Forex Spread Cost Calculator
Turn the spread into money per trade, per month and per year.
Contract specs: 1 lot = 100,000 units, 1 pip = 0.0001
Standard forex lots are 100,000 units of the base currency. Check the contract specification in your broker's platform (MT4/MT5: right-click the symbol → Specification).
Ask minus bid.
Optional. Round turn.
Optional, for the monthly and yearly cost.
More options: spread from bid and ask
Cost per trade
$12.00
1.20 pips × 1.00 lots
Cost in pips
1.20 pips
spread only
Cost per lot
$12.00
$10.00 per pip
Cost per month
$240.00
20 trades
Cost per year
$2,880.00
20 trades a month for 12 months
Show the math
- Pip value per lot
0.0001 × 100,000 = 10 USD - Spread cost
1.20 pips × $10.00 × 1.00 lots = $12.00 - Cost per month
$12.00 × 20 trades = $240.00
You pay the spread once per round trip (open at the ask, close at the bid). Swap is extra.
Rates from ECB, gold-api.com, CoinGecko, FX reference 2026-10-14, checked 02:42 UTC. Use your broker's live quote to trade.
Quick answer
Spread cost = spread in pips × pip value per lot × lots, paid once per round trip. A 1.2-pip spread on one standard lot of EUR/USD ($10 per pip) costs $12 per trade, or $240 a month at 20 trades.
Worked examples: Trading costs
Cost of the spread per lot for each instrument
You pay the spread once per trade, at entry. Find your broker's spread for the instrument across the top: the cell is what it costs on 1.00 lot in US dollars. For 0.10 lot divide by 10, for 0.01 lot by 100.
| Instrument | Pip / point | 0.5 pip / pt | 1 pip / pt | 2 pip / pt | 5 pip / pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forex majors | |||||
| EUR/USD | 0.0001 | $5.00 | $10.00 | $20.00 | $50.00 |
| GBP/USD | 0.0001 | $5.00 | $10.00 | $20.00 | $50.00 |
| USD/JPY | 0.01 | $3.16 | $6.31 | $12.62 | $31.56 |
| USD/CHF | 0.0001 | $6.00 | $12.00 | $24.00 | $59.99 |
| AUD/USD | 0.0001 | $5.00 | $10.00 | $20.00 | $50.00 |
| USD/CAD | 0.0001 | $3.52 | $7.03 | $14.07 | $35.16 |
| Forex crosses | |||||
| EUR/GBP | 0.0001 | $6.63 | $13.27 | $26.53 | $66.33 |
| EUR/JPY | 0.01 | $3.16 | $6.31 | $12.62 | $31.56 |
| GBP/JPY | 0.01 | $3.16 | $6.31 | $12.62 | $31.56 |
| Metals | |||||
| XAU/USDGold | 0.1 | $5.00 | $10.00 | $20.00 | $50.00 |
| XAG/USDSilver | 0.01 | $25.00 | $50.00 | $100.00 | $250.00 |
| Indices | |||||
| US30Dow Jones 30 | 1 | $0.500 | $1.00 | $2.00 | $5.00 |
| NAS100Nasdaq 100 | 1 | $0.500 | $1.00 | $2.00 | $5.00 |
| GER40DAX 40 | 1 | $0.560 | $1.12 | $2.24 | $5.60 |
| Energy | |||||
| USOILWTI Crude Oil | 0.01 | $5.00 | $10.00 | $20.00 | $50.00 |
| Crypto | |||||
| BTC/USDBitcoin | 1 | $0.500 | $1.00 | $2.00 | $5.00 |
Reference rates: ECB, gold-api.com, CoinGecko · FX reference date . Values update hourly.
Spread cost = spread × pip value per lot × lots. Indices, oil and bitcoin spreads are quoted in points. Commission, if your account charges it, comes on top.
What is the Forex Spread Cost Calculator?
The spread is the gap between the bid and ask price. You buy at the ask and sell at the bid, so every round trip starts with this cost before price has moved. The spread cost calculator turns the spread into money per trade, per month and per year.
Spread cost = Spread (pips) × Pip value per lot × Lots
A 1.2-pip spread on one standard lot of EUR/USD, where a pip is $10, costs $12 per trade. At 20 trades a month that is $240 a month, or $2,880 a year. The spread is paid once per round trip, not on both the open and the close; commission and swap come on top.
How to use this calculator
- Instrument and Account currency — a conversion rate field appears when one is needed, with a reference rate filled in.
