ROI Calculator

Measure the return on an investment: total return, ROI percentage and the annualised return so you can compare investments held for different lengths of time.

Enter your initial investment, its final value and how long you held it. The calculator shows the gain, the total ROI and the annualised (geometric) return.

Gain / loss
Total ROI
Annualised return

Return on investment (ROI) measures gain relative to cost. Total ROI shows the headline figure; annualised ROI normalises it to a yearly rate so you can fairly compare investments held over different periods.

The maths

  • ROI = (final − initial) / initial × 100
  • Annualised = ((final / initial)1/years − 1) × 100

Examples

  • $10k → $16k over 5 years = 60% total, ~9.9% annualised
  • A 100% gain over 10 years is only ~7.2% annualised
  • Annualised return reveals that a big total % over a long time may be modest per year

Frequently asked questions

Why annualise?

A 100% gain over one year is spectacular; over twenty years it's ordinary. Annualising puts every investment on the same yearly footing so they're comparable.

Does this include dividends, fees or inflation?

Only what you fold into the final value. For a real-terms view, use inflation-adjusted figures and subtract any fees from the return.

Just for the giggles, much love.
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