Bid & Ask

The bid is the best (highest) price someone is currently willing to pay. The ask (or offer) is the best (lowest) price someone is currently willing to sell at. Live quotes almost always show both.

If you buy at the market, you typically pay near the ask. If you sell at the market, you typically receive near the bid. Understanding bid and ask helps beginners see that “the price” is really a two-sided market, not a single number.