Stock Profit Calculator - Net Return After Commissions

Price in, price out, commission deducted - your real return in one click

Every stock trade has a visible number (the price change) and a hidden one (the commission cost). This calculator separates both. Enter buy price, sell price, number of shares and your broker's commission structure. The result: gross profit, commission breakdown for both buy and sell sides, net profit after all fees, and ROI as a percentage. No rounding, no assumptions.

How to calculate stock profit - step by step

Buy price per share ($) - the price you paid when you purchased the shares. Check your broker's trade confirmation or transaction history.
Sell price per share ($) - the price when you sold. If you have not sold yet, use the current market price to estimate unrealized gain or loss.
Number of shares - total shares in this transaction. For multi-tranche positions, calculate each buy-sell pair separately or use the Average Purchase Price Calculator first.
Broker commission (%) - percentage fee per trade. Common: 0% (Robinhood, Webull), 0.1-0.5% (traditional brokers like Fidelity, Schwab). Applied to both buy and sell.
Minimum commission ($) - flat floor per trade. If the percentage fee is less than this, the broker charges the minimum instead. Set to 0 for commission-free brokers.
Read the results - net profit/loss in dollars, ROI percentage, full commission breakdown, and a tax reminder.

Commission structures compared

Different brokers charge differently. The same trade can cost $0 or $50 depending on your broker and trade size.

Broker type	Commission	Minimum	Cost on $5,000 trade
Commission-free (Robinhood, Webull)	0%	$0	$0
Low-cost (Interactive Brokers)	$0.005/share	$1	$1-2
Traditional (0.25%)	0.25%	$5	$12.50
Full-service (0.5%)	0.50%	$10	$25

Practical examples

Example 1: Standard profitable trade
Buy 200 shares at $25.00, sell at $31.50. Commission: 0.25%, min $5. Gross profit: +$1,300. Buy fee: $12.50. Sell fee: $15.75. Net profit: +$1,271.75 (ROI: +25.44%).

Example 2: Loss trade
Buy 100 shares at $48.00, sell at $41.20. Commission: 0.25%, min $5. Gross loss: -$680. Plus $24.10 in commissions. Net loss: -$704.10 (ROI: -14.67%).

Example 3: Small trade where minimum commission dominates
Buy 50 shares at $8.00, sell at $8.80. Gross profit: $40. But 0.25% of $400 = $1.00, below the $5 minimum. Both buy and sell hit the minimum: $10 total. Net profit: $30. Commission ate 25% of the gross.

Example 4: Commission-free broker
Same trade as Example 1 on Robinhood (0%, $0 min). Gross and net profit are identical: +$1,300 (ROI: +26.00%). The $28.25 you saved on commissions is pure extra return.

Example 5: Large position, small gain
Buy 5,000 shares at $12.00, sell at $12.35. Purchase: $60,000. Sale: $61,750. Gross: +$1,750. Commission at 0.1% min $5: $60 + $61.75 = $121.75. Net: +$1,628.25. Small price moves on large positions still yield meaningful profit.

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

Does the calculator include capital gains tax?

No. Tax treatment depends on your jurisdiction, holding period and income bracket. In the US, short-term gains (held less than one year) are taxed as ordinary income (10-37%). Long-term gains qualify for preferential rates (0%, 15% or 20%). The calculator shows pre-tax net profit after commissions.

Why is commission charged twice?

Brokers charge a fee for each trade execution. Buying is one trade, selling is another. Each incurs its own commission, calculated independently. On a round trip (buy + sell), you pay twice. This is why small trades on percentage-based brokers can have disproportionate costs.

When does minimum commission matter?

When the percentage-based fee is less than the flat minimum. Example: 0.25% on a $400 trade = $1.00, but the minimum is $5.00. The broker charges $5.00. This disproportionately affects small trades. On a $400 trade, a $5 minimum means you are effectively paying 1.25% instead of 0.25%.

Can I use this for international stocks?

Yes. The calculator works with any currency - just enter prices in the same currency. For international trades, note that you may also face currency conversion fees (0.25-1.5%) and stamp duty (e.g. 0.5% in the UK) which are not included here.

What is ROI in stock trading?

Return on Investment. Calculated as: (Net Profit / Purchase Value) x 100. A $500 net profit on a $5,000 investment = 10% ROI. The calculator shows both gross ROI (before commissions) and net ROI (after commissions) so you can see the commission drag.

I bought in multiple tranches. How do I calculate?

Use the Average Purchase Price Calculator first to find your weighted average cost per share across all tranches. Then enter that average as the buy price here, along with your total share count, to calculate the overall profit from the combined position.

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Ready-made calculations

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