- Spread (pips) — ask minus bid as your platform shows it (points for indices, oil and crypto).
- Position size (lots).
- Trades per month (optional) — for the monthly and yearly totals.
- Commission per lot (optional) — round turn; adds an all-in cost.
- More options — enter bid and ask to work out the spread.
The result shows the cost per trade, the cost per month and per year, and the spread cost per lot. Use Contract specs for non-standard contracts; Show the math gives the pip value and each step, and Copy link with these numbers saves the inputs.
Worked example
EUR/USD. 1.2 pips × $10 × 1 lot = $12 per trade; 20 trades a month = $240.
GBP/JPY, USD account, USD/JPY at 150. 2.5 pips × $6.67 × 0.5 lots = $8.33 per trade.
Gold. A $0.25 spread is 2.5 pips of $0.10, so 2.5 × $10 = $25 per lot.
When to use it
- Comparing brokers or account types — together with commission.
- Short-term trading — on small targets the spread is a large share of the gain.
- Reviewing costs — the yearly figure shows how much frequent trading costs.
Common mistakes
- Using the advertised minimum spread. Average spreads are higher, and they widen around news, at the daily rollover and in thin markets.
- Counting the spread twice. It is paid once per round trip.
- Comparing spreads without commission. A raw-spread account with commission can cost more or less than a wider spread with none.
- Forgetting the conversion. On crosses and non-USD accounts, a pip is not $10.
Frequently asked questions
Is the spread charged on entry and exit?
Once per round trip. You buy at the ask and sell at the bid, so the total cost for opening and closing is one spread — assuming the spread is the same at both moments.
What is a typical EUR/USD spread?
On liquid hours it is often below 1 pip on raw-spread accounts (which charge commission) and around 1 to 1.5 pips on spread-only accounts. Check your broker's average spreads, not the minimum.
Why do spreads widen during news?
Liquidity providers pull back and prices move quickly, so the gap between bid and ask grows. Spreads also widen at the daily rollover and when markets are thin.
Fixed or variable spreads?
Fixed spreads are predictable but usually wider on average. Variable spreads are tighter most of the time but can widen sharply. Compare total costs for the hours you actually trade.
Can I avoid spread costs?
No, but you can reduce them: trade liquid instruments during their most active hours, avoid trading right around major releases, and compare total costs across account types.
Related calculators
- Forex Commission Calculator
Work out what broker commission costs per trade, per month and in pips, whether it is quoted per lot, per million notional (cTrader) or as a percentage of the position value.
- Break-Even Price Calculator
Find the price a trade has to reach to cover its spread and commission.
- Pip Calculator
See what one pip or point is worth for any position size, converted into your account currency.
- Forex Profit Calculator
Calculate the profit or loss of a trade in pips and in your account currency, from entry, exit and position size.
Brokers we partner with
Affiliate links. calc.forex is free and funded by affiliate commissions: if you open an account through a broker link on this site, we may be paid by the broker at no extra cost to you. This never changes the numbers our calculators produce.
| Broker | Rating | Regulators | Min deposit | EUR/USD spread | Features | Open account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AvaTrade Most Trusted | 4.6/5 | ASIC, CBI, FSCA, FSA, ADGM | $100 | from 0.9 pips | MT4, MT5 | Open account |
 eToro Best for Beginners | 4.5/5 | FCA, CySEC, ASIC | $50 | from 1.0 pips | Social Trading, Copy Trading | Open account |
 PrimeXBT Lowest Spreads | 4.7/5 | St. Vincent and Grenadines | $10 | from 0.1 pips | Crypto Trading, Low Spreads | Open account |
 Skilling Best Execution | 4.8/5 | CySEC, FSA | $100 | from 0.0 pips | 0.0 Spreads, Fast Execution | Open account |
- Regulators
- ASIC, CBI, FSCA, FSA, ADGM
- Min deposit
- $100
- EUR/USD
- from 0.9 pips
- Regulators
- FCA, CySEC, ASIC
- Min deposit
- $50
- EUR/USD
- from 1.0 pips
- Regulators
- St. Vincent and Grenadines
- Min deposit
- $10
- EUR/USD
- from 0.1 pips
- Regulators
- CySEC, FSA
- Min deposit
- $100
- EUR/USD
- from 0.0 pips
Risk warning: CFDs and leveraged forex are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74–89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with the brokers listed here. Consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.