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Stock Trading

Stock Trading Calculator

Use our free stock trading calculator to estimate the short-term growth of your portfolio.

What is Stock Trading?

Stock trading is when someone, a stock trader, buys and sells stocks to make money. The goal of stock trading, similar to investing, is typically to buy stocks at a lower price and sell them later for a higher price.

For example, if a stock trader buys a stock for $100 and sells it for $110, then the trader made a $10 or 10% profit.

The goal of stock trading is to beat the market, that is, to perform better than a benchmark such as the S&P 500. Traders take advantage of short-term market swings and price fluctuations in an attempt to outperform the overall stock market.

Stock Trading Calculator

Disclaimer: financial information is not financial advice – read our disclaimers.

Estimated investment in 2034

End Balance$1,447,727.72(14,377.28%)

Avg. Win

$34,047.18

Avg. Loss

$11,349.06

Starting Balance

$10,000

Total Wins

250

Total Losses

250

Investment Growth Over Time

YearEnd BalanceAvg. WinAvg. LossWinsLosses
2025$16,446.32$386.78$128.932525
2026$27,048.14$636.11$212.042525
2027$44,484.23$1,046.17$348.722525
2028$73,160.18$1,720.56$573.522525
2029$120,321.56$2,829.68$943.232525
2030$197,884.66$4,653.79$1,551.262525
2031$325,447.41$7,653.77$2,551.262525
2032$535,241.17$12,587.63$4,195.882525
2033$880,274.66$20,702.01$6,900.672525
2034$1,447,727.72$34,047.18$11,349.062525

Stock trading or investing?

Stock trading is similar to investing. Both traders and investors buy and sell stocks to make money. However, the difference is that stock traders hold their positions for the short-term, whereas, investors hold for the long-term.

If a stock trader is not consistently outperforming the overall stock market, it is better to invest instead of trade stocks. Because the goal of stock trading is to outperform the long-term investors by being a profitable short-term trader.

Trading stocks is more risky than investing, because, in the short-term, there is more price fluctuation or volatility (i.e., risk). Over the long-term, the price fluctuations are less volatile, and therefore the risk is lower. Volatility is risk.

With higher volatility, or risk, the potential profit is higher. Stock traders take advantage of the short-term volatility in an attempt to outperform the stock market and long-term investors.