Free calculator · USD accounts
Trading Cost Calculator
Spread, commission and overnight swap added up, in dollars and in pips.
- Total cost
- $15.00
- Spread
- $8.00
- Commission
- $7.00
- Swap
- $0.00
- Cost in pips
- 1.5 pips
The trade has to move this many pips in your favor before it breaks even.
How it works
- Spread cost
spread in pips × pip value- Total
spread + commission × lots + swap × lots × nights
Worked example
- One lot of EUR/USD with a 0.8-pip spread costs 0.8 × $10 = $8.
- A $7 round-turn commission brings it to $15.
- $15 ÷ $10 per pip = 1.5 pips. The trade must move 1.5 pips your way to break even.
Raw spread or spread-only accounts
Brokers usually offer an account with tight raw spreads plus a commission, and one with wider spreads and no commission. Compare the total per lot, not the headline spread.
For signal followers costs matter more than they look, because many signals target only 20 to 40 pips. A 2-pip cost on a 20-pip target takes a tenth of the profit.
Swap
Positions held past the broker's daily cut-off pay or receive swap, based on the interest rate difference between the two currencies. Wednesday nights usually charge three days to cover the weekend. Your broker's platform shows the current rates.
Questions
What does round turn mean?
The commission for opening and closing one lot. Some brokers quote it per side, which is half the round-turn figure.
Can swap be positive?
Yes. Holding the higher-yielding currency can earn swap, though brokers' markups often make both directions a cost. Enter a negative number for a swap you receive.
Why do spreads widen?
Around major news, at the daily rollover and in quiet hours, liquidity drops and spreads can be several times their usual level.