Path of Exile Currency & Profit Calculator (EV, GPH, Drop-Rate Model)
This calculator helps you optimize Path of Exile currency farming by computing expected value (EV) per map, gold per hour (GPH), drop rate probabilities, and the cost-benefit analysis of atlas passives, scarabs, and map modifiers. Whether you're running Tier 16 maps for raw currency drops, farming specific divination cards, or min-maxing your atlas tree for maximum chaos orb returns, understanding the mathematics behind loot mechanics and time efficiency is critical for profitable endgame mapping.
Path of Exile's economy revolves around deterministic EV calculations layered with probabilistic outcomes. Unlike games with fixed loot tables, PoE requires you to model weighted drop pools, independent trial sequences (map runs), atlas passive tree multipliers, and opportunity costs from scarab/sextant investments. Our calculator integrates these systems into a unified model: input your map tier, pack size modifiers, scarab costs, and average clear time to receive precise EV per action and hourly profit projections. This data-driven approach separates profitable strategies from trap builds that feel rewarding but net negative chaos per hour when accounting for all costs.
Expected value per action is the foundational metric. Each map represents an independent trial with multiple loot "actions"—currency drops, divination cards, unique items, fragments, and influenced bases. EV per action equals the sum of (item value × drop probability) across all possible outcomes. Our calculator pre-loads community-verified drop rates for common farming strategies (Delirium, Breach, Expedition, etc.) and allows manual overrides for custom strategies or league-specific mechanics. By separating EV from time, you can identify theoretically profitable setups before investing in them, then optimize clear speed to maximize GPH.
Gold per hour (GPH in PoE terms: chaos orbs per hour or c/h) is where strategy execution meets theory. A map with 150c EV sounds incredible until you realize it takes 12 minutes to clear, yielding only 750c/hour. Meanwhile, a "worse" map with 80c EV but 3-minute clears produces 1600c/hour—more than double the profit. Our calculator factors in your measured clear time (track 10-20 maps for accuracy) to compute realistic hourly rates. This prevents common mistakes like over-juicing maps with expensive scarabs that boost EV by 30% but triple your clear time, ultimately reducing GPH by 40%.
Atlas passive trees and scarabs present complex optimization problems. Should you allocate 8 passive points into Harbinger rewards for +40% currency drops but slower clears, or invest those points in pack size for faster farming velocity? Our calculator models these trade-offs quantitatively. For example, if Harbinger scarabs cost 15c each and add 35c EV per map, they're profitable only if your clear time increases by less than 2.3 minutes. The calculator shows exact break-even thresholds for each investment tier, helping you make informed atlas tree decisions based on your build's clear speed and playstyle preferences.
Union probability calculations answer critical questions like: "What's my chance of getting at least one Doctor card in 100 Burial Chambers maps?" or "How many Delirium orb maps do I need for 95% confidence of a specific unique drop?" These probabilities use the formula P(any) = 1 - (1 - p)^n, accounting for independent trials. Our calculator includes a dedicated union probability widget with confidence interval visualization, showing the threshold where dry streaks transition from "unlucky" to "statistically improbable." This prevents chasing bad strategies due to early good RNG or abandoning profitable farms after short dry streaks.
Model EV per action, GPH, union probability and cost/time trade-offs below. Adjust atlas passives, scarab investments, and pack size to find your optimal farming strategy. Share your setup with friends or export data for offline analysis.
Model EV per action, GPH, union probability and cost/time trade-offs. Share your setup with friends.
Calculator
How the PoE Currency Calculator Works (Expected Value, Drop Rates & Prices)
The model separates EV per action from time and merges them into GPH. Inputs include map tier/layout, pack size, density, scarabs/sextants, atlas passives, price source or overrides, and your route time. This PoE currency calculator helps optimize your farming strategy by showing exactly how each modifier affects your chaos orb per hour (c/h) returns.
EV per action formula
- EV(action) = Σ (drop_i_value × p_i)
- EV/map = Σ EV(action) + Σ guaranteed rewards − map cost
- GPH = EV/map ÷ map time (or EV/action × actions/hour − costs/hour)
See Glossary: Expected value · Weighted average.
Map templates & repeatable loops
Build repeatable mapping loops by tracking your clear speed, pack density, and drop rates across multiple runs. The calculator lets you model different map combinations and investment levels to find your optimal farming route for maximum currency profit in Path of Exile.
Movement & downtime accounting
Include portal time, stash trips, and trading windows in your time-per-map estimate for accurate GPH calculations. Even small efficiency gains add up over hundreds of maps.
