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Investment Return Calculator

Enter what you put in and what it’s worth now, and this tool shows your total return on investment as a percentage and an amount. Add how long you held it and it also gives the annualised return (CAGR) — the steady yearly rate that turns the first figure into the second. It’s currency-neutral and calculates on your device.

Enter your initial and final values to calculate the return.

Nominal return only — fees, taxes and inflation are not included, and it assumes a single lump sum with no contributions.

How it works

Total ROI is the gain divided by what you invested: (final − initial) ÷ initial, as a percentage. Turn 1,000 into 1,500 and that’s a +50% return, or +500 in money. A final value below the initial gives a negative return — a loss — shown in red.

Annualised return (CAGR) answers "what constant yearly rate would produce this?" It’s (final ÷ initial) raised to the power of 1/years, minus one. That +50% over three years is only about 14.5% a year, because each year’s growth compounds on the last. Leave the period blank if you only want the total.

Practical examples

A three-year hold

You invested 1,000 and it’s now 1,500 after 3 years: a +50% total return, but an annualised 14.47% — the honest yearly figure for comparing against other options.

A losing position

Bought at 1,000, now worth 800: that’s −20% overall, or −200. Over 2 years the annualised return is about −10.6% a year.

Comparing two investments

A +40% return over 2 years (18.3% a year) beats +50% over 4 years (10.7% a year), even though the headline looks smaller. CAGR is what makes them comparable.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between ROI and CAGR?

ROI is the total return over the whole period, ignoring time. CAGR (compound annual growth rate) spreads that return into a constant per-year rate, so you can compare investments of different lengths fairly. A big ROI over many years can be a modest CAGR.

Why annualise at all?

Because +50% means very different things over one year versus ten. Annualising strips out the time so two investments held for different periods can be judged side by side — it’s the number professionals actually compare.

Does it account for deposits or withdrawals along the way?

No. It assumes a single lump sum in and a single value out, with nothing added or taken during the period. For regular contributions, a compound-interest or savings calculator models that better.

Can I enter a loss?

Yes. If the final value is lower than the initial, the tool shows a negative return and gain. A final value of zero is a total loss: −100%.

Does this include fees, taxes or inflation?

No — it’s the raw, nominal return. Trading fees, capital-gains tax and inflation all reduce your real return; subtract them separately for a true picture, especially over long periods.

What time unit does the period use?

Years. Use decimals for part-years — 18 months is 1.5, 6 months is 0.5. The annualised figure is defined per year, so keep the period in years.

Is CAGR the same as average return?

No, and the difference matters. A simple average of yearly returns overstates growth when returns swing up and down; CAGR reflects the actual compounded result. Always prefer CAGR for multi-year performance.

What currency should I use?

Any — it’s currency-neutral. Enter both values in the same currency and the gain comes out in that currency; the percentages don’t depend on currency at all.

Is my data stored?

No. Everything is calculated in your browser; nothing is uploaded and analytics never receives your figures.

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