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Investment Return Calculator

See what your investment really earned.

Calculate your investment gain or loss, percentage return and annualized growth. Include fees and investment income to get a clearer picture of your performance.

⚡ Instant results 📊 ROI & annualized return 💵 Dividends and fees ✨ Free to use

💵 Enter your investment details

💡 Enter the original amount invested and its current value or sale proceeds before any selling fee. The holding period can include years and additional months.

🧾 Optional fees and income

Enter income received separately and not already included in the final value. Do not double-count reinvested dividends. For annualized returns, income is assumed to be received at the end of the holding period.

⚙️ Calculation assumptions

This calculator models one initial investment and one final valuation, without additional deposits or withdrawals. It includes the fees entered and separately received cash income.

Results exclude taxes, inflation, currency conversion and unentered expenses. For investments with multiple dated cash flows, use an IRR or XIRR calculator instead.

🧠 How to calculate investment return

Return on investment (ROI) compares your net gain or loss with the amount of capital you invested. A positive return means your investment generated a gain, while a negative return indicates a loss.

ROI (%) = (Net ending proceeds − Total invested capital) ÷ Total invested capital × 100

Annualized return converts your total return into an equivalent compounded yearly rate, making investments held for different lengths of time easier to compare.

Annualized return (%) = [(Net ending proceeds ÷ Total invested capital) ^ (1 ÷ Years)] − 1, multiplied by 100

For this calculator, total invested capital includes the original investment and buying fees. Net ending proceeds include the final value and separately received income, minus selling fees.

🧮 Example: A five-year investment

Suppose you invest $10,000 and your investment grows to $15,000 after five years, with no additional fees or dividends.

Your total profit is $5,000, representing a 50% return. The equivalent compounded annual growth rate is approximately 8.45%.

📈 50% total ROI · 8.45% annually

💡 Frequently Asked Questions

📈 What is a good return on investment?

That depends on the investment type, risk, holding period, inflation and alternative opportunities. A return should be evaluated alongside the risk taken to achieve it.

💰 What’s the difference between ROI and CAGR?

ROI measures the total percentage gain or loss over the entire investment period. CAGR expresses that change as an equivalent annual compounded rate.

📉 Can my investment return be negative?

Yes. If your ending proceeds are less than your invested capital, the calculator displays a negative return and net loss.

🧾 Should I include investment fees?

Yes. Buying and selling fees reduce your overall investment return. Include relevant costs when you want a more realistic estimate of net performance.

💵 How are dividends treated?

Dividends or other cash income can be included if they aren’t already reflected in your ending investment value. For annualized-return calculations, this tool treats them as ending proceeds. Actual dividend timing may change your money-weighted return.

🏦 Does this work for real estate investments?

It can estimate a simple purchase-to-sale return, but it doesn’t separately model rental cash flows, mortgage financing, property taxes, maintenance or improvements. More detailed real estate analysis requires additional inputs.