Investment Return Calculator
Find your total return, annualized return (CAGR), and compare different investment scenarios. Factor in dividends, fees, and time periods.
Convert starting value, ending value, and time into total return, ROI, and CAGR. Measure real performance so you can compare strategies fairly across different holding periods.
Calculate your actual investment returns
“I think I’m up about 15%” isn’t a strategy. This free investment return calculator converts starting value, ending value, and time into total return, ROI, and CAGR so you know what your money actually earned — and whether active stock picking is beating a boring index after effort and fees.
Understanding return metrics
Total return: Overall percentage gain or loss: (Ending − Starting) / Starting. Example: $10,000 → $15,000 = 50% total return.
CAGR: Annualized compound growth rate — the fair way to compare a 3-year trade to a 10-year hold. Same 50% over 5 years ≈ 8.45% CAGR.
ROI: Return relative to capital invested; useful when you want a simple profit vs cost framing. Keep definitions consistent across comparisons.
How to use this CAGR calculator
- Enter what the position (or portfolio) was worth at the start.
- Enter what it’s worth now (include dividends if they were reinvested).
- Enter the holding period in years.
- Read total return and CAGR — use CAGR for cross-period comparisons.
- Track live holdings in the portfolio tracker and plan future growth with the compound growth projector.
Why measuring returns matters
Without numbers, you can’t tell skill from a bull market. CAGR lets you compare your results to a long-term equity benchmark (often cited near ~7–10% depending on inflation adjustment). If you’re underperforming after fees and stress, simplifying into broad ETFs may be the rational move — and that’s a useful conclusion, not a failure.
Common return calculation mistakes
- Ignoring dividends (especially on indexes and income stocks).
- Treating new contributions as “returns” (inflates performance).
- Skipping fees, spreads, and taxes in the story you tell yourself.
- Using arithmetic averages instead of CAGR across multi-year periods.
- Cherry-picking start/end dates around peaks and troughs.
Frequently asked questions
Related free trading tools
Explore more free calculators and simulators on Swift Penguin: stock market simulator, live stock lookup, position size calculator, compound growth projector, dividend & DRIP calculator, options profit calculator, portfolio tracker, dollar cost averaging calculator, and stock profit calculator. Browse all free stock trading tools.
Educational calculator only — not financial advice. Verify figures against broker statements for tax or reporting needs.
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