Trading Calculations
Crypto Profit Calculator Explained: How to Calculate Crypto Gains
A crypto gain is what you receive when you sell, minus everything you paid to buy, including fees. A crypto profit calculator does this math for you, but it helps to know exactly what goes into it.
By the MoneyTools Editorial TeamLast updated 6 min readEditorial Policy
The basic crypto gain formula
Profit = (Sell price × Quantity − Sell fees) − (Buy price × Quantity + Buy fees)
- Cost basis
- What you paid, including buy fees
- Net proceeds
- What you received, after sell fees
Return % = Profit ÷ Cost basis × 100
Fees matter. Exchanges often charge a percentage on both the buy and the sell, so a small price rise can still end as a small loss.
Worked example
Worked example
Buying and selling 0.5 BTC with a 0.1% fee each way
- Buy: 0.5 × $40,000 = $20,000, plus 0.1% fee ($20) → cost basis $20,020
- Sell: 0.5 × $46,000 = $23,000, minus 0.1% fee ($23) → net proceeds $22,977
- Profit = $22,977 − $20,020 = $2,957
- Return = $2,957 ÷ $20,020 ≈ 14.77%
The gain is about $2,957, or 14.77% — slightly less than the 15% price rise because of fees.
What happens at different sell prices
| Sell price per BTC | Net proceeds | Profit / loss | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| $36,000 | $17,982 | −$2,038 | ≈ −10.18% |
| $40,000 | $19,980 | −$40 | ≈ −0.20% |
| $46,000 | $22,977 | +$2,957 | ≈ +14.77% |
Selling at your buy price still loses the fees. The Break-Even Calculator shows the exact price you need to cover them.
Using an average buy price
If you bought several times, divide the total cost by the total coins to get your average cost.
Worked example
Two purchases of ETH
- Bought 1 ETH at $2,000 and 1 ETH at $3,000 → total cost $5,000 for 2 ETH
- Average cost = $5,000 ÷ 2 = $2,500 per ETH
- Sell 2 ETH at $2,800 → proceeds $5,600 (ignoring fees)
Profit = $5,600 − $5,000 = $600, a 12% return on average cost.
The Average Price Calculator does this for any number of buys.
Realized vs unrealized gains
- Unrealized: the gain on coins you still hold, based on today's price. It changes as the price moves.
- Realized: the gain locked in when you sell or swap. This is usually what matters for taxes.
A note on taxes
In the US, the IRS treats cryptocurrency as property. Selling, swapping one coin for another or spending crypto can create a taxable gain or loss, and how long you held it affects the rate. Keep records of every buy, sell and fee. This guide does not give tax advice.
Calculate your own gains
- Enter your buy price, sell price, quantity and fees in the Crypto Profit/Loss Calculator.
- Use the Crypto ROI Calculator to compare returns across trades.
- Read the crypto profit and loss guide for leverage and percentage examples.
Crypto prices are highly volatile and you can lose money. All prices here are examples you can replace with your own.
Run your own numbers
Work out the gross and net profit or loss on a crypto trade after fees.
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