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ROI & CAGR Calculator

Work out the return on an investment, the steady yearly growth rate between two values, or what a value grows to at a given rate.

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$
What you put in, including fees.
Enter a number, for example 1250 or 19.99.
$
What it's worth now, or what you got back.
Enter a number, for example 1250 or 19.99.
years
Optional. Add it to see the yearly (annualised) return.
Enter a number, for example 1250 or 19.99.
$
Enter a number, for example 1250 or 19.99.
$
Enter a number, for example 1250 or 19.99.
% a year
Enter a number, for example 1250 or 19.99.
years
Can include part years, for example 2.5.
Enter a number, for example 1250 or 19.99.

How to use the ROI and CAGR calculator

  • ROI: enter what you invested and what it's worth now. Add the number of years to get the annualised return too.
  • CAGR: enter a starting value, an ending value and the years in between. This works for investments, revenue, users or anything that grows.
  • Grow at a rate: see what a value becomes after a number of years at a steady yearly growth rate.

ROI formula

ROI = (Final value − Amount invested) ÷ Amount invested × 100

ROI shows your total return as a percentage of what you put in. It doesn't account for time: a 45% return over 3 years and over 10 years look the same.

CAGR formula

CAGR = (Ending value ÷ Starting value)1 ÷ years − 1

CAGR, the compound annual growth rate, is the steady yearly rate that takes the starting value to the ending value. It makes returns over different lengths of time comparable.

Worked examples

ROI: you invest 10,000 and it's worth 14,500 three years later. ROI = 4,500 ÷ 10,000 = 45%. The annualised return is (1.45)1/3 − 1 = 13.19% a year.

CAGR: a business's revenue grows from 10,000 to 16,105.10 over 5 years. CAGR = (1.61051)0.2 − 1 = 10% a year.

Grow at a rate: 10,000 growing at 8% a year for 10 years becomes 10,000 × 1.0810 = 21,589.25.

Why average yearly return isn't the same as CAGR

If an investment gains 50% one year and loses 50% the next, the simple average is 0%, but you've actually lost money: 100 → 150 → 75. CAGR captures this. Here it's (75 ÷ 100)1/2 − 1 = −13.4% a year. That's why CAGR is the better measure for comparing investments.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good ROI?

It depends on the risk and the time involved. Compare a return with what you could have earned elsewhere over the same period, such as a savings account or an index fund, and always use the annualised figure for investments held for different lengths of time.

Should I include fees and costs?

Yes. Include purchase fees, commissions and other costs in the amount invested, and subtract selling costs from the final value. Otherwise ROI looks better than it really was.

Can CAGR be negative?

Yes. If the ending value is lower than the starting value, CAGR is negative, showing the average yearly rate at which the value fell.

Does CAGR work with regular deposits?

Not directly. CAGR assumes a single starting amount. For money added over time, use the investment calculator or the compound interest calculator.

Formulas checked 29 October 2026. This calculator is for planning and education, not financial, tax or legal advice.