Stock Profit/Loss Calculator
Work out the real profit or loss on a share trade once brokerage and other charges are taken out — plus the price you needed just to break even.
Loading the calculator…
How to use this calculator
- Enter buy price per share
- Enter sell price per share
- Enter number of shares
- Enter total brokerage — Buy + sell brokerage together. Many discount brokers charge ₹20 per order. (optional — leave it as it is if it does not apply)
- Enter other charges — STT, exchange fees, GST, SEBI fees, stamp duty and DP charges. (optional — leave it as it is if it does not apply)
- Enter holding period — Used to annualise the return. 0.25 means three months.
- Read the result — it updates as you type.
The formula used
Net profit = (Sell × Qty) − (Buy × Qty) − Charges
- Buy
- Price paid per share
- Sell
- Price received per share
- Qty
- Number of shares
- Charges
- Brokerage plus statutory and other charges
Return on cost = net profit ÷ (investment + charges) × 100. We divide by the total you had to spend, not just the share cost, because the charges were real money you had to find.
Break-even = (Buy × Qty + Charges) ÷ Qty. Below this price the trade loses money even if the share went up.
Worked example
You buy 100 shares at ₹500 and sell at ₹620, paying ₹40 brokerage and ₹60 in other charges.
- Investment100 × ₹500 = ₹50,000
- Sale value100 × ₹620 = ₹62,000
- Charges₹40 + ₹60 = ₹100
- Gross profit = ₹62,000 − ₹50,000 = ₹12,000
- Net profit = ₹12,000 − ₹100 = ₹11,900
- Return = 11,900 ÷ 50,100 × 100 = 23.75%
- Break-even price = (₹50,000 + ₹100) ÷ 100 = ₹501
The charges cost you 0.2% of the trade here. On small trades charges matter far more — ₹100 of charges on a ₹5,000 trade is 2%.
What actually eats your stock profits
The difference between buy price and sell price is not your profit. Between the two sit several small charges that are easy to ignore individually and painful in aggregate, particularly for frequent traders.
The charges you will see on a contract note
- Brokerage — what your broker charges. Discount brokers commonly charge a flat fee per order for intraday and often nothing for delivery; full-service brokers charge a percentage.
- STT (Securities Transaction Tax) — a government levy, charged on both sides for delivery trades and on the sell side for intraday.
- Exchange transaction charges — a small percentage taken by NSE or BSE.
- GST — charged on brokerage and exchange charges.
- SEBI turnover fees and stamp duty — small, but present.
- DP charges — a flat fee per scrip when you sell from your demat account.
Rather than guessing, open a recent contract note, add up everything that is not the share value itself, and enter that total in "Other charges". That gives you a number matched to your own broker.
Why break-even matters
Every trade starts slightly underwater. On small trades the break-even price can be noticeably above your buy price, which means a share that rises 1% can still lose you money.
Tax is separate
This calculator stops at your net profit. Tax on that profit depends on your holding period and the current rules — the Capital Gains Calculator handles that part.
Tips and common mistakes
Getting more out of it
- Copy the charge figures from a real contract note rather than estimating — brokers differ enormously.
- On small trades, check the break-even price first. Charges can consume a 1% move entirely.
Mistakes to avoid
- Calculating profit as (sell − buy) × quantity and forgetting that charges apply on both sides.
- Averaging several purchases in your head. Work out the true average buy price first.
- Treating the net profit as final — capital gains tax still applies on top.
Frequently asked questions
Does this calculator include brokerage automatically?
No, and that is deliberate. Brokerage varies by broker, segment and plan, and rates change. You enter your own figures, so the result stays accurate for you rather than for some default broker.
Where do I find my exact charges?
On the contract note your broker sends after each trade. It itemises brokerage, STT, exchange charges, GST, SEBI fees and stamp duty.
What is break-even price?
The sell price at which you make exactly nothing — it covers your purchase cost plus all charges. Selling above it makes a profit; selling below it makes a loss even if the share price rose.
Is this profit taxable?
Yes. Equity gains are taxed differently depending on how long you held the shares, and intraday trading is treated as business income. Check the current rules or ask a tax professional.
Can I use this for intraday trades?
Yes. Enter your buy and sell prices and the day's charges. Set the holding period to a small number such as 0.02 (about a week) if you want the annualised figure, though annualising a one-day trade produces a meaningless headline number.
Does it handle multiple purchases at different prices?
Not directly. Work out your average buy price first (total amount paid ÷ total shares) and enter that. The DCA Calculator does the averaging for you if you have several buys.
Related calculators
Estimate brokerage and statutory charges on a trade.
Stocks Break-Even Stock Price CalculatorThe selling price at which your trade breaks even.
Stocks Dividend Return CalculatorDividend income and dividend yield on your holding.
Stocks Capital Gains CalculatorShort-term and long-term capital gains at a rate you choose.
Tax & Inflation ROI CalculatorReturn on investment in both absolute and annualised terms.
Investment CAGR CalculatorCompound Annual Growth Rate between a start and end value.
Investment