Investment Return Calculators
Calculate your investment performance using cash flow analysis and cumulative return metrics
Cash Flow Return Calculator
Calculate the average return of an investment account considering cash deposits and withdrawals.
Cash Flows
Investment Performance
Annual Return
Total Return
Net Profit
Average & Cumulative Return Calculator
Calculate average and cumulative returns for multiple investments with different holding periods.
Investment Performance
Average Annual Return
Cumulative Return
Time-Weighted Return
Performance by Investment
Investment Return Calculator Guide
The 5iTech Investment Return Calculator helps you estimate investment performance from starting and ending balances, dated deposits and withdrawals, or multiple investments with different holding periods. It is useful when you want to understand annualized investment return, cumulative return, cash-flow-based performance, or compounded growth.
How to Calculate Investment Return
- Enter the starting balance and ending or current balance.
- Select the investment start date and end date.
- Add intermediate deposits or withdrawals using their actual dates and amounts.
- Click Calculate Return to calculate the annualized result.
- Use the second calculator to compare multiple investments and their compounded returns.
Investment Return With Cash Flows
Deposits and withdrawals affect investment performance because the amount of capital invested can change during the measurement period. Entering the actual cash-flow dates provides a more useful return calculation for investments with irregular contributions or withdrawals.
Annual Return vs. Cumulative Return
Annual return expresses investment performance on an annualized basis. Cumulative return shows the total compounded change over the selected investment periods. These measures can differ because annualized performance accounts for the length of time involved.
Simple Investment Return Formula
For a basic investment with no intermediate cash flows, a common annualized growth calculation is:
Annualized Return = (Ending Value ÷ Starting Value)1 / Years − 1Comparing Multiple Investments
The Average & Cumulative Return Calculator lets you enter multiple investment periods and annual return rates. It calculates the arithmetic average, compounded cumulative result, and an annualized compounded measure based on the periods entered.
Important Considerations
Investment returns can be affected by deposits, withdrawals, fees, taxes, inflation, timing, market conditions, and the method used to measure performance. Calculator results are estimates based on the values entered and should not be treated as personalized financial advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between these two calculators?
The Cash Flow Return Calculator calculates returns based on deposits and withdrawals over time, giving you a personalized return rate. The Average & Cumulative Return Calculator helps you compare performance across multiple investments with different holding periods.
How is the annual return calculated?
We use the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) formula for investments without cash flows. For investments with cash flows, we use the Modified Dietz method which accounts for the timing of deposits and withdrawals.
Why are my returns different between the two calculators?
The Cash Flow Return Calculator gives you a dollar-weighted return that reflects your actual investment experience, while the Average & Cumulative Return Calculator provides a time-weighted return that’s better for comparing investment performance.
Can I use this for retirement planning?
Absolutely! These calculators are excellent for projecting retirement savings growth. For comprehensive retirement planning, consider consulting with a financial advisor who can account for taxes, inflation, and other factors.