A futures calculator for profit, loss and charges
A futures trade looks simple — points gained times lot size — but the money that reaches your account is smaller once brokerage, securities transaction tax, exchange fees, stamp duty and GST are taken out. This futures calculator works out the gross and net profit or loss for index and stock futures on NSE, commodity futures on MCX, or any other futures market, along with the break-even exit price, the value of a one-point move and your return on the margin blocked.
Pick the market, enter your entry and exit prices, the lot size (or price multiplier) and the number of lots, and the result updates as you type. The charge rates are pre-filled with India’s current rates and can be edited to match your broker’s contract note or another country’s fees. A small table shows what you would make or lose if you exit 0.5%, 1% or 2% either side of your entry.
How to use the Futures P&L Calculator
- Choose Equity & index, Commodity (MCX) or Other, and your currency.
- Choose Buy first (long) or Sell first (short).
- Enter the entry and exit prices, the lot size (MCX: the price multiplier) and the number of lots.
- Optionally add the margin per lot to see the return on margin.
- Check Brokerage, taxes and fees against your broker’s rates, then read the net P&L, the charges table and the break-even price.
Futures P&L Calculator features
Net, not just gross
Brokerage, STT or CTT, exchange charges, SEBI fee, stamp duty and GST, order by order.
Long and short
Short trades charge STT on the opening sale and stamp duty on the closing purchase, as on a contract note.
MCX multipliers
Commodity contracts quoted per 10 g, per kg or per barrel work through a price multiplier.
Break-even and point value
The exit price that covers all charges and what each one-point move is worth.
Return on margin
Profit or loss as a percentage of the margin blocked for the position.
Futures profit formula and charges
Gross P&L = (exit − entry) × lot size × lots for a long position, and the reverse for a short. Charges are percentages of each order’s turnover (price × lot size × lots). The Indian defaults (checked 19 October 2026): STT of 0.05% on the sell side of equity futures, raised from 0.02% by the Finance Act 2026 from 1 April 2026; commodity transaction tax of 0.01% on the sale of non-agricultural commodity futures; NSE equity futures charges of ₹183 per crore each side (circular NSE/FA/73061, 27 February 2026); MCX futures ₹2.10 per lakh; SEBI’s fee of ₹10 per crore; stamp duty of 0.002% on the buy side; and 18% GST on brokerage, exchange charges and the SEBI fee.
Worked example: one Nifty lot of 65 bought at 25,100 and sold at 25,250 makes 150 points × 65 = ₹9,750 gross. With ₹20 brokerage per order, the charges come to about ₹975 — ₹820.63 of it STT — leaving roughly ₹8,775 net. The break-even exit is about 15 points above entry. On MCX, gold quoted per 10 g with a 1 kg lot has a multiplier of 100: a ₹600 move on two lots is ₹1,20,000 gross.
Before you trade futures
- Lot sizes are set by the exchange and revised from time to time; margins are set by the exchange and your broker — use the current figures.
- Losses are not limited to the margin. Size positions with the position size calculator and set targets and stops with the risk-reward calculator.
- For options rather than futures, the options profit calculator draws the payoff at expiry.
- In India, F&O profits are generally taxed as business income; this calculator does not work out income-tax.
Futures P&L Calculator FAQ
How do you calculate profit in futures?
Subtract the entry price from the exit price (the other way round for a short), multiply by the lot size and the number of lots, then subtract all charges. The futures calculator shows the gross and the net.
What charges apply to futures trades in India?
Brokerage, STT of 0.05% on the sell side (from 1 April 2026), exchange transaction charges, the SEBI turnover fee, stamp duty of 0.002% on the buy side and 18% GST on brokerage and fees. Commodity futures pay CTT of 0.01% instead of STT.
How is MCX profit calculated?
Multiply the price move by the contract’s multiplier and lots. Gold futures quoted per 10 g with a 1 kg lot have a multiplier of 100, so a ₹500 move is ₹50,000 a lot before charges.
What is the break-even price of a futures trade?
The exit price at which the net P&L is zero after all charges — slightly above the entry for a long and below it for a short.
Can I use it to size a futures position?
Yes: the P&L per one-point move tells you what a stop costs per lot. For the number of lots that fits your risk, use the position size calculator.
Is the result exact?
It is an estimate from the rates shown; brokers round charges and may add their own fees. Calculations only, not investment advice.