Crypto Return Calculator: How to Measure Profit, % Gain, ROI & Annualized Return

Crypto Return Calculator: The Complete, Practical Guide (Spot & Futures)

A crypto return calculator converts your trade idea into hard numbers: profit (PnL), percentage return, ROI on margin, and annualized return for any holding period. This guide explains how it works, which inputs matter (fees, funding, leverage), and gives copy-ready formulas with examples. When you’re ready to model full scenarios, try our Free Crypto Profit Calculator.

What is a crypto return calculator?

It’s a tool that measures how much a crypto position gained or lost, in both currency and percentage terms, over any period. A good calculator accounts for fees (maker/taker), funding/borrow on perps or margin, and your true capital at risk (spot cost or initial margin) to report accurate ROI.

Inputs & outputs (what to enter, what you get)

Input	Meaning
Entry Price Pentry	Your buy price (spot/long) or sell price (short).
Exit Price Pexit	Your sell price (spot/long) or buy-back price (short).
Quantity Q	Asset size (e.g., 0.5 BTC).
Fees fopen, fclose	Maker/taker as decimals (e.g., 0.001 = 0.10%).
Fixed Costs C	Total funding/borrow/other costs in currency terms for the whole position.
Capital Base	For spot: cost after fees. For margin/perps: initial margin posted.

Outputs: Net PnL ($), Percentage Return (%), ROI on margin (%), and optionally Annualized Return if you provide a holding period.

Formulas you’ll actually use

Let fees be decimals. Use f_open for entry, f_close for exit. Quantity is Q. Fixed costs are C in currency.

1) Profit / Loss (PnL)

Long / Spot: PnL = Q · [ P_exit(1 − f_close) − P_entry(1 + f_open) ] − C

Short: PnL = Q · [ P_entry(1 − f_open) − P_exit(1 + f_close) ] − C

2) Percentage Return

Spot: divide PnL by your cost after fees Base = Q · P_entry(1 + f_open)

% Return = PnL ÷ Base

Margin/Perps: divide by initial margin (or equity committed): % Return (ROI) = PnL ÷ Margin

3) Annualized Return (for any holding days d)

Annualized = (1 + %Return)^365/d − 1

For multi-year holds, use CAGR: CAGR = (Ending / Starting)^1/years − 1

4) Breakeven (handy to verify)

Long: P_breakeven = [ P_entry(1 + f_open) + C / Q ] ÷ (1 − f_close)

Short: P_breakeven = [ P_entry(1 − f_open) − C / Q ] ÷ (1 + f_close)

Worked examples

Example A — Spot trade: PnL, % Return

• Inputs: Buy Q=2 ETH at P_entry=3,000, sell at P_exit=3,240, fees 0.10% each side, C=0.
• Cost base: Base = 2 · 3,000 · 1.001 = $6,006
• Proceeds: 2 · 3,240 · 0.999 = $6,473.52
• PnL: $6,473.52 − $6,006 = $467.52
• % Return: 467.52 ÷ 6,006 ≈ 7.78%

Example B — 45-day hold: Annualized return

• Inputs: Long 1 BTC at 20,000, sell at 22,000 after 45 days, fees 0.10% each side, C=0.
• PnL: [22,000·0.999 − 20,000·1.001] = 21,978 − 20,020 = $1,958
• % Return: 1,958 ÷ 20,020 ≈ 9.78%
• Annualized: (1 + 0.0978)^365/45 − 1 ≈ 113.15%

Example C — Perp with leverage: ROI on margin

• Inputs: Long Q=0.5 BTC at 20,000 with 10×, exit at 20,500, fees 0.05% each side, funding C=$10.
• PnL: 0.5 · [20,500·(1−0.0005) − 20,000·(1+0.0005)] − 10 ≈ $229.88
• Initial margin: (0.5 · 20,000)/10 = $1,000
• ROI on margin: 229.88 ÷ 1,000 ≈ 22.99%

Advanced: Time-Weighted vs Money-Weighted returns

If you add or withdraw capital during the period (DCA, partial exits), raw % return can mislead. Two better approaches:

• Time-Weighted Return (TWR): Split the timeline into sub-periods between external cashflows; multiply each sub-period growth factor. Neutralizes timing of deposits/withdrawals.
• Money-Weighted Return (IRR/XIRR): The discount rate r that solves ∑ CF_t / (1 + r)^t = 0, using dated cashflows. Reflects your personal cash timing.

Tip: For straightforward trades, % Return or ROI is enough. For portfolios with many cashflows, TWR/IRR tells the true story.

Common mistakes that skew returns

• Ignoring fees/funding: Tiny percentages move results. Always apply fees on both entry and exit and subtract funding/borrow.
• Wrong capital base: Spot uses cost after fees; margin uses initial margin. Mixing them distorts ROI.
• Forgetting direction: Short formulas invert the price terms; be careful with signs.
• Comparing non-annualized to annualized: Convert to annualized when comparing across different holding periods.

Open an account & optimize trading costs

Lower fees and deeper books improve net returns. Consider opening on multiple exchanges:

Related: Home • Free Crypto Profit Calculator

FAQ: Crypto Return Calculator

What does a crypto return calculator measure?

It calculates PnL ($), percentage return, ROI on margin, and—if you provide holding days—annualized return.

How do I factor in fees and funding?

Apply maker/taker fees on both legs and subtract total funding/borrow as a currency cost C in the PnL formula.

What’s the difference between % Return and ROI on margin?

% Return divides PnL by spot cost after fees. ROI on margin divides PnL by initial margin (or capital posted) for leveraged trades.

How do I annualize a short-term return?

Use (1 + %Return)^365/d − 1 where d is holding days. For multi-year periods, use CAGR.

What if I added money midway (DCA)?

Use Time-Weighted Return (neutralizes cash timing) or Money-Weighted Return (IRR/XIRR) based on dated cashflows.