Buying and selling stock involves more than just the sale price. Enter your share count, purchase and sale prices, and any commissions or fees to see your total profit or loss and your percentage return.
How It’s Calculated
Total Cost adds your buy commission to shares × purchase price. Total Proceeds subtracts your sell commission from shares × sale price. Profit/Loss = Total Proceeds − Total Cost, and your return percentage is Profit/Loss ÷ Total Cost × 100.
A Note on Assumptions
This calculator treats commissions and fees as flat dollar amounts and doesn’t account for taxes on capital gains, which vary by holding period and jurisdiction. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Worked Example
Say you bought 100 shares at $45 each, paying a $5 commission, then later sold them at $58 each, paying another $5 commission. Your total cost was $4,505.00, your total proceeds were $5,795.00, and your profit came to $1,290.00 (+28.63%).
FAQ
Does this include dividends I received while holding the stock?
No — this calculator only measures the difference between what you paid and what you received from selling. To include dividend income, use our Dividend Income Calculator alongside this one.
What if I only had a loss?
The calculator will show “Loss” instead of “Profit” along with a negative percentage, so you can see exactly how much you’re down.
Can I use this to compare multiple trades?
Yes — just re-run the calculator with each trade’s numbers. If you bought the same stock at different prices over time, use our Average Cost Basis Calculator first to find your true average buy price.
Are the fee fields required?
No — you can leave them at $0 if your broker doesn’t charge a commission.