Dollar-Cost Averaging Calculator
Enter monthly investment and annual return to see total DCA investment growth over time.
Dollar-cost averaging (DCA) means investing a fixed amount at regular intervals regardless of price. This calculator shows the compounded growth of regular monthly investments over any time horizon, with a year-by-year breakdown of contributions vs. investment gains.
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Last reviewed: April 2026Report an error
Portfolio Value After
$299,437
$121,000 invested → $299,437 total ($178,437 gain, 147.5% return on contributions).
Total Contributions
$121,000
Investment Gains
$178,437
Final Value
$299,437
| Year | Contributions | Value | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7,000 | $7,308 | $308 |
| 3 | $19,000 | $21,538 | $2,538 |
| 5 | $31,000 | $38,228 | $7,228 |
| 7 | $43,000 | $57,804 | $14,804 |
| 9 | $55,000 | $80,764 | $25,764 |
| 11 | $67,000 | $107,694 | $40,694 |
| 13 | $79,000 | $139,280 | $60,280 |
| 15 | $91,000 | $176,326 | $85,326 |
| 17 | $103,000 | $219,777 | $116,777 |
| 19 | $115,000 | $270,741 | $155,741 |
| 20 | $121,000 | $299,437 | $178,437 |
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How to Use This DCA Calculator
- Enter your monthly investment amount.
- Enter your expected annual return rate.
- Enter the number of years to invest.
- Optionally add an initial lump sum.
- Read final portfolio value, total contributions, and total gain.
Frequently Asked Questions
- DCA is investing a fixed dollar amount at regular intervals (e.g., $500/month into an index fund). You buy more shares when prices are low and fewer when high, reducing the impact of volatility.
- The S&P 500 has historically returned ~10% annually before inflation (7% after inflation). Use 6–8% for a conservative projection; 10% for historical average; lower for bond-heavy portfolios.
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