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Get Spread (get_spread)

Sugar method: Returns current spread (ASK - BID) in price units.

API Information:

  • Method: sugar.get_spread(symbol)
  • Returns: Spread as float (in price units, not pips)
  • Layer: HIGH (MT5Sugar)

Method Signature

async def get_spread(self, symbol: Optional[str] = None) -> float

ℹ️ Input / Output

Input Type Description
symbol Optional[str] Trading symbol (e.g., "EURUSD"). Uses default_symbol if None
Output Type Description
spread float Current spread (ASK - BID) in price units

🏛️ Essentials

  • What it is: Spread = ASK - BID, the broker's fee per trade.
  • Why you need it: Assess trading costs, choose low-spread times.
  • Formula: Spread (pips) = (ASK - BID) × 10000 (for EURUSD)

⚡ Under the Hood

MT5Sugar.get_spread(symbol)
    ↓ calls
MT5Service.get_symbol_tick(symbol)
    ↓ calls
MT5Account.symbol_info_tick(symbol)
    ↓ gRPC protobuf
MarketInfoService.SymbolInfoTick()
    ↓ MT5 Terminal

Calculation: Sugar layer calculates tick.ask - tick.bid

Related files:

  • Sugar: src/pymt5/mt5_sugar.py:516
  • Service: src/pymt5/mt5_service.py:680
  • Account: package/MetaRpcMT5/helpers/mt5_account.py:1095

When to Use

Cost analysis - Understand trading fees

Timing trades - Choose low-spread periods

Broker comparison - Compare execution costs

Scalping - Critical for short-term strategies

Risk calculation - Factor spread into P/L

🔗 Usage Examples

1) Check current spread

spread = await sugar.get_spread("EURUSD")
spread_pips = spread * 10000  # Convert to pips

print(f"EURUSD Spread: {spread:.5f}")
print(f"Spread (pips): {spread_pips:.1f}")
# Output: Spread (pips): 1.2

2) Wait for low spread before trading

max_spread_pips = 2.0

spread = await sugar.get_spread("EURUSD")
spread_pips = spread * 10000

if spread_pips <= max_spread_pips:
    print(f"Good spread: {spread_pips:.1f} pips")
    ticket = await sugar.buy_market("EURUSD", 0.1)
else:
    print(f"Spread too high: {spread_pips:.1f} pips - waiting")

3) Calculate break-even price

ask = await sugar.get_ask("EURUSD")
spread = await sugar.get_spread("EURUSD")

# After buying at ASK, price must rise by spread to break even
breakeven = ask + spread

print(f"Entry (ASK):  {ask:.5f}")
print(f"Spread:       {spread:.5f}")
print(f"Break-even:   {breakeven:.5f}")
print(f"Must move:    {spread * 10000:.1f} pips to profit")

Price methods:

  • get_bid() - BID price
  • get_ask() - ASK price
  • get_price_info() - Complete price data including spread
  • get_symbol_info() - Symbol parameters including typical spread

Manual calculation:

# Method returns this automatically:
bid = await sugar.get_bid("EURUSD")
ask = await sugar.get_ask("EURUSD")
spread = ask - bid

# Or use get_spread() directly:
spread = await sugar.get_spread("EURUSD")

Common Pitfalls

1) Confusing price units with pips

# WRONG - spread is in price units, not pips
spread = await sugar.get_spread("EURUSD")
print(f"Spread: {spread} pips")  # Wrong! Shows 0.00012, not 1.2

# CORRECT - convert to pips
spread = await sugar.get_spread("EURUSD")
spread_pips = spread * 10000
print(f"Spread: {spread_pips:.1f} pips")

2) Not accounting for spread in profit calculations

# WRONG - ignoring spread
entry = await sugar.get_ask("EURUSD")
current = await sugar.get_bid("EURUSD")
profit_pips = (current - entry) * 10000  # Doesn't account for spread!

# CORRECT - spread already factored in
# When you buy at ASK and sell at BID, spread is automatic cost
entry_ask = await sugar.get_ask("EURUSD")
current_bid = await sugar.get_bid("EURUSD")
profit_pips = (current_bid - entry_ask) * 10000  # Includes spread cost

Pro Tips

  1. Varies by time - Spread increases during low liquidity (news, market open/close)

  2. Lower is better - Typical EURUSD spread: 0.5-2 pips

  3. Hidden cost - Spread is paid on every trade, both entry and exit

  4. Scalping killer - High spread makes short-term trading unprofitable

  5. Use get_price_info() - Get BID, ASK, and spread in one call

📚 See Also