The real cost is the sum, not the fee
Traders fixate on the exchange fee and ignore spread, slippage and funding — which together usually cost more. This tool totals all four into one hurdle so you know the true break-even. Isolate the funding piece on the funding calculator.
Four costs that eat your profit before price moves
The sticker fee (0.055% taker) is the number exchanges advertise. It's not what you actually pay. A round trip also includes: spread (bid-ask gap, typically 0.01–0.05% on majors), slippage (market impact on large orders, negligible under $10k but real above that), and funding (0–0.05% per 8h on perps).
On a liquid pair like BTC/USDT at $50,000: spread ~$5 (0.01%), taker fee $27.50 each way on $50k notional, total round-trip fee load $55 + $10 spread = $65. That's 0.13% of notional. To break even on a day trade you need BTC to move at least 0.13% in your direction and hold it through your exit.
Illiquid pairs cost more. A $0.10 spread on a $1 altcoin is 0.10% each way before fees. Add taker fees and you're already down 0.20–0.25% before price moves. This is why altcoin scalping at 1–2% targets is structurally difficult at any meaningful size.
Related: compare exchange fees, maker vs taker savings, break-even price after fees.