How to use this calculator
- Enter or choose amount invested.
- Enter or choose amount returned (final value).
- Enter or choose holding period (optional).
- The return on investment updates as you type. Use Copy result or Share to keep it.
Formula
ROI % = (Return − Invested) ÷ Invested × 100; Annualized = ((Return ÷ Invested)^(1 ÷ years) − 1) × 100
- Invested
- total cost of the investment
- Return
- final value or total received
Worked example
- Gain = 1,500 − 1,000 = 500.
- ROI = 500 ÷ 1,000 × 100 = 50%.
- Annualized = (1.5^(1/2) − 1) × 100 ≈ 22.47% a year.
A 50% return over two years is about 22.47% a year, not 25%, because returns compound.
What the result means
Plain ROI ignores time; a 50% return over two years and over ten years are very different. Use annualized ROI to compare investments of different lengths.
Assumptions and limits
- All money is invested at the start and returned at the end.
- With deposits or withdrawals along the way, use an internal rate of return (IRR) calculation instead.
Questions
Can ROI be negative?
Yes. If you get back less than you invested, ROI is negative. Getting back 800 on 1,000 is −20%.
Please note: Returns are illustrations at a constant rate, not predictions or guarantees. Investments can lose value. This is not investment advice.