Stock Profit Calculator
Work out the profit on a stock trade — enter the buy and sell price, the number of shares and any commissions to get the dollar profit and the percentage return.
Created and reviewed by Christoph Ballmer Estimate only — not investment or tax advice. It works out the gross profit and return after the commissions you enter; it does not account for capital-gains tax, SEC/regulatory fees, dividends, or currency effects. Confirm the tax treatment of any gain with the IRS or a tax professional.
How to calculate stock profit
Your profit on a trade is what you receive minus what you paid. The total cost is the buy price times the number of shares, plus any buy commission. The total proceeds is the sell price times the shares, minus any sell commission. Subtract cost from proceeds for the dollar profit, and divide by the cost for the percentage return. Enter your numbers above for both.
profit = (sell × shares − sell fee) − (buy × shares + buy fee)
For example, 100 shares bought at $20 and sold at $25 with no commissions is $2,500 − $2,000 = $500 profit, a 25% return. The percentage return lets you compare trades of different sizes on equal footing.
What this leaves out
This shows the profit after the commissions you enter, but before capital-gains tax. In the US, gains on shares held a year or less are taxed as ordinary income (short-term), while long-term gains get lower rates — so your after-tax return is smaller than the figure here. It also excludes dividends and regulatory fees. This is an estimate, not investment or tax advice; check the current IRS rules, and for the tax on a sale see the capital gains tax calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate profit on a stock?
Subtract your total cost from your total proceeds. Total cost is the buy price × shares plus the buy commission; total proceeds is the sell price × shares minus the sell commission. The difference is your profit (or loss). For example, 100 shares bought at $20 and sold at $25 is $2,500 − $2,000 = $500 before fees.
How do I calculate percentage return?
Divide the profit by your total cost and multiply by 100. A $500 profit on a $2,000 cost is 500 ÷ 2,000 = 25%. The calculator shows the percentage return alongside the dollar profit so you can compare trades of different sizes.
Does this include taxes on the gain?
No — it shows the profit and return after the commissions you enter, but before capital-gains tax. Short-term gains (held a year or less) are taxed as ordinary income; long-term gains get lower rates. Check the current IRS rules for how your gain would be taxed.