Investment Fee Calculator
Enter an investment, expected return, annual fee, and time horizon to see how much fees quietly compound away. A 1% fee looks tiny, but over decades the difference is striking.
How it works
It compounds your money at the return with no fee, and at return − fee with the fee, then shows the gap. Because the fee is taken from your whole balance every year, what it removes compounds too as the balance grows. The return is an assumption.
Read next
How a 1% fee quietly erodes your compounding →
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a tiny 1% fee matter so much?
The fee comes out of your entire balance every year, and whatever is removed can no longer compound. Over decades, that lost compounding adds up to a large share of your money.
What counts as a fee?
A fund or ETF expense ratio is the classic one, but trading and platform costs erode returns the same way.
Is a higher-fee fund ever worth it?
Occasionally, but very few products reliably beat a low-cost option over the long run after fees — which is why low cost is the sensible default.
This calculator is an educational estimate, not individual investment advice. It ignores taxes.