Crypto Arbitrage Profit Calculator
Calculate the net profit from buying a cryptocurrency on one exchange and selling it on another, after fees and withdrawal costs. Use it to quickly screen whether a price gap is wide enough to be worth trading.
About this calculator
Crypto arbitrage exploits price discrepancies for the same asset across exchanges. You buy on the cheaper exchange at Exchange 1 Price and sell on the more expensive one at Exchange 2 Price. The gross gain is: grossGain = (tradingAmount / exchange1Price) × exchange2Price − tradingAmount. From this you subtract both trading fees and the withdrawal fee to find net profit: Net Profit = (tradingAmount / exchange1Price × exchange2Price) − tradingAmount − tradingAmount × (fee1/100) − tradingAmount × (fee2/100) − withdrawalFee. If Net Profit is negative, the spread is too small to cover costs. Transfer time is also a key practical risk — prices can converge or reverse while your funds are in transit, turning a profitable trade into a loss even when the calculator shows a positive figure.
How to use
You find ETH priced at $3,000 on Exchange 1 and $3,060 on Exchange 2. You trade $15,000. Exchange 1 fee is 0.1%, Exchange 2 fee is 0.2%, and the withdrawal fee is $5. Step 1 – Coins purchased: $15,000 / $3,000 = 5 ETH. Step 2 – Sale proceeds: 5 × $3,060 = $15,300. Step 3 – Gross gain: $15,300 − $15,000 = $300. Step 4 – Fee 1: $15,000 × 0.001 = $15. Step 5 – Fee 2: $15,000 × 0.002 = $30. Step 6 – Net profit: $300 − $15 − $30 − $5 = $250. The arbitrage yields $250 on this trade.
Frequently asked questions
How do exchange trading fees affect crypto arbitrage profitability?
Trading fees are deducted on both legs of the arbitrage: once when you buy on Exchange 1 and once when you sell on Exchange 2. Even fees as low as 0.1% per side can consume a significant share of a slim price spread. For example, on a 0.5% spread with 0.2% fees on each side plus a withdrawal fee, the trade may barely break even. Always input the taker fee (not the maker fee) since arbitrage orders are typically market orders that execute immediately at the posted price. Some exchanges also charge a separate deposit fee on the receiving side, which should be folded into your withdrawal fee estimate.
What is transfer time risk in cryptocurrency arbitrage and how can it erase profits?
Transfer time risk refers to the price movement that can occur while your cryptocurrency is being transferred from Exchange 1 to Exchange 2 — a window that can range from minutes for fast chains to hours for congested networks. If the price gap closes or reverses during that window, you may sell at a lower price than anticipated and record a loss. This is why many professional arbitrageurs pre-fund accounts on both exchanges so they can execute both legs simultaneously, eliminating transfer time entirely. If you must transfer funds, prioritise blockchains with fast finality and low fees to minimise the exposure window.
When is a crypto arbitrage spread large enough to be worth pursuing?
A spread is worth pursuing only when Net Profit is positive after all fees, which requires the percentage spread to exceed the sum of both trading fee rates plus the withdrawal fee expressed as a percentage of your trading amount. As a quick screen: minimum spread % > fee1 % + fee2 % + (withdrawalFee / tradingAmount × 100). For most retail traders using exchanges with 0.1–0.2% fees, you generally need at least a 0.5–1% spread to make the trade worthwhile after accounting for slippage and transfer risk. On large trading amounts the fixed withdrawal fee becomes less significant, making small spreads more viable at scale.