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Crypto Profit Calculator

Profit, loss, ROI — with fees, the way it really works.

Calculating crypto profit sounds simple — buy low, sell high. But between exchange fees, network gas costs, and tax on gains, your actual pocket profit is often 20–40% less than the raw price difference. This calculator models the real number so you know if a trade was actually worth it.

Profit
$14,925.00(+49.75%)
Invested
$30,000.00
Gross received
$45,000.00
Fees paid
$75.00
Break-even sell price
$30,060.00

On 0.2% total fees, you need the price to rise 0.20% just to break even. This is why high-frequency trading eats beginners alive.

Why Fees Kill More Profits Than You Think

Fees compound on both sides of every trade. At 0.5% per side (1.0% round trip) on a $10,000 trade, you pay $100 in fees. If Bitcoin moves +2%, your gross profit is $200 — but $100 evaporates in fees, leaving only $100 net. The fee drag grows larger as trade frequency increases.

  • Spot exchange fees: 0.1–0.5% per side is typical (Binance: 0.1%, Coinbase: 0.5%)
  • DEX/on-chain fees: 0.3% liquidity provider fee + gas costs (can be $5–80 on Ethereum mainnet)
  • Perpetual futures: spot fee + funding rate (can be −0.1% to +0.3% every 8 hours)
  • Maker vs taker: limit orders (maker) often get 30–50% fee discounts — use them on liquid coins

Break-Even Price: The Number Most Traders Ignore

Before you worry about profit targets, know your break-even price — the minimum sell price where you exit at zero profit. On a 1% total-fee trade, your position needs to gain 1% just to cover costs. High fees on small moves are a guaranteed way to grind your capital down.

  • Break-even = buy price × (1 + total fee %)
  • At 0.2% fees: need 0.2% price gain to break even
  • At 1.0% fees (common on CEX with spread): need 1.0% gain just to cover costs
  • DEX + gas at $30 on a $500 trade = 6% fee — need 6% price gain before any profit

Crypto Tax: What Actually Gets Taxed

Crypto is taxed as property in most jurisdictions — every trade is a taxable event. Short-term gains (held under 1 year) are taxed as ordinary income in the US. Long-term gains (held over 1 year) get the preferential capital gains rate — 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on income.

  • US: short-term = ordinary income (10–37%); long-term = 0/15/20% capital gains
  • UK: CGT on crypto gains, but first £6,000/year is exempt (2024–25 allowance)
  • EU: varies widely — Germany taxes 0% after 1-year hold; France ~30% flat tax
  • Every swap between coins is a taxable event, not just cash-out
  • Track cost basis per coin using FIFO, LIFO, or specific ID (HIFO to minimize tax)

ROI vs. CAGR: Which Matters for Crypto

Raw ROI tells you how much you made on a single trade. But compound annual growth rate (CAGR) tells you if crypto is actually outperforming other asset classes over time. A 3× return in 3 years looks impressive — but it's only a 44% CAGR, roughly in line with top venture funds.

  • ROI = (profit ÷ invested) × 100%
  • CAGR = (ending value ÷ starting value) ^ (1 / years) − 1
  • Bitcoin CAGR from 2017–2024: ~38% — extraordinary but with severe drawdowns
  • Drawdown matters: a 50% drop requires a 100% gain just to break even

How to Calculate Your Crypto Profit

Four steps to calculate your real net profit on a cryptocurrency trade.

  1. 1
    Enter your position size and buy price
    Input how many coins you bought and the exact price you paid. For dollar-cost averaging across multiple buys, use the average purchase price.
  2. 2
    Enter your actual sell price
    Use the actual executed price, not the order price — slippage and spread eat into the realized price on large trades.
  3. 3
    Add total round-trip fees
    Buy fee + sell fee. Include exchange maker/taker fees and any network gas costs. Coinbase spot: ~0.5%/side. Binance: 0.1%/side. DEX + gas: varies.
  4. 4
    Interpret the break-even price
    If the break-even shown is higher than your current sell target, the trade is not profitable at that target. Adjust fee structure or target price accordingly.

FAQ

What's a typical crypto trading fee?
0.1-0.5% per side on major exchanges (Binance, Coinbase Pro, Kraken). So a round-trip (buy + sell) is usually 0.2-1.0% total — exactly what this calculator models.
Do I pay tax on crypto profit?
Yes, in most jurisdictions. Treat it as capital gains in the US/UK/EU — short-term (< 1 yr) usually taxed as income, long-term (> 1 yr) often at a lower rate. Check your local rules.
Why does break-even seem so far?
Because fees are taken on both entry and exit. If you pay 0.2% total, you need the price to rise 0.2% just to cover those fees before any actual profit.
What's the difference between spot and futures P&L?
Spot P&L is straightforward: (sell price − buy price) × amount, minus fees. Futures P&L is leveraged — a 10× leveraged trade on a 2% move delivers 20% gain or loss, and funding rates eat profits on long-held positions.
How do I account for gas fees on Ethereum?
Add ETH gas fees to your total fee field. On-chain DEX trades can have $5–80 in gas on Ethereum mainnet. Layer-2 networks (Arbitrum, Optimism) reduce this to cents. For small trades, gas can easily consume 5–10% of profit.

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