Dollar Cost Averaging Calculator
Project growth from recurring investments on a schedule you choose.
Dollar cost averaging (DCA) means investing a fixed dollar amount on a set schedule—weekly, monthly, or otherwise—rather than trying to pick a single "best" day to deploy cash. Each purchase buys more shares when prices are lower and fewer when prices are higher, so your average cost per share can smooth out short-term swings. This calculator does not use real price paths; it assumes a steady expected return each period so you can see how scheduled deposits compound over your horizon.
The ending balance is what you would have if you started with your opening balance, then added your fixed contribution at every period, reinvesting gains at the same periodic rate. In real markets, returns bounce around; this tool uses one steady expected return so you can see how the schedule and horizon affect the projection.
We use a nominal annual rate divided evenly across periods in the year (for example, monthly periods use 12 steps per year). That matches how other investing tools on this site treat expected returns and keeps the math transparent. This is an educational projection only: it ignores taxes, fees, idle cash yields, employer matches, and the fact that future returns are uncertain.
Use the shareable URL to save a scenario or compare frequencies. For age-based retirement projections with only monthly contributions, the retirement savings calculator may be a closer fit; for a single lump sum and compounding frequency, try the compound interest calculator.