Free Online CAGR Calculator

1. Enter the start value (initial investment or starting metric).
2. Enter the end value (final amount after growth).
3. Enter the number of years over which growth occurred.
4. Read the CAGR per-year rate and the cumulative total return.

Compound Annual Growth Rate is the most honest single number for the long-term return on a volatile investment. The formula is CAGR = (end ÷ start)^(1 ÷ years) − 1. Because real returns swing year to year, the arithmetic average is misleading — a portfolio that drops 50% one year and gains 100% the next has a +25% arithmetic average but a 0% CAGR. CAGR captures the geometric truth.

This tool returns both the CAGR and the cumulative total return for context. A 10-year investment growing from $10,000 to $26,000, for instance, has a 10.0% CAGR and a 160% total return. CAGR is what you'd quote when comparing to other investments; total return is what you'd brag about at a dinner party.

CAGR works for any quantity that grows at a roughly compounding rate — revenue, subscriber counts, assets under management, GDP. It's the standard rate in annual reports and investor decks for that reason. General information only — confirm financial decisions with a qualified advisor.