Share & compare setups
Use shareable URLs to compare different atlas passive tree configurations, scarab combinations, and pack size strategies with friends or guildmates.
Mapping Profit: EV vs GPH — Time Efficiency for PoE Currency Farming
Faster loops often beat paper-high EV if the extra EV comes with heavy time penalties. Benchmark using actions/hour, not only per-map value.
Speed vs EV trade-off (GPH optimization)
A lean map with 80% of the EV but only 50% of the time will often outperform a juiced map in terms of chaos per hour. The key is finding the sweet spot where your setup maximizes GPH (c/h) rather than just EV/map.
Pack size scaling & diminishing returns
Adding pack size increases monster count linearly, but the time-per-map may grow super-linearly if you're backtracking or waiting for spawns. The chart below illustrates this trade-off:
Benchmarks & realistic expectations
Early league mapping might yield 50-100c per hour with minimal investment, while heavily juiced T16 maps with scarabs and atlas passives can reach 300-500c per hour or more. Your actual returns depend on build speed, market prices, and drop luck.
League starters vs juiced endgame
League start focuses on consistent, low-investment strategies to build currency. Endgame juicing trades higher map costs for exponentially better returns when you have the capital to sustain it.
Favor currency density over RNG spikes
Reliable small drops (chaos, divine shards, essences) typically outperform rare big-ticket items over the long term. Build your strategy around steady income first.
Test window & sample size
Run at least 10-20 maps per configuration before comparing GPH. Small samples can mislead due to variance in divination card and unique drops.
Scarabs, Sextants & Atlas Passives — Weighted EV for Currency Profit
Treat add-ons with a weighted average model and make costs/time explicit. Some combos raise EV/map but slow you down so much that GPH is flat or worse.
Weighted average model for add-ons
Each scarab or sextant contributes a probability-weighted increase to your drop rates. The formula becomes: EV_total = EV_base + Σ (scarab_i_bonus × p_i) − costs. Time overhead must also be factored in.
When add-ons hurt your GPH
If a scarab adds 10% more EV but increases your map time by 20%, your GPH actually drops. Always compare the ratio: (EV_new / time_new) vs (EV_old / time_old).
Case examples & the "sweet spot"
A gilded scarab might add 15% more EV but cost 30c per map. Calculate whether the extra returns justify the investment by comparing total profit per hour, not just EV per map.
Scarab tiers & price snapshots
Scarab prices fluctuate daily. Use current market data from trade sites to ensure your profit calculations reflect real costs. Budget scarabs often provide better value than premium tiers for steady farming.
Sextant rotation & sustain math
Sextant charges last 3 uses, so divide their cost across three maps. Track which sextant mods boost your specific strategy most efficiently.
Atlas keystone caveats (mutual exclusion vs union)
Some atlas passives provide multiplicative bonuses that stack powerfully together, while others have diminishing returns or mutual exclusions. Test different combinations to find your optimal configuration.
Union Probability & Divination Cards — P(any) for "At Least One" Drops
For target cards/rares, use P(any) = 1 − (1 − p)^n. Multiple sources (union): P(any of k) = 1 − Π (1 − p_i). Mutually exclusive tables: use additive probabilities that sum ≤ 1.
EV vs "luck windows"
Expected value tells you the average return over infinite runs, but P(any) tells you how likely you are to get at least one drop in a finite window. This is crucial for target farming divination cards or specific uniques.
Practical targets
If a card drops at 1% per map, you need ~69 maps for a 50% chance of seeing one, and ~138 maps for a 75% chance. Use P(any) to set realistic session goals.
Shareable configs for groups
Share calculator URLs with party members to coordinate strategies. Group play can split costs while maintaining high clear speeds, potentially boosting overall GPH for everyone.
Mixed-p maps & independence
When running different map types with varying drop rates, each map's probability remains independent. The union probability formula lets you calculate your overall chance across the entire session.
Don't double-count mutually exclusive tables
If a map can drop from Table A OR Table B but not both, use additive probabilities that sum to ≤ 1. Avoid multiplying probabilities for mutually exclusive outcomes.
Confidence intervals for your log
Track your actual results over time. If your observed GPH consistently differs from calculated values, check for missing costs, incorrect drop rates, or time estimation errors.
Costs, Price Sources & Assumptions (Methodology)
- Price feeds & manual overrides (with snapshot freshness).
- Time model: clearing + travel + resupply + trading.
- Known limitations: dependency between events; market volatility.
- Versioning & last update are shown in the UI footer.