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Create AccountBreak Even Calculator
Find the price a trade has to reach before costs are covered and it starts to make money.
Your Result
The calculation runs in your browser. Rates used for currency conversion are indicative — check your broker for the exact figure.
A trade does not become profitable at your entry price. It becomes profitable once the price has moved far enough to cover the spread you paid, the commission on both sides, and any swap charged for holding it. Until then, closing at the entry price is a small loss.
The gap is easy to ignore on a swing trade and impossible to ignore on a scalp. On a one pip target with a 1.2 pip spread, the trade was never going to work — and this calculator shows that before the order is placed.
When to use it
- Before setting a tight target, to check it clears the costs.
- When moving a stop to break even — the true level is not the entry price.
- On a position held for several nights, where swap has quietly accumulated.
- When comparing a zero-commission account against a raw spread one.
Every cost is converted into pips, then added to the entry in the direction of the trade.
Total Cost = Spread Cost + Commission + Swap
Cost in Pips = Total Cost ÷ (Pip Value per Lot × Lots)
Break Even = Entry ± (Cost in Pips × Pip Size)- Commission is charged per lot, usually round turn, so a 1.00 lot trade at $7 costs $7 in total rather than per side.
- Swap is negative for most positions but can be positive on the right side of an interest differential.
- On a sell the break-even level sits below the entry, because price has to fall further to cover the same cost.
A one lot buy on EUR/USD at 1.0850, 1.2 pip spread, $7 commission, no swap yet.
Working: 1.2 pips × $10 = $12, plus $7 commission = $19. At $10 per pip that is 1.9 pips, so price must reach 1.08519 before the trade is level. A two pip scalp on this setup nets one tenth of a pip.
Should I move my stop to the entry price or the break-even price?
The break-even price, if you want the trade to actually cost nothing. Moving a stop to the entry leaves you closing at a small loss equal to the costs.
Is commission per side or round turn?
It varies. Most raw-spread accounts quote it round turn, meaning the figure covers opening and closing. If yours charges per side, double the number you enter here.
Why does swap matter so much on some pairs?
Because it reflects the interest difference between the two currencies. On a pair with a wide differential, holding for a week can cost more than the spread did.
Does a wider spread always mean worse?
Not necessarily. A zero-commission account with a wider spread can work out cheaper than a raw account with commission, depending on your size. Compare total cost, not one component.
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