Insights/STOCK

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

Calculate the Return on Investment for any asset class. Here is the formula, a worked example, the mistakes to avoid, and a free calculator with a downloadable PDF report.

Abhishek sharma

17 Sep 20264 min read

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

There is a moment in every financial decision where you stop reading and start calculating. Calculate the Return on Investment for any asset class. This guide is written for that moment. Plain language, one worked example, and a calculator you can open in the next line if you would rather skip straight to your own figures.

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

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

How this is worked out

A universal metric to evaluate the efficiency of an investment.

The formula behind it:

ROI = ((Net Profit) / Initial Investment) × 100
Symbol What it means
Net Profit Final Value - Initial Cost - Expenses

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.

A worked example you can follow

Investing ₹1 Lakh and getting ₹1.2 Lakh back.

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 ROI Calculator, step by step

  1. Open the ROI 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.

Practical pointers

  • Use ROI to compare different types of investments.
  • ROI doesn't account for time; use CAGR for time-based growth.

Common mistakes worth avoiding

  • Forgetting to subtract costs like maintenance or taxes.

If you want to go a level deeper afterwards, read up on roi vs roe vs roce. Both come up the moment you start comparing options seriously.

Interactive calculator

Try the ROI Calculator

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

For FY 2026-27 · India

Value or price at the start.

Value or price at the end (or today).

Years between the two values (decimals allowed).

Quick examples

Annualised return (CAGR)14.47%

From ₹1,00,000.00 to ₹1,50,000.00 over 3 years.

Y1Y3
Starting valueValue on CAGR path
What you are seeing: A steady 14.47% a year links ₹1,00,000 to ₹1,50,000.
Gain / loss₹50,000
Absolute return50.00%
Annualised return (CAGR)14.47%

What each result means

Gain / loss

What it is: Ending minus starting value (× units if given).

Your value: ₹50,000

In rupees.

Absolute return

What it is: (End − start) ÷ start.

Your value: 50.00%

Ignores how long it took.

Annualised return (CAGR)

What it is: The steady yearly rate that links start and end.

Your value: 14.47%

Lets you compare different holding periods.

Year-by-year breakdown

ROI Calculator year-by-year schedule
YearOpening (₹)Growth at CAGR (₹)Total gain (₹)Value on CAGR path (₹)
1₹1,00,000₹14,471₹14,471₹1,14,471
2₹1,14,471₹16,566₹31,037₹1,31,037
3₹1,31,037₹18,963₹50,000₹1,50,000

How to read this: the rows show the smooth path the value would follow at exactly the CAGR every year. Real year-to-year values differ.

What this calculator does

Return on investment (ROI) compares what you got back with what you put in. This calculator shows both the simple ROI and the annualised ROI (CAGR) so different periods can be compared.

What your result means

This describes what already happened (or a hypothetical), not what will happen next. Past returns do not guarantee future results.

Formula

1. Absolute return

Abs = (End − Start) ÷ Start × 100

Symbols

Start / End
Starting and ending value

2. CAGR

CAGR = (End ÷ Start)^(1 ÷ t) − 1

Symbols

t
Years held

Worked example

₹100 → ₹200 in 6 years: 2^(1/6) − 1 ≈ 12.25%.

Common mistakes

Dividing absolute return by years. Using CAGR when money was added or withdrawn midway — use XIRR.

Working for your numbers

  1. Absolute = (₹1,50,000.00 − ₹1,00,000.00) ÷ ₹1,00,000.00 = 50.00%
  2. CAGR = (1.500000)^(1/3) − 1 = 14.4714%

Frequently asked questions

Why show annualised ROI?

A 50% ROI over 2 years and over 10 years are very different; annualising puts them on the same yearly basis.

Does a past return predict the future?

No. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

When should I talk to a professional instead?

Before a real decision, especially a large or long-term one, speak to a SEBI-registered investment adviser or a qualified professional. This page is educational only.

Symbols and assumptions

Start
Amount invested
End
Final value
t
Years held
  • No money added or withdrawn in between.
  • Dividends or costs are not included unless built into the values.
  • Does not account for taxes, fees, expense ratios or exit loads.

Sources and review

Reviewed 2026-09-29 · Next review 2027-09-29

  • SEBI Investor Education and Protection
  • AMFI — Investor corner
Not investment advice. VIA Capital is not a SEBI-registered investment adviser and this calculator does not recommend any fund, product or investment strategy. Market-linked investments are subject to market risk; assumed returns are not indicative of future results.
Important limitation. This is an educational estimate based solely on the values and formula shown. It is not financial, tax or investment advice. Actual returns will differ from any assumed rate. Verify with a qualified financial professional before making any investment decision.
Stock AverageStock ReturnDividend YieldDividend IncomeBrokerageBreak-even Price
Open the full calculator

Numbers that belong next to this one

A single figure rarely settles a decision. These usually get checked in the same sitting:

  • CAGR Calculator — Calculate the point-to-point annualized growth rate.
  • Real Return Calculator — Calculate returns adjusted for the impact of inflation.

What else you will find on VIA Capital

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

  • Explore 56+ financial calculators for investments, loans, tax, retirement, small-savings schemes and market maths in the VIA Capital calculator library.
  • PDF reports on every calculator, so a calculation you did today can be opened again in six months.
  • Practise decisions with virtual money in the VIA Trade Simulator, including charts, an option chain and an order book. No real trades are placed.
  • Read market breadth visually with the Nifty 50, Bank Nifty and Sensex heatmap.
  • Follow dates, price bands, subscription figures and listing history in the IPO Centre.
  • Continue with daily financial insights and explainers written in the same plain-English style.

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

Questions people ask us

Is the ROI 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 roi calculator is built mobile-first, which is how most people in India actually search for "roi".

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 Return on Investment for any asset class. 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 ROI 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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