Crypto Arbitrage Fees & Profit Calculator (2026)
The spread you see on a table is not your profit. Real arbitrage profit is what’s left after trading fees, withdrawals, slippage, and the time it takes to move funds. This guide gives you a simple calculator-style framework you can use before you click “Buy”.
The core profit formula (quick)
Use this as a starting point:
Net Profit ≈ (Sell Price − Buy Price) × Size − Trading Fees − Withdrawal Fees − Slippage − Funding/Interest − Taxes/FX
“Size” is your position size in the base asset (e.g., 1 ETH). The hard part is estimating the hidden costs (slippage + delay).
Step-by-step: what to include (the full checklist)
1) Trading fees (both sides)
- Buy fee: maker/taker fee on the buy exchange.
- Sell fee: maker/taker fee on the sell exchange.
- Tip: if you must execute instantly, assume taker fees.
2) Withdrawal & network fees
- Withdrawal fee: exchange fee for moving the asset out.
- Network fee: sometimes included, sometimes separate (depends on exchange + chain).
- Hidden risk: some chains have unpredictable fees and variable confirmation times.
3) Slippage (and orderbook depth)
Slippage is what happens when your order moves the market (or gets filled across multiple levels). Even a “good” spread can disappear when you try to trade size.
0.05%–0.30% for small liquid trades, and increase for larger size or thin books.
Then validate by looking at depth on each exchange.
4) Transfer time (delay risk)
If it takes 5–30 minutes to move funds, the sell price can move against you. That’s “delay risk”. You can model it with a conservative buffer:
Delay Buffer ≈ Volatility_per_minute × Transfer_minutes × Position_value
You don’t need perfect math—just don’t assume it’s zero.
Worked example (simple, realistic)
You spot a spread on ETH between Exchange A (buy) and Exchange B (sell). Assume:
| Input | Assumption | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buy price | $2,000 | Exchange A |
| Sell price | $2,020 | Exchange B |
| Size | 1 ETH | Position value ≈ $2,000 |
| Trading fees | 0.10% buy + 0.10% sell | Taker fees assumption |
| Withdrawal fee | $6 | Exchange + network |
| Slippage | $3 | Small order, liquid book |
| Delay buffer | $4 | Conservative |
Gross spread: ($2,020 − $2,000) × 1 = $20
Trading fees: $2,000×0.10% + $2,020×0.10% ≈ $4.02
Other costs: $6 + $3 + $4 = $13
Net profit: $20 − $4.02 − $13 ≈ $2.98
This is why “big spreads” on paper often turn into tiny net profit—or even loss—without careful cost accounting.
How to improve net profit (without taking reckless risk)
- Lower fees: qualify for VIP tiers or use maker execution when you can.
- Use faster rails: choose chains with fast confirmations and reliable deposits.
- Reduce transfers: where possible, keep inventory on both exchanges (capital intensive, but reduces delay risk).
- Trade smaller: until you understand slippage and operational friction.
Pick exchanges the right way (context + fit)
If you’re still choosing where to start, use our review pages (we explain who each exchange is for and why it’s recommended):
See live spreads on our dashboard and hot Polymarket events on our prediction markets page.