Track Your Cost Basis
Your cost basis is the total amount you paid — buy price × shares + any commissions. This is your starting point for calculating gains or losses.
Calculate your stock trading profit and return on investment instantly. Enter your buy price, sell price, and number of shares to see your total profit, percentage gain, and ROI — with real-time visual breakdowns.
See your investment performance through real-time interactive charts.
Stock gain (or capital gain) is the profit you make when you sell a stock for more than you paid. It's calculated by subtracting your purchase price from your selling price, then multiplying by the number of shares.
Return on Investment (ROI) expresses your gain as a percentage of your original investment, making it easy to compare different trades regardless of the amounts involved. A 61% ROI means you earned $0.61 for every $1 invested.
Capital gains are classified as short-term (held less than 1 year) or long-term (held 1+ years). Long-term gains are taxed at preferential rates (0%, 15%, or 20%), while short-term gains are taxed as ordinary income.
Your cost basis is the total amount you paid — buy price × shares + any commissions. This is your starting point for calculating gains or losses.
Subtract buy price from sell price for per-share gain, then multiply by the number of shares. Don't forget to account for trading fees if applicable.
ROI = (Profit ÷ Total Invested) × 100. This gives you a comparable metric. A $100 gain on a $200 investment (50% ROI) is better than a $100 gain on a $1,000 investment (10% ROI).
Stocks held less than 1 year are taxed as ordinary income (10-37% depending on bracket). Day traders and swing traders face higher tax rates.
Stocks held 1+ years qualify for preferential rates: 0% (up to ~$44K), 15% (up to ~$492K), or 20% (above ~$492K). Holding longer saves significantly on taxes.
You can offset gains by selling losing positions. Up to $3,000 in net losses can offset ordinary income per year, with excess carrying forward to future years.
Qualified dividends are taxed at long-term capital gains rates. Non-qualified dividends are taxed as ordinary income. This calculator focuses on capital gains only.
Click any example to load it into the calculator.
Bought 50 AAPL at $150, sold at $210.
200 shares: $25 → $45.
30 shares: bought at $350, sold at $310.
500 shares of a startup: $10 → $180.
Profit = (Sell Price − Buy Price) × Number of Shares. For example, buying 100 shares at $45 and selling at $72.50 gives you ($72.50 − $45) × 100 = $2,750 profit.
ROI = (Profit ÷ Total Investment) × 100. If you invested $4,500 and made $2,750 profit, your ROI is 61.11%. This lets you compare returns across different investments regardless of the amounts involved.
This calculator focuses on capital gains (price appreciation). To include dividends in your total return, add any dividends received to your total profit before calculating ROI.
Short-term gains (held <1 year) are taxed as ordinary income (10-37%). Long-term gains (held 1+ years) are taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your income bracket. Always consult a tax professional.
Most major brokerages now offer commission-free trading. If you do pay fees, add them to your buy price or subtract from your sell price for a more accurate profit calculation.
Have questions, feedback, or partnership inquiries? We'd love to hear from you.
support@percentageincrease-calculator.com
We aim to respond within 24 hours on business days.