How to use the calculator
- Start typing a company name or ticker and pick the stock or ETF from the list. Any US-listed stock or ETF on Quotelinks works.
- Enter the amount and choose the month and year you would have invested.
- Choose whether dividends are reinvested. Open More options to add a monthly amount (as if you had kept investing) or to change the comparison from SPY to another ticker.
Hover over the chart to see the value at the end of any month, and the same money in the comparison fund.
How the result is calculated
The calculator buys at the closing price on the last trading day of the month you pick, and values the shares at the latest close. Prices are adjusted for stock splits, so a split doesn’t look like a crash.
- Dividends reinvested (total return): every dividend buys more shares at the closing price on its ex-dividend date. This is how most long-term investors and funds measure performance.
- Not included (price only): only the change in the share price counts, which is what most price charts show.
- Monthly additions buy at each later month-end close, so the result is what a regular investment plan would have grown to.
The annual return (CAGR) is (value today / amount invested)^(1 / years) − 1. With monthly additions the calculator shows the money you put in instead, because a single annual rate doesn’t describe several purchases; for that, use the investment return calculator’s IRR mode.
Why compare with the S&P 500?
A great-looking result means more next to a simple alternative. SPY, an ETF that tracks the S&P 500, is what you would have earned by just buying the whole US market. Many individual stocks trailed it over long periods, and a few beat it by a wide margin. Change the comparison to QQQ, a sector ETF or another stock to answer “which would have been better?”.
Things to keep in mind
- Hindsight. It is easy to pick a winner looking back. The worst drop along the way shows how hard it would have been to hold on.
- Taxes and fees are not included. Dividends reinvested in a taxable account would have been taxed each year.
- Data range. History goes back to the earliest month available for each ticker on Quotelinks; the year list shows the range.
Frequently asked questions
How much would I have if I had invested $1,000?
Pick the stock or ETF, enter 1,000 and the month you would have bought. The calculator applies the real month-end prices since then, with dividends reinvested if you choose, and shows the value at the latest close.
Are dividends included?
With "Reinvested" selected, yes: each dividend buys more shares on its ex-dividend date (total return). "Not included" shows the price change only.
Are stock splits taken into account?
Yes. All prices are adjusted for splits, so a 4-for-1 split doesn't show up as a 75% fall. The number of shares shown is on today's share basis.
Why is the result different from other sites?
Small differences come from the buy date (this calculator uses the month-end close), whether dividends are reinvested, and rounding. The method is explained above the FAQ.
Can I add money every month?
Yes. Open More options and enter a monthly amount. Each month it buys at the month-end close, as in a regular investment plan.
How far back does the data go?
It depends on the stock or ETF: the year list shows the first year available. For most large companies it goes back many years; recent listings start at their first trading month.
Can I put this calculator on my website?
Yes. It is free for any site. Use the embed code generator at the bottom of this page, copy the code and paste it into your page. Please keep the credit line with the two links under the calculator.
Related calculators
- Stock Return Calculator With DividendsTotal return, price return and the part added by dividends for any stock or ETF between two months.
- Portfolio Backtest CalculatorHow a mix of up to 10 stocks and ETFs would have done: return, volatility and worst drawdown.
- Real Return Calculator (Inflation-Adjusted)The return of any US stock or ETF after inflation between two months, in total and per year.
- Stock Profit CalculatorProfit or loss, return, break-even price and tax on a stock trade, including commissions.
See all free investing calculators, or add live stock quotes to your site with the free stock widgets.
Add this calculator to your website
The calculator is free to embed on any website, personal or commercial, and works on WordPress, Blogger, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Ghost and plain HTML. Choose the options, copy the code and paste it into your page.
Preview: this is how the calculator and the credit line will look on your page
Free for personal and commercial websites. Please keep the “by Quotelinks” credit line under the calculator visible and unchanged, and don’t modify the calculator or present it as your own. The <script> line is optional: it sizes the frame to fit the calculator; if your platform removes scripts, the calculator still works at the fixed height. Past returns don’t predict future returns. Results are for illustration only, not financial advice.