Finance tools
ROI calculator
Free ROI calculator and return on investment calculator for stocks, marketing, real estate, and business projects — not ROAS or workforce scheduling ROI. Enter amount invested and amount returned for live ROI %, investment gain, and optional annualized ROI (yearly ROI) with investment length or dates. Solve for the required return from a target ROI %, export CSV/PDF — no signup, no submit button.
What is ROI?
Return on investment (ROI) measures how much profit or loss an investment generated relative to its cost. The core ROI formula is gain divided by invested amount, expressed as a percentage. ROI is widely used for stocks, real estate, marketing campaigns, equipment purchases, and software projects — whenever you compare money out vs money back.
Simple ROI ignores how long you held the investment. When horizons differ, add a holding period to see annualized ROI (same math as CAGR between two dollar endpoints) so you can compare a 1-year trade with a 5-year hold.
Total ROI %
Gain ÷ invested amount — the headline return on investment percentage.
Annualized ROI
Optional period (years or dates) for time-adjusted comparison.
Required return solver
Target ROI % → required returned amount for planning.
CSV/PDF export
Download inputs and results without a signup wall.
Related tools: CAGR calculator, payback period calculator, NPV calculator, break-even calculator, ROAS calculator, and compound interest calculator.
ROI formula
Return on investment formula
ROI % = (Amount returned − Amount invested) ÷ Amount invested × 100
Investment gain = Amount returned − Amount invested
Annualized ROI (when you know the holding period n in years):
Annualized ROI % = (Amount returned ÷ Amount invested)1/n − 1, expressed as a percentage.
Example: Invest $1,000, receive $2,000 back → ROI = 100%. Over about 4.35 years, annualized ROI ≈ 17.3%.
ROI vs CAGR, payback, ROAS, and ROA
ROI (this tool)
What it measures
Total return on cost; optional annualized view with a period.
CAGR
What it measures
Payback period answers how many months or years until cash inflows recover upfront cost — see the payback period calculator. NPV discounts uneven project cash flows; ROI is a quick ratio when you have one cost and one return.
ROAS (return on ad spend) and ROA (return on assets) are different metrics — do not confuse them with generic ROI on this page.
ROI vs rate of return (ROR): ROI is often a total return over a holding period without naming the period explicitly. ROR is frequently quoted on an annual basis. When you add dates or investment length here, annualized ROI aligns ROI with a yearly rate for apples-to-apples comparison.
ROI formula in Excel and Google Sheets
To calculate ROI in Excel or Google Sheets when you know invested amount (cell A1) and returned amount (cell B1):
ROI % = (B1 − A1) / A1 — format the cell as a percentage. For gain in dollars: =B1−A1.
Annualized ROI in spreadsheets requires a period in years (n): =((B1/A1)^(1/n))−1, then multiply by 100. Our calculator handles fractional years (months/days) and date ranges so you do not need to build that formula yourself.
For multi-year cash flows with deposits, use the compound interest calculator or NPV calculator instead of a single-point ROI ratio.
How to calculate ROI
Define invested amount and returned amount
Invested = total cost (purchase price, fees, implementation). Returned = final value received (sale price, cumulative profit, or projected return).
Compute gain and ROI %
Subtract invested from returned for gain. Divide gain by invested and multiply by 100 for ROI %.
Add a period for annualized ROI
Optional: enter years/months/days or a date range to annualize returns when comparing different horizons.
Export or compare
Download CSV/PDF for your model, or cross-check with NPV, payback, and break-even tools for a fuller business case.
Worked examples
Real estate: Buy a property for $600,000, sell for $900,000 → gain $300,000 → ROI = $300,000 ÷ $600,000 = 50%.
Marketing campaign: Spend $250,000, attribute $650,000 in gross profit over two years → ROI = ($650,000 − $250,000) ÷ $250,000 = 160% total (annualized depends on timing).
Stock trade: $1,900.50 invested, $2,284.50 received → ROI ≈ 20.21%. If the price fell to $1,371, ROI ≈ −27.86% (loss).
Marketing ROI calculator
A marketing ROI calculator compares campaign spend to measurable return. The standard formula:
Marketing ROI % = (Gross profit from campaign − Marketing cost) ÷ Marketing cost × 100
Use profit or margin-adjusted revenue — not raw revenue alone — so a 160% ROI reflects true economic gain. Attribute returns conservatively (incremental sales, not total company revenue).
Try the Marketing ROI scenario preset above ($250k spend → $650k return over two years), or pair with the ROAS calculator when you measure ad revenue per dollar of spend.
