CATCO Tools

Fee, Spread & Slippage Calculator

Measure the all-in round-trip drag from commissions, quoted spread and slippage.

Browser calculation
EXECUTION INPUT
COST OUTPUT
TOTAL ROUND-TRIP COST$50.00BASED ON YOUR INPUTS
COMMISSIONS$20.00
SPREAD$20.00
SLIPPAGE$10.00
BREAKEVEN MOVE0.5%
NET CAPITAL$9,950.00

Fee, Spread & Slippage Calculator calculation coverage

  1. 01

    Round-trip commissions

  2. 02

    Spread and slippage

  3. 03

    Required breakeven move

Actual fills vary with liquidity, order type, volatility and venue rules.

Overview

About this tool

An execution cost calculator combines commissions, bid-ask spread and expected slippage to estimate the all-in drag of opening and closing a trade. It also shows how far price must move before the trade breaks even.

Method

How it works

Round-trip cost adds entry and exit commission, spread paid across execution and slippage on both sides. Cost percentage divides total cost by position notional.

Inputs and outputs used by the Fee, Spread & Slippage Calculator
ParameterHow it is used
Position valueNotional amount subject to costs.
CommissionExplicit venue or broker fee.
SpreadDifference between tradable bid and ask.
SlippageExpected deviation from quoted execution price.
Worked example

The price of a round trip

$10,000 trade value, 0.1% fee per side, 0.05% full spread and 0.02% slippage per side.

Fees = $20. Spread = $5. Slippage = $4. Total estimated cost = $29.

The modeled cost is $29, equivalent to a 0.29% move on the entry trade value.

The spread is counted once for the round trip. Entering a full round-trip slippage estimate as a per-side value would double it.

How to use this tool

  1. Enter the planned position notional.
  2. Add commission, typical spread and a realistic slippage assumption.
  3. Compare all-in cost and breakeven move across venues or order types.
Common questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between spread and slippage?

Spread is the gap between quoted bid and ask. Slippage is the difference between the expected execution price and the actual fill.

Why calculate round-trip cost?

A completed trade usually pays costs both when opening and closing, so one-sided fees understate the price move needed to profit.

Can a zero-commission trade still be expensive?

Yes. Wide spreads, slippage, payment arrangements or poor fills can create significant cost even when explicit commission is zero.