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Spread Comparison Calculator

Compare what ECN, STP and market-maker accounts really cost per trade, per month and per year at your lot size and trading frequency — spread plus commission, in dollars.

Enter your trading frequency and lot size. The 'spread tax' is the total cost you must overcome just to break even — before making a single pip of profit.

Currency Pair

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Lot Size

Trades per day

Trading days per month

days

Target monthly profit

USD

Spread Cost Breakdown — 0.1 lots · 5 trades/day · 100 trades/month

Broker Type	Spread (pips)	Cost/Trade	Monthly Cost	Annual Cost	Cost vs target
ECN / Raw Best overall for active traders	0.1 + $3.5/lot/side	$0.80	$80.00	$960.00	8.0%
STP / Zero Comm Good for low-frequency traders	1.1	$1.10	$110.00	$1,320.00	11.0%
Market Maker Convenient, wider spread	1.7	$1.70	$170.00	$2,040.00	17.0%
High-cost MM Avoid for frequent trading	2.5	$2.50	$250.00	$3,000.00	25.0%

ECN vs Market Maker savings

Monthly

+$90.00

Annual

+$1,080.00

Over 5 years

+$5,400.00

Switching from a Market Maker to ECN saves you $1,080.00/year at this trading frequency.

Pips needed per trade just to cover costs

Broker Type	Break-even pips	Note
ECN / Raw	0.80	You need at least 0.8 pips of profit before any gains
STP / Zero Comm	1.10	You need at least 1.1 pips of profit before any gains
Market Maker	1.70	You need at least 1.7 pips of profit before any gains
High-cost MM	2.50	You need at least 2.5 pips of profit before any gains

Annual cost at different frequencies (same lot size)

Frequency	ECN annual	MM annual	Difference
1/day	$192	$408	+$216
3/day	$576	$1,224	+$648
5/day← current	$960	$2,040	+$1,080
10/day	$1,920	$4,080	+$2,160
20/day	$3,840	$8,160	+$4,320

Costs use indicative spreads scaled by pair. ECN/Raw accounts charge commission but have tighter spreads — usually cheaper for 3+ trades/day. All figures are per round trip: the spread is paid once, commission on both entry and exit. “Cost vs target” = monthly cost ÷ your monthly profit target. These are typical costs by account type, not specific brokers.

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Spread Comparison Calculator Formula

Spread Cost = Spread (pips) × Pip Value × Lots

Example: EUR/USD 1.2 pip spread, 1 lot: 1.2 × $10 = $12.00 per trade

Spread Comparison Calculator FAQ

How is spread cost calculated?

Spread cost = Spread (in pips) × Pip value × Lots. For EUR/USD at 1.2 pip spread and 1 lot: 1.2 × $10 = $12 per trade.

Why do spreads matter so much?

Spreads are paid on every trade. A 0.5-pip difference at 10 trades/day = 5 pips/day = ~100 pips/month. At 1 lot, that's $1,000/month in extra costs.

What is a good spread for EUR/USD?

Top ECN brokers offer EUR/USD spreads of 0.0-0.3 pips plus commission. Standard accounts typically show 0.8-1.5 pips with no commission. Anything above 2 pips is considered expensive.

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Calculator results are estimates only — not financial advice. Trading involves significant risk of loss. Full risk disclosure.