissions. Why it fails: $500 gross: Comm $0.50 + Spread $2 + Plat $2 + Slip $5 = $9.50. Net: $490.50 (1.9% drag). 50 trades = $7,500 down the drain. Fix: Use a detailed calculator. Compare brokers on round-trip costs. I lost a ton to this early on.
Mistake 2: Treating Unreal as Real
The slip-up: Bragging to friends about "+$8,000!" on open positions that could tank. Why it fails: +$3,000 unreal closed at +$800 = 27% capture. <60% means late exits. Fix: Only count closed trades. Track unreal separately. Set exit rules upfront. Honestly, it's a classic - tons fall for it.
Mistake 3: Gross Over Net
The slip-up: "$5,000 gross!" but fees $1,200, net $3,800. Why it fails: Misleads on strategy health. Fix: Always net. ROI = Net P&L / Deployed. $800 net over 23 days at 30% = 42% annual. Don't repeat my goof.
Mistake 4: Leverage Risk
The slip-up: 50:1, three wins, 2% loss - account zeroed. Why it fails: 50:1 on 2% = 100% loss. Fix: Max loss first. Gap 2-3% - what's % at risk? >2% - smaller size or leverage. Protect yourself, seriously.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What's the difference between gross and net P&L?
A: Gross is profit before fees. Net after ALL costs (commissions, spreads, slip, interest, taxes). Net's what hits your account. Always track net - it's the truth.
Q: How to calculate P&L for short sales?
A: P&L = (Entry - Exit) × Shares. Short 100 at $50, cover $45 = ($50-$45) × 100 = $500 profit. Formula flips because you profit on drops.
Q: What's a good P&L for my style?
A: Day: 0.5-2% daily. Swing: 2-5% per trade. Position: 15-30% annual. Higher usually means over-leverage or shaky edge - watch out.
Q: How do taxes affect P&L?
A: Short gains (<1 year): up to 37%. Long (>1): 15-20%. Track post-tax column. Set aside 30-40%/month for taxes.
Q: Calculate ROI on whole account or deployed?
A: Both. Deployed shows strategy efficiency (key). Overall shows wealth growth. 50% on 5% deployed? Elite ($5K gain on $100K account).
Q: What's capture ratio?
A: (Real P&L) / (Peak unreal). +$2K unreal, exit +$1.2K = 60% capture. <60% means late exits. Track to sharpen your timing.
Q: What's expectancy?
A: (Win × Avg Win) - (Loss × Avg Loss) = your edge. 55% at $4K beats 70% at $1.5K. Optimize expectancy over win rate.
Q: Do fees matter for buy-and-hold?
A: Yeah. 0.1% × 2 = 0.2% round. Over 10 years at 8% return - shaves 2-3%. Stick to low-cost brokers.
Q: How much slippage to expect?
A: <$50K minimal. $50K-$500K 0.3-0.8%. >$500K 0.8-2%+. Use limits. Hit peak liquidity hours.
Q: What's drawdown and why care?
A: Peak-to-trough loss. -50% needs +100% recovery. -20% +25%. Pros limit 20-30%; 50%+ spells trouble.
Q: Win rate or expectancy - which matters more?
A: Expectancy. 40% with 3:1: ($300 win - $100 loss) = $200 EV. 70% with 0.9:1 lower overall. Higher EV wins.
Q: How to track P&L systematically?
A: Log: Entry date, entry price, exit date, exit price, shares, gross P&L, fees, net P&L, ROI %, hold days. Monthly review: Which styles eat costs? Which markets pay?
Related Calculators
Position Size Calculator - Keep risk consistent per trade. Use your P&L history to fine-tune sizing.
Risk/Reward Ratio Calculator - Plan reward and risk BEFORE entry. Understand expected P&L structure.
Pip Value Calculator - Figure $ per pip on forex. Essential for forex P&L and sizing.