Calculate& Decide

Money & Finance calculator

Investment Return / ROI Calculator

This calculator measures simple return on investment by comparing final value with the initial amount and entered costs.

Updated · Inputs stay in your browser

Educational estimate: This result is not financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. Check real terms and consider qualified advice for important decisions.

Enter your values

Choose the symbol used to display amounts.
Amount invested at the start.
Fees and other costs to include.
Value or proceeds at the end.

Your values stay on this device. Nothing is sent to Calculate & Decide unless you deliberately use your device's share feature.

What this result means

This calculator measures simple return on investment by comparing final value with the initial amount and entered costs. The results panel explains the main number and the quantities that produced it, so you can check whether the estimate answers your real question.

Formula used

ROI (%) = (Final value − Initial investment − Costs) ÷ (Initial investment + Costs) × 100.

Step-by-step calculation

  1. Validate every required value and reject values outside the stated field limits.
  2. Convert rates and time periods to the units required by the formula.
  3. Calculate with full JavaScript number precision; do not round intermediate values.
  4. Round only the displayed result and explain the practical meaning.

Worked example

An initial investment of $4,000 with $100 of costs and a final value of $4,715 has a $615 gain and a 15% ROI.

Assumptions and limitations

  • Final value includes any cash received that you want counted.
  • Entered costs are part of the invested basis.
  • The result is a simple holding-period return and is not annualized.

How to use this calculator

  1. Choose a currency symbol when the tool uses money.
  2. Enter values in the units shown beside each field.
  3. Select Calculate, then read both the main result and interpretation.
  4. Change one uncertain input at a time to understand sensitivity.
  5. Use Copy result or Share only when you choose to move the result outside this page.

Common mistakes

  • Ignoring transaction fees or other direct costs.
  • Comparing returns earned over very different time periods.
  • Treating past or projected ROI as a promise of future results.

Frequently asked questions

Is this annualized ROI?

No. It is the simple return over the full period represented by your inputs.

Can ROI be negative?

Yes. A final value below the total invested produces a negative ROI.

Does this account for inflation?

No. Use real, inflation-adjusted values separately if purchasing power matters.

Methodology and sources

Formula definitions and edge-case behavior are documented on our Methodology page. No external data is fetched by this calculator.

See the site-wide calculation methodology and editorial standards. Formula errors can be reported through the error-reporting instructions.

Published and reviewed .