Crypto profit calculator
A crypto profit calculator is only useful if it charges fees the way platforms do: once when you buy and again when you sell. This one does, so the result is the net change in your money, not just the change in the price.
The formula
Proceeds = coins × sell price × (1 − fee)
Profit or loss = proceeds − amount invested
A worked example
Illustrative figures: $2,500 invested in bitcoin at $50,000, sold at $58,000, with a 0.1% fee each way.
- Coins bought: $2,500 × 0.999 ÷ $50,000 = 0.04995 BTC.
- Proceeds: 0.04995 × $58,000 × 0.999 = about $2,894.20.
- Profit: $2,894.20 − $2,500 = about $394.20, or 15.77% of the amount invested.
Had the price fallen to $46,000 instead, the proceeds would be about $2,295.40, a loss of about $204.60. With fees on both sides, the price needs to reach about $50,100.15 just to break even.
When to use it
Use the calculator before buying, to see the price a coin must reach for the trade to be worth its fees, and before selling, to see what you would actually receive. Trying several sell prices, including lower ones, gives a clearer picture of the range of outcomes than a single hopeful target.
Reading the result
The result excludes network fees for moving coins, the spread between buy and sell prices, and tax. In many countries, selling crypto is a taxable disposal. It also says nothing about what the price will do; it only shows what a given price would mean for your money.
For background, read what Bitcoin is and how trading fees add up.
Reader questions
Why is my profit lower than the price change?
Because the fee is charged twice, on the purchase and on the sale, and the purchase fee also means you buy slightly fewer coins.
Does this include tax?
No. Tax rules on crypto vary by country and personal circumstances. The result is before any tax.