Return on Investment Calculator
Measure total gain or loss on an investment and annualized return over a holding period.
CAGR uses your holding period and assumes growth was steady year over year. It is not the same as dollar-weighted or money-weighted returns when you add or withdraw cash.
Return on investment (ROI) compares what you got back to what you put in. The simplest version is (ending value − amount invested) ÷ amount invested, shown here as a percentage. It answers "Did this grow, and by how much?" without needing to model every deposit along the way—as long as amount invested is your true total cost basis (purchase price plus costs you include) and ending value is what you could walk away with after selling (after costs you choose to net out).
This tool also computes annualized return using the compound growth rate that connects your start and end values over the years you enter—often called CAGR when the start is a single outlay. It is most meaningful when the holding period is accurate and ending value is positive. If you added money over time, a single CAGR from one "invested" total is an approximation; a money-weighted return (IRR) would better match irregular cash flows.
ROI is not tax advice: it does not know your bracket, long-term vs short-term treatment, or step-up basis. It also ignores inflation unless you deliberately use inflation-adjusted inputs. Use the shareable URL to save a scenario or compare what-if ending values. For scheduled contributions and a steady expected return, try the dollar-cost averaging calculator; for growth on a lump sum with compounding frequency, use compound interest.