Portfolio Growth Calculator

See exactly how your money grows over time — and how much fees quietly take away. Contributions, growth and fees, split out and net of inflation.

Your plan

Starting portfolio

Monthly contribution

Expected annual return

Annual fee

Subtracted from your return before compounding — the rate you actually earn.

Time horizon

20 years

Adjust for inflation

Estimated portfolio value after 20 years (net of fees)

$300,851

Net of 0.5% annual fees

You contributed$130,000

Investment growth$170,851

Fees paid−$0

ContributionsGrowthWithout fees

Show yearly breakdown

Year	Contributions	Growth	Fees	Balance

How this calculation works

The formula

With monthly contributions added at the end of each month and monthly compounding at a net rate i = (gross − fee) ÷ 12, the balance after N months is:

FV = P · (1+i)^N + M · ( ((1+i)^N − 1) / i )

We run the same formula twice — once at your gross return and once at your net return (gross minus annual fee). The gap between the two final balances is your total fee cost.

How the numbers split out

You contributed = starting portfolio + all monthly contributions (your own money).
Investment growth = the growth you'd earn with no fees, before fees are taken out.
Fees paid = the difference between the no-fee and the net-of-fee final balance — what fees cost you over the whole period.
Final value = contributions + growth − fees. The three always add up exactly.

Assumptions

The annual fee is subtracted from the gross return before compounding (net-of-fee rate) — a standard simplification used by most investment fee calculators.
Contributions are added at the end of each month (ordinary annuity).
Returns are nominal, pre-tax; fees and inflation are constant over the whole period.
No market volatility is modeled — the return rate is assumed constant.
Results are hypothetical and for education only — not financial advice.

Educational purposes only. Not financial advice. See the full methodology and disclaimer.

Fees and growth, explained

How do investment fees affect my returns?

Fees are subtracted from your gross return before compounding, so they compound too. A 1% annual fee can cost you tens of thousands of dollars over 20–30 years — often far more than the fee itself suggests. Try switching the fee preset to see the gap.

What's a realistic annual fee?

Low-cost index funds and ETFs typically charge around 0.03–0.25% per year. Actively managed mutual funds commonly charge 0.5–1% or more. Compare 0%, 0.25%, 0.5% and 1% with the preset buttons above.

How do you calculate the fee impact?

We compute two portfolios: one at your gross return with no fees, and one at your net return (gross minus annual fee). The difference between the two final balances is the total cost of fees over the whole period.

Why is "net of fees" important?

The return you actually earn is after fees. A fund that reports 8% gross but charges 1% only delivers about 7% to you. Comparing net returns is the honest way to judge whether a fund or strategy is worth its cost.

Is this financial advice?

No. Results are hypothetical projections based on a constant return, fee and inflation rate. Real markets are volatile and past performance never guarantees future results. The calculator is educational only.