What this forex profit calculator does
Before a trade, you want to know what a target or stop is worth. After a trade, you want to check the result your platform shows. This forex profit calculator does both: enter the direction, lot size, entry price and exit price, and it returns the profit or loss in your account currency.
It handles buy and sell positions on forex pairs, gold and silver, oil, index CFDs and crypto CFDs, and converts the result when the pair is not quoted in your account currency.
The formula
Direction = +1 for buy, −1 for sell
P/L (quote ccy) = (Exit − Entry) × Direction × Lots × Contract size
P/L (account) = P/L (quote) converted to account currency
Forex, account currency = base currency:
P/L (account) = P/L (quote) ÷ Exit price
For forex, the contract size is 100,000 units per lot. For gold it is usually 100 oz, and for most index CFDs it is 1 unit per index point. A sell trade profits when the exit price is below the entry.
Worked example 1: a GBPUSD sell
You sell 0.8 lot of GBPUSD at 1.2950 and close at 1.2885.
- Price change: 1.2885 − 1.2950 = −0.0065
- Direction for a sell: −1, so the move works in your favour: +0.0065
- P/L: 0.0065 × 0.8 × 100,000 = +$520
That is a 65 pip gain at $8 per pip ($10 per lot × 0.8). Because GBPUSD is quoted in dollars, a USD account needs no conversion.
Worked example 2: a USDCAD buy in a USD account
You buy 1 lot of USDCAD at 1.3700 and close at 1.3760.
- P/L in the quote currency (CAD): (1.3760 − 1.3700) × 100,000 = 600 CAD
- Your account is in USD, which is the base currency of the pair, so divide by the exit price: 600 ÷ 1.3760 = +$436.05
This is why a 60 pip gain on USDCAD is not worth $600 in a dollar account. The profit is earned in Canadian dollars and converted at the rate where you closed.
Worked example 3: a losing NAS100 trade
You buy 2 lots of NAS100 at 21,450 and the trade is closed at 21,380. Assuming $1 per index point per lot:
- P/L: (21,380 − 21,450) × 2 × 1 = −$140
Index contract sizes vary by broker, so check your broker's specification. At $10 per point, the same trade would lose $1,400.
How to use this calculator
- Select the instrument and confirm the contract size.
- Choose buy or sell.
- Enter the lot size.
- Enter the entry price and the exit (or planned target or stop) price.
- Choose your account currency and read the profit or loss.
What the result does not include
The calculator shows the gross result from the price change. Your final figure on the platform may differ because of:
- Spread. You buy at the ask and sell at the bid, so the effective entry or exit is slightly worse than the mid price.
- Commission. Raw spread accounts often charge a fixed amount per lot per side.
- Swap. Positions held past the daily rollover pay or receive overnight financing. Estimate it with the swap calculator.
- Exchange rates. For converted pairs, the rate at the moment you close sets the final account value.
Planning with profit targets
Running the calculator on both your target and your stop shows the money on each side of the trade before you enter. If the possible loss is bigger than you want, reduce the size with the position size calculator. If the possible gain is small compared with the loss, look at the risk reward calculator before committing. To work in pips first, the pip calculator counts the distance for you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate profit on a sell trade?
Subtract the exit price from the entry price and multiply by lots and contract size. Selling EURUSD at 1.1000 and buying back at 1.0950 on 1 lot gives 0.0050 × 100,000 = $500.
Why is my profit on USDJPY not a round number in dollars?
Profit on USDJPY is made in yen and then converted to dollars at the closing price. Buying 1 lot at 150.00 and selling at 150.50 earns 50 pips × 1,000 yen = 50,000 yen, which is 50,000 ÷ 150.50 = $332.23.
Does leverage affect my profit?
Not directly. Profit depends on lot size and price movement. Leverage only changes the margin needed to open the position.
Why does my platform show a different profit?
The platform includes spread, commission and swap, and uses live bid and ask prices and exchange rates. The calculator shows the result of the price move you enter.
Can I use this for gold?
Yes. With 100 oz per lot, a $1 move on 1 lot is $100. Buying 0.3 lot at 4,000 and selling at 4,010 gives 10 × 0.3 × 100 = $300.
Closing note
A forex profit calculator turns prices into money, so you can judge a trade by what it means for your account rather than by pips alone. Use it before you enter as well as after you exit.
Trading leveraged products carries a high risk of loss. Results are estimates; check your broker's contract specifications.