Investment Return Calculator
Knowing your actual return — not just your gut feeling or the headline performance of an index — is essential to evaluating whether your investments are pulling their weight, and this calculator computes total return, annualized return, and total profit from an initial investment, any additional contributions, and the final value. Enter your initial investment, any additional contributions you made, the final value of the investment, and the time period in years, and the calculator returns your total return in dollars, your total return as a percentage, and your annualized return, which normalizes performance over time so you can compare investments held for different periods. Annualized return is the key number for comparison, because a 50% gain over 10 years is far less impressive than a 50% gain over 2 years, and annualizing puts them on the same footing. Comparing your actual return against a benchmark like the S&P 500 helps you judge whether your stock picks or actively managed funds are adding value after fees, or whether you'd be better off in a low-cost index fund. The calculator works for any investment — a single stock, a fund, a portfolio, or a real estate holding — and it's especially useful for reviewing performance periodically and deciding whether to hold, add to, or exit a position. Keep in mind that past returns don't guarantee future results, and that the calculation excludes taxes and trading costs unless you subtract them from the final value, so for a true net return, account for those separately.
Investment Return Calculator
Calculate total and annualized return on any investment.
Annualized return
18%
Per year, compounded
Total profit
$20,000
Total return
133%
Annualized return (CAGR) shows the yearly growth rate that would produce your final value. It's the most accurate way to compare investments held over different time periods.
About This Calculator
Knowing your actual return — not just your gut feeling or the headline performance of an index — is essential to evaluating whether your investments are pulling their weight, and this calculator computes total return, annualized return, and total profit from an initial investment, any additional contributions, and the final value. Enter your initial investment, any additional contributions you made, the final value of the investment, and the time period in years, and the calculator returns your total return in dollars, your total return as a percentage, and your annualized return, which normalizes performance over time so you can compare investments held for different periods. Annualized return is the key number for comparison, because a 50% gain over 10 years is far less impressive than a 50% gain over 2 years, and annualizing puts them on the same footing. Comparing your actual return against a benchmark like the S&P 500 helps you judge whether your stock picks or actively managed funds are adding value after fees, or whether you'd be better off in a low-cost index fund. The calculator works for any investment — a single stock, a fund, a portfolio, or a real estate holding — and it's especially useful for reviewing performance periodically and deciding whether to hold, add to, or exit a position. Keep in mind that past returns don't guarantee future results, and that the calculation excludes taxes and trading costs unless you subtract them from the final value, so for a true net return, account for those separately.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or investment advice. Results depend on assumptions that may not reflect your actual situation.
Related Guides
Written by
James MitchellSenior Financial Analyst & Personal Finance Expert
Certified Financial Planner (CFP) • MBA in Finance, University of Chicago Booth School of Business