Investment Return Calculator

How to Use This Calculator

Enter your initial investment amount, the current or ending value of the investment, and the time period in years. Add any annual dividends you received to see their total impact. The calculator shows your total return in dollars, the ROI percentage, and the annualized return (CAGR) — the most useful metric for comparing investments of different time periods. The growth chart shows how your investment has performed over time. Compare multiple investments to see which one performed better.

Why Annualized Return Matters Most

Simple ROI tells you your total gain but ignores time. A 50% return over 5 years is very different from a 50% return over 1 year. Annualized return (CAGR) standardizes returns to an annual rate, making it possible to compare investments of different durations. For example, turning $10,000 into $18,000 over 5 years is a 12.5% annualized return. The same gain over 10 years is only 6.1% annualized. Always compare investments using annualized returns rather than total returns, and consider risk alongside return when making investment decisions.

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