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Forex Profit & Loss Calculator
Enter your entry and exit, the direction and size, and see the gross profit or loss on the trade in your account currency.
The trade
Result
See what a real trade would cost you
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Educational tools for non-US traders · not directed at US persons.
Profit or loss = (close − open) × direction × lots × contract size, then converted into your account currency. Buying 8 lots of GBP/USD from 1.27140 to 1.27165 is a 2.5-pip gain: 0.00025 × 8 × 100,000 = +$200. This is the gross result — subtract spread, commission and swap for the net.
How it works
What this calculates
It turns a price move into money. You give the open and close prices, whether you bought or sold, and the position size; it returns the profit or loss in the pair's quote currency and then in your account currency.
The formula
price change = (close − open) × direction (direction is +1 for a buy, −1 for a sell)
P&L (quote) = price change × units, where units = lots × contract size
Then convert to your account currency: if it is the quote currency, no change; if it is the base currency, divide by the close price; if it is a third currency, multiply by the quote→account rate. This direct method does not depend on pip size, which makes it robust across yen pairs, gold and indices.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the pair and pick Buy/Long or Sell/Short.
- Enter your account currency and the trade size in lots.
- Enter the open and close prices.
- If the account currency is a third currency, add the conversion rate that appears.
Worked example 1 — a long that wins
Buy 8 lots of GBP/USD at 1.27140 and close at 1.27165. The move is 0.00025, or 2.5 pips. Profit is 0.00025 × 8 × 100,000 = +$200 on a USD account.
Worked example 2 — a short that wins
Sell 1 lot of EUR/USD at 1.2000 and close at 1.1950. Because it is a short, the 0.0050 fall is a gain: 0.0050 × 1 × 100,000 = +$500. Flip the direction and the same move would be a $500 loss.
When this matters
Use it to pre-check a target before you place the order, to compare two exits, or to confirm a closed trade's result. Pairing it with the Spread Cost Calculator turns the gross figure into the net you actually keep.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up direction. A short profits when price falls. The direction sign handles this — make sure you set Buy or Sell correctly.
- Forgetting the base-currency conversion. On a USD account trading USD/JPY, the raw P&L is in yen and must be divided by the close price to become dollars.
- Calling it net profit. This is gross. Spread, commission and overnight swap all come out before you see the figure in your balance.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate profit on a forex trade?
(close − open) × direction × lots × contract size.What is the profit on 8 lots of GBP/USD for a 2.5-pip move?
0.00025 × 8 × 100,000 = $200 in the quote currency, USD.