Investment Return Comparison Calculator
Enter both returns and fee levels to see the winner.
Better option
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Enter values above
Option A final value
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Option B final value
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Difference
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Option A net return
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Option B net return
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Worked example
With the default inputs shown below, this calculator returns the following results:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Investment amount ($) | 25000 |
| Option A gross return (%) | 9 |
| Option A fee (%) | 1.2 |
| Option B gross return (%) | 7.5 |
| Option B fee (%) | 0.1 |
| Years | 20 |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Better option | Option A |
| Option A final value | $112,283 |
| Option B final value | $104,238 |
| Difference | $8,045 |
| Option A net return | 7.80% |
| Option B net return | 7.40% |
Values shown are produced by this page in your browser; change any input to update them.
How to use the Investment Return Comparison Calculator
- Investment amount ($) — default 25000
- Option A gross return (%) — default 9
- Option A fee (%) — default 1.2
- Option B gross return (%) — default 7.5
- Option B fee (%) — default 0.1
- Years — default 20
- Press Calculate to update the results instantly.
Frequently asked questions
Always net. A fund with a 1% higher gross return but a 1.5% higher fee is the worse investment, and the gap compounds every year.
Then compare risk too. A higher average return with much larger swings may deliver less money in practice because of sequence risk and the timing of contributions.
Enormously. A small fee difference is trivial over three years and decisive over thirty. View any comparison on your actual horizon, not the fund’s published one-year number.