Forex Bonus Calculator: Is It Worth It?
By Tim Morris · Enter a broker's bonus terms below and this calculator tells you whether the offer is realistic to achieve — or if the spread costs outweigh the bonus.
Enter Bonus Terms
Copy the bonus offer terms from your broker and enter them below.
The total bonus you would receive
Total lots you must trade to withdraw
Days to complete the volume requirement
Typical spread on pairs you trade (default 1.5)
How many lots per trade (default 0.1)
How many trades you open daily (default 5)
You can likely complete the volume requirement, but the spread costs eat into most of the bonus. You will profit slightly, but the margin is thin. Consider whether the effort is worth the small gain.
Lots / Day
0.5
5 trades x 0.1 lots
Lots in Time Limit
15
0.5 lots/day x 30 days
Days to Complete
10 days
20 days spare
Total Spread Cost
$75
$15 per lot x 5 lots
Volume Progress
15 / 5 lots
Full Breakdown
How This Calculator Works
- Daily volume = trades per day x position size
- Days to complete = volume requirement / daily volume
- Spread cost per lot = average spread (pips) x $10 (pip value for 1 standard lot)
- Total spread cost = volume requirement x spread cost per lot
- Net value = bonus amount minus total spread cost
- This is a simplified model. Actual costs vary by currency pair, broker conditions, slippage, and commissions. Always confirm the full terms on the broker's site.
How to Use This Forex Bonus Calculator
Most forex bonuses come with a volume requirement — the total number of lots you must trade before the bonus becomes withdrawable. This calculator helps you answer a simple question: based on how I actually trade, will I reach that volume target in time, and will the costs to get there eat into the bonus?
What You Need
Before using the calculator, find these three numbers in your broker's bonus terms:
- Bonus amount — the dollar value of the bonus offer
- Volume requirement — total lots you must trade (sometimes called "turnover")
- Time limit — how many days you have to meet the requirement
Then enter your typical trading habits: the average spread on the pairs you trade, your usual position size, and how many trades you place per day. The defaults (1.5 pips spread, 0.1 lots, 5 trades/day) represent a typical emerging-market retail trader on a standard account.
Understanding the Results
The calculator outputs a verdict based on two factors:
- Feasibility — can you physically trade enough lots within the time limit based on your daily trading volume?
- Net value — is the bonus worth more than the spread costs you will incur to reach the volume target?
Why Spread Cost Matters
Every trade you place costs you the spread. On a standard lot with a 1.5-pip spread, that is $15 per round trip. If a $100 bonus requires you to trade 10 lots, the spread cost alone is $150 — making the bonus a net loss of $50. Many traders do not realize this until after they have committed to the bonus terms.
This is exactly why we built this tool. We want every trader to make an informed decision before accepting a bonus. Some bonuses are genuinely valuable; others are designed to generate more trading commissions for the broker than the bonus is worth.
Limitations
This is a simplified model. It does not account for commissions (ECN accounts), slippage, varying pip values across different currency pairs, or swap costs on overnight positions. Use it as a quick feasibility check, then confirm the full terms on the broker's site.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the forex bonus calculator work?
What does volume requirement mean for a forex bonus?
How is the spread cost calculated?
What counts as a standard lot in forex?
Is this calculator accurate for all bonus types?
Forex Trader, Broker & Bonus Analyst