Brokerage Fees Calculator: Calculate Forex, Crypto & Stock Fees

When trading online—whether in Forex, stocks, or cryptocurrency—fees are an unavoidable part of the process. If you don’t account for them properly, they can eat into your profits more than you might expect.

In Forex trading, the main cost is the spread, which is the difference between the buy and sell price of a currency pair. In crypto trading, exchanges typically charge maker-taker fees or commission-based fees, depending on the type of order you place.

Understanding these costs is crucial because knowing exactly how much you're paying per trade allows you to manage risk and maximize returns. That’s why we’ve created a Brokerage Fees Calculator to help you estimate your trading costs in advance and choose the most cost-effective broker.

But how do trading fees work? And what should you expect to pay? Let’s break it all down.

What Are Brokerage Fees?

Brokerage fees or trading fees are the charges applied when you buy or sell an asset—whether it’s a currency pair, stock, or cryptocurrency. These fees are how brokers and trading platforms make money, and they can vary widely depending on:

• The market you trade in
• The broker or exchange you use
• The type of trade you place

At first glance, these fees might seem small, but if you trade frequently, they add up fast. Even small percentage-based fees can have a significant impact on your long-term profits.

Types of Trading Fees in the Philippines

Each market has different fee structures, but these are the most common types of charges traders encounter:

• Spreads (Forex & CFDs): The spread is the difference between the buy (bid) price and the sell (ask) price of an asset. The wider the spread, the higher your trading cost.
• Commissions (Stocks & Crypto): Some brokers charge a fixed percentage per trade, especially in stocks and cryptocurrency trading.
• Overnight Fees (Swap Fees): If you hold a leveraged position overnight in Forex or CFDs, you’ll be charged interest on that trade.
• Deposit & Withdrawal Fees: Some brokers and exchanges charge fees for transferring funds in and out of your trading account.

Let’s take a deeper look at how these fees affect your trading costs.

How Are Trading and Brokerage Fees Calculated?

Forex Trading: The Cost of Spreads

Unlike stock trading, where commissions are common, most Forex brokers make money through spreads.

For example, when trading USD/PHP, you’ll notice two prices—one for buying and one for selling. The spread is measured in PIPs, which represent a unit of movement in currency pairs.

The cost of a trade depends on your lot size:

If the spread on USD/PHP is 1.5 PIPs, then:

• A Standard Lot trade would cost ₱750 (1.5 × ₱500).
• A Mini Lot trade would cost ₱75 (1.5 × ₱50).
• A Micro Lot trade would cost ₱7.50 (1.5 × ₱5).

For traders who place multiple trades per day, these costs add up quickly.

Stock Trading: Commission Fees in the Philippines

Stock trading fees depend on which broker you use. Some platforms offer commission-free trading, while others charge a fee per trade.

Here are some common Philippine stock brokers and their fees:

If you trade stocks regularly, choosing a broker with low or no commissions can save you a significant amount over time.

Crypto Trading: Maker & Taker Fees

Cryptocurrency exchanges in the Philippines typically charge fees based on the maker-taker model:

• Maker Fees apply when you add liquidity by placing a limit order.
• Taker Fees apply when you remove liquidity by placing a market order.

Here’s a look at the maker and taker fees on popular crypto exchanges available in the Philippines:

For example

Let’s say you’re buying ₱50,000 worth of Bitcoin on an exchange that charges a 0.5% taker fee.

• ₱50,000 × 0.5% = ₱250
• So, you would pay ₱250 in taker fees on this trade.

If you later sell your Bitcoin for ₱60,000 with the same 0.5% fee:

• ₱60,000 × 0.5% = ₱300

Your total fees for both trades would be ₱550 (₱250 + ₱300).

For frequent traders, these costs add up quickly. To reduce your fees, consider using limit orders instead of market orders, as maker fees are usually lower.

Why Use a Brokerage Fees Calculator?

A Trading Fee Calculator is a tool that helps you estimate the fees associated with your trades before you place them.

Why It’s Useful

✅ Helps you know your trading costs upfront.
✅ Allows you to compare different brokers and exchanges.
✅ Improves risk management by showing how fees impact profits.
✅ Helps you optimize your trading strategy over time.

By simply entering details like your trading instrument, trade size, and broker, the calculator provides an instant breakdown of your expected costs.

How to Avoid Brokerage Fees

While trading fees are unavoidable, there are ways to reduce or eliminate them, depending on the market and broker/exchange you use.

• Use Commission-Free Brokers: Some brokers offer zero-commission trading on stocks. In the Philippines, watch for promos from COL Financial, First Metro Sec, or BDO Securities.
• Choose a Low-Fee Crypto Exchange: Binance and Coins.ph offer lower fees than many alternatives.
• Use Limit Orders Instead of Market Orders: Taker fees apply to market orders executed immediately. By placing limit orders, you may avoid taker fees and pay a lower maker fee.
• Trade on Fee-Free Days: Some brokers and exchanges waive trading fees on special days. Keep an eye out for these promotions!
• Use Exchange Tokens for Discounts: Binance (BNB token) and PDAX offer discounts if you use their native tokens to pay for fees.
• Increase Your Trading Volume: Many exchanges lower fees for high-volume traders.

Expert advice

Understanding trading fees is crucial for managing costs and maximizing profits. Whether you’re trading Forex, stocks, or crypto, fees can quickly eat into your earnings if you don’t pay attention.

Use our Trading Fee Calculator to estimate your trading costs and make smarter, more cost-effective trading decisions! 

P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.