Finance
Instant, private, and free
Free Float Calculator.
Calculate unrestricted shares and free-float percentage.
Set your values
Results update as you type.
FAQs
How does the free float calculator work?
Enter the requested values to see a deterministic result. Assumptions are explicit and no live market or tax data is fetched.
Use Cases
Assess stock liquidity
Investors use free float to gauge how easily a stock can be bought or sold without affecting its price. A higher free float indicates better liquidity.
Example: A company with 10 million total shares and 2 million restricted shares has a free float of 8 million shares.
Calculate free-float market cap
Free-float market cap is calculated by multiplying the free float shares by the current market price. This metric is used by many indices to weight companies.
Example: If the free float is 8 million shares and the price is $50, the free-float market cap is $400 million.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is free float?
- Free float refers to the number of shares of a company that are available for trading by the general public. It excludes shares held by insiders, promoters, governments, or other restricted holders. This calculator helps you determine that number by subtracting restricted shares from total shares.
- How do I use the free float calculator?
- Enter the total number of shares outstanding and the number of restricted shares (held by insiders, promoters, etc.). The calculator will subtract restricted shares from total shares to give you the free float. This helps you understand the tradable supply of the stock.
- Why is free float important for investors?
- Free float affects stock liquidity and volatility. A higher free float generally means more liquidity and less price manipulation, while a lower free float can lead to higher volatility. It's also used in calculating free-float market capitalization, which is a key metric for index inclusion.
Tips & Common Mistakes
Tips
- Ensure you have accurate data on total shares outstanding and restricted shares from the company's latest filings.
- Restricted shares include those held by insiders, promoters, employees under lock-up, and government holdings.
- Use free float in conjunction with other metrics like trading volume to get a fuller picture of market activity.
- Remember that free float can change over time as lock-up periods expire or insiders sell shares.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Including treasury shares as part of free float – they are not available for public trading.
- Using total shares outstanding instead of free float when calculating market cap for index weighting.
- Forgetting to update restricted shares after lock-up periods end, leading to an outdated free float.
Last updated: August 13, 2026