ROI Calculator

Return on investment measures how much you gained or lost relative to what you put in. The formula is (final value minus cost) divided by cost, times 100. Turning $1,000 into $1,500 is a $500 net return and a 50 percent ROI.

ROI is the total return over the whole holding period. Annualized return (CAGR) restates that as an equivalent yearly rate, so you can fairly compare investments held for different lengths of time. A 50 percent gain over two years is about 22.47 percent a year.

Only when you enter a holding period greater than zero. Leave the holding period at 0 and the calculator shows total ROI and net return alone, with a note prompting you to add years for the annualized figure.

A negative ROI means the investment is worth less than you paid. An ROI of -20 percent, for example, means you have lost a fifth of your original outlay. The net return card turns red and shows the loss in your chosen currency.

No. The ROI percentage and annualized return are ratios, so they are identical in any currency. The selector only changes the symbol used to display the net return, cost, and final value.

The sliders run from 0 to 1,000,000 for the cost and final value, and 0 to 50 for the holding period, though you can type any number in the fields. The initial investment must be greater than zero or the calculator asks you to raise it.

Plain ROI ignores taxes, trading fees, inflation, and risk, and without a holding period it ignores time as well. Use the annualized figure to account for time and treat ROI as one input rather than the full story.

Not directly. This tool models a single cost and a single final value. To reflect dividends or interest, add them into the final value before entering it; for regular contributions use a SIP or lumpsum calculator instead.

Yes. Every calculation runs in your browser. The numbers you type are never sent to a server or saved anywhere.