ROI Calculator
Estimate return on investment from your own figures: net gain or loss, total invested, simple ROI and an optional annualised return, with fees, extra contributions and the formulas shown. Runs in your browser.
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About the ROI Calculator
ROI Calculator works out the return on an investment or project using only the numbers you enter: what you put in at the start, any later contributions, fees and costs, and the final value or sale proceeds. It shows the net gain or loss, the total amount invested, the simple ROI for the whole period and — when you enter a holding period — an annualised return that spreads the change evenly over each year.
Simple ROI and the annualised return answer different questions, so they are shown separately and each formula is written out with your values. The annualised return is only calculated when no additional contributions are entered: without the dates of extra money, a yearly rate could be misleading, so the tool shows a note instead. The calculator does not use market prices, fund data or any outside information, and its results describe the figures you entered — they do not predict future performance. It is general information, not financial or investment advice.
How to use
- Enter the initial investment or cost and the final value or proceeds.
- Add any additional contributions and any fees or costs (optional).
- Enter the holding period in years and months if you want an annualised return.
- Choose a currency symbol for display, then click Calculate.
- Review the results and formulas, then use Copy Summary or Download Summary.
Key features
- Net gain or loss and total amount invested.
- Simple ROI for the whole period, positive or negative.
- Annualised return when a valid holding period is entered and there are no additional contributions.
- Formulas shown with your own numbers.
- Clear validation for zero, negative and invalid entries.
- Display-only currency symbol (₹, $, €, £ or none), Copy and Download Summary, Reset and Back.
Best practices
- Include every cost — brokerage, taxes paid, maintenance or other fees — so the ROI is not overstated.
- Use the same currency and units for every value.
- Compare investments over similar periods; simple ROI over different lengths of time is not directly comparable.
- Treat annualised returns for periods under a year with caution.
- Remember that past results do not indicate future performance.
Benefits
- A quick, transparent check of how an investment or project performed.
- Separates the total return from the yearly rate so they are not confused.
- Shows the arithmetic, so you can verify it yourself.
- Private — nothing you enter leaves your browser.
Frequently asked questions
How is ROI calculated?
Total invested = initial investment + additional contributions + fees. Net gain = final value − total invested. Simple ROI = net gain ÷ total invested × 100. A negative result means a loss.
What is the difference between simple ROI and annualised return?
Simple ROI is the total percentage change over the whole holding period. The annualised return is the steady yearly rate that would produce the same overall change: (final value ÷ total invested)^(1 ÷ years) − 1.
Why is the annualised return sometimes not shown?
It needs a holding period longer than zero, a final value above zero and no additional contributions. Without a period there is nothing to annualise, a zero final value does not give a meaningful yearly rate, and contributions without dates make a yearly rate unreliable.
Why is there no annualised return when I enter additional contributions?
The yearly rate depends on when each contribution was made, and the calculator does not ask for contribution dates. Rather than show a figure that could be misleading, it shows a note and keeps the simple ROI, net gain or loss and total invested. A dated method such as XIRR would be needed for an annualised rate in that case.
Why can’t the initial investment be zero?
ROI divides by the amount invested. With nothing invested, a percentage return is not defined.
Does this predict future returns?
No. It only measures the figures you enter. It uses no market data and is general information, not financial or investment advice.