Measure the true performance of your investments with our Compound Annual Growth Rate calculator.
What is CAGR?
CAGR stands for Compound Annual Growth Rate. It is the measure of an investment's annual growth rate over time, assuming that any profits were reinvested at the end of each year. It is one of the most accurate ways to determine returns for anything that can rise or fall in value over time.
Absolute Return vs. CAGR
Absolute Return simply measures the total percentage gained or lost. CAGR accounts for the time value of money, providing a smoothed-out annualized rate.
How to Use the CAGR Calculator
The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) calculator is the gold standard for measuring historical performance. It ignores the wild ups and downs of the market over the years and calculates a single, smooth annual percentage rate. Simply plug in your starting value, ending value, and time period to find out exactly how hard your money worked for you.
- Enter your initial investment value.
- Enter the current or final value of the investment.
- Input the exact number of years you held the asset.
- Click calculate to find the annualized growth rate.
Understanding Your CAGR Output
The percentage result you see is the theoretical steady rate at which your investment would have grown if it had compounded at the exact same rate every single year. It is crucial for comparing different investments—like comparing a piece of real estate you held for 8 years against a mutual fund portfolio. A higher CAGR indicates superior historical performance.
CAGR Terminology
Initial Value is what you paid to acquire the asset. Final Value is what the asset is worth today or what you sold it for. Annualized Return is a standardized way to compare returns over periods longer than one year, making it easy to benchmark against fixed deposits or inflation.