Per Side Costs

Per Side Costs are the transaction costs associated with one leg of a futures transaction, either the opening or the closing of a position. Per Side Costs are quoted on a per side per contract basis.

If, for example, a broker quotes you $1.75 per side costs to trade an E-mini S&P500 contract then your Round Trip cost will be $3.50 to both open and close the position.

Brokers frequently quote per side costs to make their costs look more competitive. The trader should also be aware that brokers will sometimes quote per side commission which excludes other costs such as exchange fees and taxes which are paid on a per side basis.

When researching the costs charged by brokers, the trader should typically evaluate the charges on a fully inclusive (of all fees, taxes and costs) Round Trip Transaction Costs basis.