Insights Page/Mutual Funds

CAGR Calculator: How It Works, Formula and a Worked Example

Calculate the point-to-point annualized growth rate. Here is the formula, a worked example, the mistakes to avoid, and a free calculator with a downloadable PDF report.

Abhishek sharma
Editorial Lead
Updated September 17, 2026
4 Min Read

Most people meet the cagr calculator the same way — someone quotes a number, it sounds reasonable, and there is no easy way to check it. That is exactly the gap this guide closes. By the end of it you will know what the number is made of, where it usually goes wrong, and you will have run your own figures through our free cagr calculator.

Cover image slot — add a screenshot or illustration from Admin → Blog when it is ready.

Prefer to start with your own figures? Use the CAGR Calculator now, or continue for the formula and a worked example.

What is going on behind the number

Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) measures the mean annual growth rate of an investment over a specified period longer than one year.

The formula behind it:

CAGR = [(End Value / Start Value)^(1/n)] - 1
Symbol What it means
EV Ending Value
SV Starting Value
n Number of Years

Nothing is rounded away quietly and nothing is assumed on your behalf. If a figure appears in the result, it came from something you entered.

An example, start to finish

₹1L becoming ₹2L in 5 years is a CAGR of ~14.87%.

Change any one input and watch the result move — that sensitivity is the real lesson. It is far more useful than memorising a single outcome, because your own rate, tenure or contribution will never match the example exactly.

Using the CAGR Calculator, step by step

  1. Open the CAGR Calculator.
  2. Enter your figures. Use the ones on your statement, sanction letter or scheme document rather than a remembered number.
  3. Read the result card — the headline figure plus the breakdown that produced it.
  4. Adjust one input at a time to see what genuinely moves the outcome.
  5. Tap Download PDF to keep a copy of the calculation, with your inputs and assumptions printed on it.

The PDF takes a few seconds to build because it is a properly typeset report, not a screenshot. You will see a progress message while it is being prepared, and the download starts on its own.

What experienced users do differently

  • Best for comparing performance of two different assets.

Mistakes we see again and again

  • Ignoring volatility during the period.

If you want to go a level deeper afterwards, read up on annualized returns. Both come up the moment you start comparing options seriously.

Interactive calculator

Try the CAGR Calculator

Enter your own figures below. The same calculator and PDF report remain available on the focused calculator page.

Yrs

CAGR (%)

4.69%

Initial Value

₹1,00,000

Total Gain

₹1,50,000

Portfolio Mix

Invested
Returns

Growth Curve

Growth rate calculated based on input

An investment that grows from ₹1,00,000 to ₹2,50,000 over 20 years has a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.69%. The total absolute gain is ₹1,50,000.

Next Architectural Steps

Open the full calculator

What else you will find on VIA Capital

The calculator is one corner of a much bigger free toolkit. While you are here:

New tools and sections go live regularly, and each one gets written up here the same way.

Questions people ask us

Is the CAGR Calculator free to use? Yes. Every calculator on VIA Capital is free, works without a login, and nothing you type is stored on our servers.

How accurate is it? The arithmetic is exact — it is the formula shown above, nothing hidden. Accuracy of the answer depends on your inputs. Rates, tenures and charges change, so use the figures from your own statement or sanction letter rather than a number you remember.

Can I save or share the result? You can download a formatted PDF report of your calculation and share it with your family, your CA or your bank. The download link sits right under the result.

Does it work on a phone? It does. The cagr calculator is built mobile-first, which is how most people in India actually search for "cagr".

Is this investment advice? No. VIA Capital is an education platform. We show you the maths and the assumptions; the decision, and the responsibility for it, stays with you. For anything personalised, speak to a SEBI-registered professional.

The short version

Calculate the point-to-point annualized growth rate. The formula is public, the assumptions are printed on the page, and the calculation is yours to keep as a PDF.

👉 Run your own numbers in the CAGR Calculator

VIA Capital publishes financial education only. Nothing here is investment advice or a personalised recommendation, and no calculator output should be treated as a promise of returns.

Educational content only. Educational content only. Not investment advice or a personalised recommendation.

Written by

Abhishek sharma

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