What is ROI Calculator?
Formula
Gain = Amount Returned โ Amount Invested ROI (%) = (Gain / Amount Invested) ร 100 Annualized ROI (%) = ((Amount Returned / Amount Invested)^(1/years) โ 1) ร 100
Formula Explained
Simple ROI is straightforward: divide gain by cost. The annualized formula uses the nth root (where n = years) to find the constant annual growth rate that would produce the same total return. This is mathematically equivalent to CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate). For example, investing $1,000 and getting back $2,000 over 7 years: annualized ROI = (2000/1000)^(1/7) โ 1 = 10.41% per year.
Example
Invested: $1,000, Returned: $1,200, Time: 1 year Gain: $200 ROI: ($200 / $1,000) ร 100 = 20.00% Annualized ROI: 20.00% (same as ROI for 1 year) Invested: $5,000, Returned: $8,000, Time: 3 years Gain: $3,000 ROI: 60.00% Annualized ROI: (8000/5000)^(1/3) โ 1 = 16.96%
Tips & Best Practices
- โAlways use annualized ROI when comparing investments of different durations.
- โRemember to include all costs (fees, taxes, commissions) in your "amount invested" for accurate ROI.
- โA negative ROI means a loss โ but consider if the investment has unrealized future potential.
- โROI does not account for risk โ a 10% ROI from a savings account is very different from 10% in crypto.
Common Use Cases
- โขEvaluating the profitability of a business investment
- โขComparing returns across stocks, real estate, and other asset classes
- โขMeasuring the effectiveness of marketing campaigns (marketing ROI)
- โขCalculating real estate investment returns after sale
- โขPresenting investment performance to stakeholders