Investment Return (ROI) Calculator
Project the future value of an initial investment plus optional monthly contributions, and see the return it implies.
Calculator
For educational and informational purposes only — not financial, investment or tax advice. Results are estimates based on the figures you enter.
How the calculation flows
The inputs you enter feed a fixed formula to produce the result. Change any input to see how sensitive the outcome is.
Conceptual diagram
What the ROI calculator does
The Investment Return (ROI) calculator projects how a starting amount plus regular monthly contributions could grow over time at an assumed annual rate of return. It answers a simple but important planning question: if a position grew at some steady rate, what would it be worth, and how much of that is your own money versus growth? It is a way to pressure-test an assumption, not a prediction of any real asset.
How it works
Return on investment expresses your gain as a percentage of what you put in. The calculator grows your initial amount and each monthly contribution at a monthly rate derived from the annual return you enter, then compares the final value to the total you invested.
Because each contribution compounds for the months that remain, money added early does more work than money added near the end — the engine behind every long-horizon plan.
Worked example
Illustrative example — your figures will differ
Start with $1,000, add $100 a month, assume a 12% annual return, and run it for 5 years (the calculator’s default inputs).
- Total invested: $1,000 + ($100 × 60 months) = $7,000
- Projected value: about $10,065
- Growth on top of contributions: about $3,065 → ROI ≈ +44%
Why the assumed rate matters so much
Small changes in the assumed return compound into large differences over years. The table below keeps the same $1,000 start and $100/month for 5 years and varies only the annual rate.
| Annual return | Total invested | Projected value | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $7,000 | ~$7,860 | ~$860 |
| 8% | $7,000 | ~$8,870 | ~$1,870 |
| 12% | $7,000 | ~$10,065 | ~$3,065 |
| 20% | $7,000 | ~$13,100 | ~$6,100 |
Notice the result is roughly linear in the early years but bends upward as the balance — and therefore the dollars earned each year — grows.
How to use it
- Enter a realistic initial investment and a monthly contribution you can actually sustain.
- Set an expected annual return. Use a conservative figure; double-digit crypto returns are possible but far from guaranteed.
- Choose a time horizon in years.
- Read the total invested and future value, then change one input at a time to see how sensitive the outcome is.
Limits to keep in mind
- It assumes a single, steady rate. Real crypto returns are volatile and can be negative — a flat annual percentage hides large swings.
- It ignores taxes, trading fees and inflation unless you bake them into the rate yourself.
- Past performance is not a forecast. Treat the output as one scenario among many, not a target.
Related reading
- Glossary: Return on Investment (ROI)
- Guide: How to Read a Crypto Market
- Related tools: Compound Interest Calculator and Dollar-Cost Averaging Calculator
For education only — not financial, investment or tax advice. Results are estimates based on the figures you enter.