Why does the app P&L differ from the final statement?

The in-app P&L display is often a real-time or near-real-time running calculation based on current market prices for unrealised positions and executed prices for realised ones, but it may not account for every charge in exactly the same granular way the final contract note and ledger do. Some apps show a simplified P&L figure that nets price movement without fully itemising every statutory charge and fee in the displayed number, while the final ledger and contract note reflect the complete, itemised, charge-inclusive picture. Timing differences can also play a role: an app’s dashboard P&L might refresh at intervals rather than truly continuously, or might reflect a slightly different cut-off time than the official end-of-day statement. You use the in-app P&L for a quick, directional sense of how you’re doing through the day, but you treat the official contract note, ledger, and periodic statements as the authoritative numbers, especially for anything related to tax filing or resolving a discrepancy.