ROI Calculator
Measure whether a project or investment produced enough value relative to the money put in.
Calculator
ROI Calculator
Add the amounts invested or spent on the project, purchase, or campaign.
Total cost: $15,700.00
Add the resale proceeds, revenue, or remaining value you want counted on the return side.
Total ending value: $19,800.00
Example values are loaded.
Result
Your result
With $15,700.00 in total cost and $19,800.00 in ending value, the estimated ROI is 26.11%.
ROI
26.11%
Net profit
$4,100.00
Total cost
$15,700.00
ROI breakdown
Next steps
Compare before you move on
Most people use one calculator to answer the first question and a related tool to pressure-test the decision.
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What this calculator shows
ROI is a quick way to compare what you put in against what you got back.
This calculator is useful for side projects, marketing campaigns, purchases, and simple investment snapshots where costs or value may come from more than one line item.
How to use it
- 1. Add every cost that belongs in the investment or project.
- 2. Add the ending value, sale proceeds, or revenue items you want counted on the return side.
- 3. Review the resulting net profit and ROI after all items are totaled.
Formula and assumptions
Net profit = total ending value - total cost.
ROI = net profit / total cost x 100.
How to read this result
ROI is strongest as a quick comparison tool. It tells you whether the gain was large relative to cost, but it does not say whether the result was fast, repeatable, or worth the risk taken.
A positive ROI is not automatically a good use of money if the gain took too long or crowded out better alternatives. Time and opportunity cost still matter.
Use this result as the first screen, then move to CAGR or longer-horizon growth tools if you need to compare investments that did not happen over the same timeframe.
Common mistakes
Comparing ROI numbers from projects with very different timelines as if they were directly equivalent.
Leaving out smaller costs, fees, or maintenance items that quietly reduce the real return.
Using ROI alone for long-term investment decisions when annualized return or compounding math would be more informative.
Notes
ROI is a useful quick comparison metric, but it does not account for the length of time required to earn the return.
Worked example
An initial $15,000 cost that ends at $19,800 with another $700 in costs is a straightforward ROI scenario.
This example uses the default sample inputs loaded on reset. It does not update with the live calculator entries above.
ROI
26.11%
Net profit
$4,100.00
Total cost
$15,700.00
Feedback
Found a problem on this page?
Report confusing fields, broken math, or missing assumptions with the exact inputs you used so the issue can be reproduced.
FAQ
FAQ
Can ROI be negative?
Yes. If the ending value does not cover the money spent, net profit is negative and the ROI percentage is also negative.
FAQ
Does ROI tell me how long the investment took?
No. ROI measures return relative to cost, not the time it took to earn that return.