Calculate total ROI and net gain or loss, then use CAGR for endpoint-only investments or money-weighted IRR for explicit year-end contributions.
A quick decision brief for this specific tool
Starting value, ending value, a whole-year horizon, and an optional contribution modeled at each year end
Dollar reconciliation, net gain/loss, total ROI, and a method-labeled annualized return when the entered cash-flow pattern supports one
Total ROI uses ending value minus every invested dollar; no-contribution annualization uses CAGR, while recurring year-end cash flows use a money-weighted IRR root
Choose your path
Compare investment cost and ending value with transparent total ROI and a timing-valid annualized return, without inventing break-even dates, volatility, or market benchmarks from two endpoint values.
Calculate simple ROI from total cash invested and final value.
Enter initial cost, ending value, horizon, and any year-end contributions; inspect total invested, gain/loss, and ROI.
Can reconcile every dollar and does not confuse ROI with profit margin or cash-on-cash timing.
Compare alternatives with different horizons and cash-flow patterns.
Use compare mode with named scenarios and inspect total ROI plus timing-valid IRR/CAGR semantics.
Does not rank recurring-contribution scenarios using an invalid endpoint CAGR.
Read gain/loss and annualization limitations on a phone.
Load examples, test a loss and zero-gain case, and review methodology before sharing.
No fabricated break-even month, risk-adjusted score, or hard-coded market-return promise appears.
This tool is part of these guided projects. Each project provides step-by-step instructions with checklists and all the tools you need in one place.
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Total invested includes the starting value plus every entered annual contribution. Net gain or loss is ending value minus total invested; total ROI divides that result by total invested. Negative results remain negative instead of being relabeled as profit.
ROI % = (Ending value − Total invested) ÷ Total invested × 100With no recurring contributions, the tool annualizes starting and ending values with CAGR. With recurring contributions, it models them at each year end—including the final year—and solves a money-weighted IRR. Dividing ending value by total dollars invested and taking an nth root is not a valid recurring-cash-flow CAGR.
No contributions: CAGR = (Ending ÷ Starting)^(1/years) − 1; contributions: solve NPV(IRR) = 0Formula: Microsoft Support — IRR function
Starting value, ending value, and scheduled contributions do not reveal the actual path. The calculator therefore does not fabricate a break-even month, volatility, risk-adjusted score, taxes, fees, or a fixed stock/bond benchmark. Use actual dated cash flows and costs when those details matter.
Annual cash flows = [−starting, −contribution, …, ending−final contribution]Updated: August 2026
No recurring contributions are entered, so annualization uses CAGR directly from the starting and ending values.
→ Net gain: $5,000; total ROI: 50.00%; CAGR: 8.45%
An initial $10,000 plus five $1,000 year-end contributions produces a $20,000 ending value. Annualization must account for when each dollar was invested.
→ Total invested: $15,000; net gain: $5,000; total ROI: 33.33%; money-weighted IRR: 7.29%
$10,000 ending at $8,000 after five years remains a $2,000 loss, −20.00% total ROI, and approximately −4.36% CAGR; the interface does not hide the sign or invent a recovery date.
Include every cost represented by the model. Revenue or ending value alone is not profit, and the denominator must reconcile to the same cash flows used in the numerator.
CAGR assumes one starting outflow and one ending inflow. For the tool's recurring year-end contribution convention, use the displayed money-weighted IRR and keep timing consistent across alternatives.
Two endpoint values do not reveal the path, drawdowns, volatility, fees, taxes, or when value crossed cost. Supply actual dated cash flows in a dedicated analysis when those conclusions matter.
Reconcile starting value, ending value, horizon, and optional year-end contributions before comparing returns. The calculator keeps total ROI separate from CAGR or cash-flow IRR and refuses to invent missing path or risk data.