> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sourcedock.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Vault or Profit calculator?

> When to check one product with the Profit calculator, when to save it to your Vault, and how both use the same profit math.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Scenario for this page:** Arctic Fox blue hair dye, a product in the demo store's Vault with a \$6.91 buy cost. Find it in the demo store under Vault (search "Arctic Fox"), and look up B07QMZ5JKX in the Profit calculator.

Say you stand in a store, holding a blue hair dye. Is it worth buying? Open the **Profit calculator**. You get the answer in a few seconds.

Now say you want to watch it for a week before you buy. Save it to your **Vault**. SourceDock keeps its price fresh and can tell you when it changes.

That is the whole difference. The calculator answers "right now, for this one". The Vault keeps a list and watches it for you.

## Use the Profit calculator for a quick check

The Profit calculator works on one product at a time. You find it in two places:

* The [Chrome extension](https://docs.sourcedock.io/reference/chrome-extension.md)'s **Profit** tab, right on an Amazon product page.
* The [phone app](https://docs.sourcedock.io/get-started/phone-app.md)'s **Profit calculator**. Paste a link, **Scan a barcode**, or take a **Photo** of the box.

Type what you would pay. It shows Amazon's fees, your profit, your ROI, and **Max cost**, the most you can pay and still meet your goals. It goes in your Vault only if you save it.

## Use the Vault for products you might buy

The [Vault](https://docs.sourcedock.io/source/prospect-vault.md) is your list. Use it when you want to:

* watch a product's price and profit over days,
* get an alert when the price or profit changes,
* see your best products by profit or ROI,
* record a purchase when you buy.

You can save to the Vault from the extension, the [Gate Scanner](https://docs.sourcedock.io/source/gate-scanner.md#save-to-your-vault), or [Scout](https://docs.sourcedock.io/source/scout.md).

## One set of math

The calculator and the Vault work out profit the same way, with the same settings. Your costs and goals live in one place: **Account** > **Features** > **Profit calculator**, or the extension's **Settings**. Change one, and every place uses the new number. Next to them, **Used in:** names **Vault**, **Extension**, and **AlphaChaser**.

So both work out a product's profit the same way, from the same costs. The demo store's hair dye has a \$6.91 cost in its Vault.

![A Vault row for the ARCTIC FOX hair color, B07QMZ5JKX, with a B grade badge, 6 offers, 300+ a month, and a cost of \$6.91.](https://mintcdn.com/sourcedock/5P4Kryf8owwkVcDT/images/deep-dives/vault-vs-profit-calculator/01-dye-vault-cost.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=5P4Kryf8owwkVcDT\&q=85\&s=6736eb2a8d1e90aeeb25b44eb8a6aab3)

Arctic Fox hair dye: its Vault row. Notice the Cost, \$6.91.

Look it up in the Profit calculator, or open its Amazon page with the extension. **Your cost** already says 6.91. Its hover says **From your Vault. Type to change it.**

![Quick info for the hair dye: Approved, Sales rank #34,389, about 280 a month, Max cost \$6.42, Your cost 6.91, Sale price 19.86, Profit \$4.51, Margin 22.7%, ROI 65.3%, Break-even \$14.55, and the FBA and FBM switch.](https://mintcdn.com/sourcedock/5P4Kryf8owwkVcDT/images/deep-dives/vault-vs-profit-calculator/02-dye-calculator-your-cost.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=5P4Kryf8owwkVcDT\&q=85\&s=a5af20e12bcadfc4695f5660477b02a5)

Arctic Fox hair dye: Quick info in the Profit calculator. Notice Your cost is 6.91, from the Vault.

A Vault product also brings its own **Prep Cost**, **Shipping Cost**, and **Tax Cost** into the extension, if you set them in **Edit Prospect**.

## How the math feeds each part

* **Vault**: each row's **Profit** and **ROI**, and the most you can pay on **Price History**, use your settings and goals.
* **[AlphaChaser](https://docs.sourcedock.io/source/alphachaser.md)**: grades your Vault products and Scout finds with the same costs and sale price. With a buy cost, it shows your ROI. Without one, it shows **Buy at or under**, from your goals.
* **Chrome extension**: its **Profit** tab is the calculator. The phone app's calculator is the same panel.

## Why two numbers can differ

* **Time.** The extension and the calculator ask Amazon for today's price when you open a product. The Vault's numbers come from its last check, made before they are 6 hours old. A price that moved in between shows up in one place first.
* **One product's own sale price.** In **Edit Prospect**, **Sale price used for profit** can use another price for that product. The Vault and AlphaChaser use that pick. The extension and the calculator don't.
* **A typed price.** A sale price you type in the calculator is used only there.


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