How to calculate ROI for a project
For a business project, define amount invested as upfront cost (equipment, implementation, training) and amount returned as total net benefit over the project life (cumulative profit, cost savings, or terminal value). ROI % = (Returned − Invested) ÷ Invested × 100.
Simple ROI is a fast screen for capital budgeting, but projects with uneven yearly cash flows need NPV, IRR-style analysis, or payback period for timing and risk.
Example: $500,000 project cost, $1.2M total benefits realized → ROI = ($1.2M − $500k) ÷ $500k = 140% total return (add a period to annualize).
Limitations of ROI
ROI does not include risk, taxes, or intermediate cash flows. Two investments with the same ROI can have very different volatility or holding periods. Without a time dimension, ROI alone cannot rank a 1-year vs 5-year opportunity.
Results here are illustrative estimates for education and planning — not investment, tax, or legal advice. For workforce software savings (scheduling, payroll), see Ordio shift-planning ROI content on the German ROI-Rechner Schichtplanung (DE-only until the EN shift-scheduling ROI tool ships).
More free tools
Discover more calculators for time tracking, payroll, and HR.
Frequently asked questions about this ROI calculator
How do you calculate ROI?
Subtract the amount invested from the amount returned to get gain. Divide gain by invested amount and multiply by 100 for ROI %.
Example: $2,000 returned on $1,000 invested → gain $1,000 → ROI = 100%.
What is a good ROI percentage?
There is no universal “good” ROI — it depends on risk, industry, and time. Public equities might target 7–10% annualized long-run averages; marketing campaigns might need ROIs above 100% on short campaigns. Compare ROI to your cost of capital, hurdle rate, or alternative projects rather than a single benchmark.
What is the difference between ROI and annualized ROI?
ROI is total return over the whole period. Annualized ROI converts that return into an equivalent yearly rate so you can compare investments with different holding periods — same idea as CAGR between two dollar values.
What is the difference between ROI, ROAS, and ROA?
ROI (this page) = (return − cost) ÷ cost for any investment.
ROAS = revenue ÷ ad spend — see the ROAS calculator.
ROA = net income ÷ total assets — see the ROA calculator.
How do I use an ROI calculator for real estate?
Set amount invested to purchase price plus major upfront costs (renovation, closing). Set amount returned to net sale proceeds (sale price minus selling costs). Add holding period years or dates for annualized ROI. ROI here is a simple ratio — cap rate, cash-on-cash, and IRR models add financing and ongoing cash flows.
How is ROI calculated for marketing?
ROI % = (Revenue or profit attributed to the campaign − marketing spend) ÷ marketing spend × 100. Use gross profit or margin-adjusted revenue when possible — not revenue alone. Our preset “Marketing ROI” example uses $250k spend and $650k return over two years.
Why doesn't ROI include time?
Classic ROI is a simple ratio without a time variable — that is why two deals with the same ROI but different lengths are hard to compare. Add a period in this calculator to show annualized ROI, or use payback period / NPV for project timelines.
Is this the same as workforce or scheduling software ROI?
No. This tool is a generic finance ROI calculator. For labor savings vs software subscription (scheduling, time tracking, payroll), use the German ROI-Rechner Schichtplanung (DE-only) or wait for the EN shift-scheduling ROI ship.
Is 4.5% a good ROI?
4.5% total ROI on a short hold can be excellent; 4.5% annualized may trail inflation or equity benchmarks. Always compare ROI to the holding period, risk, and alternatives (bonds, savings, other projects).
Add dates or investment length in this calculator to see annualized ROI — a 4.5% total return over 10 years is far weaker than 4.5% in one year.
Is 20% ROI possible?
Yes — 20% ROI is common on successful stock trades, marketing campaigns, or private deals. Our stock example ($1,900.50 → $2,284.50) is about 20.21% ROI. Higher returns usually carry higher risk; sustained 20%+ annualized returns are harder to repeat.
What does 10% ROI mean?
10% ROI means you earned $0.10 of net gain per $1 invested over the measured period. On $10,000 invested, that is $1,000 profit. Without a time frame, 10% could be one month or ten years — use annualized ROI or payback tools to interpret timing.
How do I calculate ROI in Excel?
With invested amount in A1 and returned amount in B1: =(B1−A1)/A1 for the decimal ratio, then format as percent. Gain: =B1−A1.
For annualized ROI with years in C1: =((B1/A1)^(1/C1))−1. This page calculates fractional periods and date ranges automatically.
How do I calculate ROI for a project?
Sum upfront project costs as invested and total net benefits (profit, savings, or resale value) as returned. ROI % = (Returned − Invested) ÷ Invested × 100.
For uneven yearly cash flows, add NPV or discounted payback — ROI alone ignores intermediate inflows.