Stock Break-Even Calculator
Find the price a stock must reach to break even.
Results update as you type.
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How it works
The break-even price shown here is the share price a stock must reach for your position to cover its full cost, including the trading fees you paid to buy it. It matters because your true cost is not just the price per share — commissions, spreads and other fees raise the bar the stock must clear before you actually make a profit, and ignoring them makes a position look profitable when it is not yet. This stock break-even calculator adds your total purchase cost and fees, then divides by the number of shares to find the per-share price at which selling would return exactly what you put in, with no gain and no loss. Investors and traders use the break-even price to set realistic profit targets, to decide where to place sell orders, and to understand how much fees eat into small or frequent trades. The effect of fees is proportionally larger on small positions, so the break-even price sits noticeably above the buy price when you hold few shares, and barely above it when you hold many. Keep in mind this calculation covers the fees to buy; if you also pay a fee to sell, or owe taxes on any gain, your real break-even is a little higher still. Use it as a clear floor for what the stock must earn just to leave you even.
Break-even price = (buy price × shares + total fees) ÷ shares
Buy price times the number of shares is your total spent on the shares themselves, and adding the total fees gives the complete cash outlay to open the position. Dividing that combined cost by the number of shares spreads it evenly across every share, producing the per-share price at which selling would exactly return your outlay. Any price above the break-even yields a profit; any price below it a loss. Because fees are fixed while shares vary, the break-even sits further above the buy price when you own fewer shares.
Source:U.S. SEC — Investor.gov
We review all our tools from time to time to ensure accuracy.
Worked example
How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter your values
Enter buy price per share, number of shares and total fees.
- 2
Adjust the options
Fine-tune any options to match your situation.
- 3
Read your result
Break-even price updates instantly as you type — no button to press.
Frequently asked questions
What is a stock break-even price?
The break-even price is the share price at which selling your holding returns exactly what you invested, leaving neither a profit nor a loss. It includes not only the price you paid per share but also the trading fees you incurred to buy. Reaching this price means you have recovered your full cost; only above it do you start making an actual gain. It is a practical floor for setting profit targets.
Why do fees raise my break-even price?
Fees add to your total cost without adding any shares, so the stock must rise enough to recover both the purchase price and those fees before you profit. Spread across your shares, the fees lift the per-share price you need to reach. On small positions this bump is proportionally larger, which is why frequent trading of small amounts can be quietly expensive: the stock has to climb further each time just to cover costs.
Does this include the cost of selling?
This calculation covers the fees you paid to buy the shares. If your broker also charges a fee to sell, your true break-even is slightly higher, because you must recover that selling cost too. Likewise, taxes on any realized gain further raise the price at which you keep money after everything. For a conservative target, add any expected selling fee to the total fees, or treat the result as a minimum.
How does the number of shares affect break-even?
The buy price per share is unaffected by share count, but fixed fees are spread across however many shares you own. With few shares, the fees add a larger amount per share, pushing the break-even noticeably above the buy price. With many shares, the same fees are diluted across the position, so the break-even sits only marginally above the purchase price. Larger positions therefore absorb fixed trading costs more efficiently.
Should I factor in taxes and dividends?
This tool focuses on price and trading fees, not taxes or income. If you sell at a gain, capital gains tax reduces what you keep, effectively raising your real break-even, while any dividends received while holding lower your effective cost. For a precise after-tax break-even, adjust for your tax rate and any dividends collected. Use the figure here as a clean, pre-tax floor for the price the stock must reach.