How to calculate crypto profit
The arithmetic is simple. What trips people up is forgetting the fees, which are charged on both ends of the trade and quietly eat into a thin gain.
exit = sell price × amount × (1 − fee)
profit = exit − cost
ROI = profit ÷ cost × 100
Two numbers matter more than the headline profit. The first is ROI — a $500 gain means something very different on a $1,000 position than on a $50,000 one. The second is your break-even price, the point where you walk away with exactly what you put in.
A worked example
You buy 0.5 BTC at $30,000 and sell at $42,000, on an exchange charging 0.1% per trade.
| Coins bought | 0.5 BTC |
|---|---|
| Cost including fee | $15,015.00 |
| Sale value after fee | $20,979.00 |
| Net profit | $5,964.00 |
| ROI | +39.72% |
The price rose 40%, but you kept 39.72%. On one round trip the gap looks trivial. Trade twenty times a month and it stops being trivial.
Where the fees actually go
Spot trading fees on the major exchanges sit between 0.1% and 0.6% per trade, and the number you pay depends on how the order is filled:
- Maker fee — you place a limit order that waits on the book. Cheaper, because you add liquidity.
- Taker fee — you place a market order that fills instantly against someone else's. More expensive.
- Spread — the gap between the best bid and the best ask. It never shows on your statement, but on thin altcoin pairs it can cost more than the fee itself.
- Withdrawal fee — a flat network charge to move coins off the exchange. Ignorable on a large position, painful on a small one.
The calculator applies one rate to both sides. If your maker and taker rates differ, use the higher of the two for a conservative figure.
Why break-even sits above your buy price
Because you pay to get in and pay again to get out, the price has to rise slightly above what you paid before you are even. At 0.1% per side, break-even sits about 0.2% above your entry. At 0.5% per side it is about 1% above — and a coin that drifts sideways for a month has already cost you money.
Common questions
How do you calculate crypto profit?
Multiply your coin amount by the sell price to get the exit value, multiply the same amount by the buy price to get your cost, then subtract cost from exit value. Take the fees off both sides for the real number.
Does this calculator include exchange fees?
Yes. Enter your maker or taker rate as a percentage and it is charged on the entry and the exit, matching how exchanges bill a spot trade.
What is a break-even price in crypto?
The sell price at which your profit is exactly zero once fees are paid. Sell below it and you lose money even though the price is above what you paid.
Can I use it for altcoins other than Bitcoin?
Yes. The maths is identical for any coin — the calculator does not care which asset the numbers belong to. Enter prices in whichever currency you trade in.
Do I owe tax on crypto profit?
In most countries selling crypto is a taxable event, but the rate and the rules depend on where you live. This tool shows gross profit before tax — check your local tax authority or an accountant.