About the Share Builder Calculator
Calculate the true cost of buying shares before you place a trade. Enter the number of shares, price per share and your broker's fee structure to instantly see your gross consideration, total brokerage fees, VAT, customer cost and the exact percentage your shares need to increase before you break even on the trade.
Understanding Your Share Purchase Costs
When you buy shares the price you pay per share is only part of the total cost. Your broker charges a brokerage fee on every trade, typically calculated as a percentage of the transaction value with a minimum fee applied. VAT is then charged on the brokerage fee. Understanding these costs upfront helps you make better informed investment decisions and know exactly what return you need to profit from a trade.
How To Use the Share Builder Calculator
- Select your currency from the currency selector
- Enter the number of shares you want to buy
- Enter the current price per share
- Enter your broker's brokerage rate percentage
- Enter your broker's minimum brokerage fee
- Enter the applicable VAT rate for your country
- Click Calculate to see your full cost breakdown
- Check the Required % increase to break even to understand what return you need
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Gross Consideration?
Gross Consideration is the base cost of your shares before any fees. It is simply the number of shares multiplied by the price per share.
What is the minimum brokerage fee?
Most brokers charge a percentage of your transaction value as their fee but apply a minimum fee for smaller trades. If your calculated brokerage percentage is less than the minimum, the minimum fee applies instead.
Why do I need to know the break even percentage?
The break even percentage tells you how much your share price needs to increase just to cover your trading costs. If your break even is 1.5% your shares need to rise by at least 1.5% before you make any profit on the trade.
Does this calculator include Securities Transfer Tax?
No. This calculator covers brokerage fees and VAT only. Your broker may charge additional fees such as Securities Transfer Tax (STT), STRATE fees or Investor Protection Levy depending on your country and broker. Check your broker's full fee schedule for a complete cost breakdown.
Is this calculator suitable for all countries?
Yes. You can adjust the brokerage rate, minimum fee and VAT rate to match your country and broker. Change the currency selector to display results in your local currency.