ROI Calculator
Measure the return on an investment in total percentage terms, and annualized if it spans multiple years.
Understanding the ROI Calculator
Return on investment (ROI) measures how much an investment gained or lost relative to what was originally put in, expressed as a percentage. It’s a simple, versatile metric that works for stocks, real estate, a small business, or any purchase you’re evaluating for its financial payoff.
Total ROI alone can be misleading when comparing investments held for different lengths of time — a 60% return over ten years is a very different result from a 60% return over one year. The annualized figure converts total ROI into an equivalent yearly rate, making it possible to fairly compare investments with different holding periods.
This calculator doesn’t account for additional cash flows during the holding period (like dividends reinvested partway through, or partial withdrawals) or for taxes and fees — for a more complete picture with those factors, a more advanced return metric like IRR may be appropriate.
See it in practice
Example 1 — Four-year holding period
Example 2 — Same total ROI, longer period
Common questions
It depends heavily on the asset class, risk level, and time period — there’s no universal benchmark. Comparing annualized ROI against a relevant reference, like a broad market index over the same period, gives more context than judging the number in isolation.
Total ROI doesn’t reflect how long your money was tied up. Annualized ROI lets you compare a two-year flip and a twenty-year hold on equal footing, since it expresses both as a rate per year.
Yes — if the final value is lower than the initial investment, both total and annualized ROI will be negative, reflecting a loss.
Only if you fold them into the ‘final value’ figure yourself. This calculator compares a single starting amount to a single ending amount; it doesn’t separately track interim cash flows.
This depends heavily on the type of investment and time period. A diversified stock portfolio averaging 7-10% annually over the long run is often considered solid, though shorter-term or riskier investments can carry very different benchmarks.
Rental property ROI is typically calculated by dividing annual net income, rent minus expenses like mortgage, taxes, and maintenance, by the total amount invested, then expressing that as a percentage.
ROI measures total percentage gain over the entire holding period, regardless of length. Annualized return converts that total gain into an equivalent yearly rate, making it easier to compare investments held for different lengths of time.
A basic ROI calculation typically doesn’t subtract taxes or fees unless specifically included in the cost or return figures used. For a more accurate picture, factor in transaction costs, management fees, and applicable taxes separately.
Not necessarily. A high ROI can sometimes come with proportionally higher risk, a longer holding period, or be based on a small sample of favorable results. Comparing ROI alongside risk and time horizon gives a more complete picture.