How to calculate investment return, ROI and CAGR
An investment return calculator compares the value you started with against the value you ended with, including income such as dividends and subtracting fees or taxes entered by the user. The result separates total gain, ROI and annualized compound growth.
CAGR is useful when you want a single annual rate that would turn the initial investment into the ending wealth over the selected period. Inflation-adjusted real CAGR shows how much of that annualized growth remains after changes in purchasing power.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ROI and CAGR?
ROI measures the total percentage gain over the full period. CAGR converts the start-to-end growth into an equivalent compounded annual rate.
Does CAGR include dividends?
It can if dividends or distributions are included in ending wealth. This calculator lets you enter income separately and adds it to ending wealth for the total-return calculation.
Can I use this with recurring contributions?
Not for an exact CAGR. Intermediate cash flows require timing-aware methods such as money-weighted or time-weighted return. This calculator is designed primarily for lump-sum start-to-end performance.
Related FinanceTools