Investment Fee Comparison Calculator
Compare the whole cost, not just the headline fee.
Compare two investments by their expense ratio, other annual fees and upfront costs. See the ending value of each and how much the costs took out of growth.
- Free, no sign-up
- Runs in your browser
- Shareable results
- Educational only
Two funds, all costs.
Yearly fund cost.
Advisory or platform fee.
Sales load or commission on each deposit.
Both funds earn the same gross return before costs. These are hypothetical assumptions for learning, not forecasts or expected results for any investment.
Result
Where the costs show up.
View the year-by-year table
What the numbers mean.
Small fees compound too.
A cost taken from your balance every year also loses the growth that money would have earned, so the damage grows over time.
Look past the expense ratio.
Advisory fees, platform charges and sales loads are separate from the fund’s expense ratio. Add them all to compare fairly.
Costs are certain, returns are not.
You cannot control the market, but you can choose what you pay. Lower costs are one of the few reliable edges an investor has.
About this investment fee comparison calculator.
An investment fee comparison calculator shows how much two funds’ costs could take from your savings over time. Enter a starting amount, a monthly contribution, a gross return and a period, then the expense ratio, other yearly fees and any upfront cost for each fund. The calculator reports each fund’s ending value and how much the costs took.
A cost that looks small each year compounds, because every dollar paid in fees stops earning returns. Learn what to check before you buy in how to research an ETF, read the glossary entry on the expense ratio, and use the ETF fee impact calculator for a single fund.
How the investment fee comparison calculator works in practice.
Compare a low-cost index fund (Fund A, 0.10% a year) with a managed fund (Fund B, a 0.75% expense ratio plus 0.25% in other fees, 1.00% in total). You start with $10,000, add $300 a month for 25 years and earn 7% before costs.
Fund B ending value: $245,805
Difference (A minus B): $38,682
Costs taken from Fund A: $4,700
Costs taken from Fund B: $43,381
The 0.90 percentage point gap in yearly cost leaves Fund A $38,682 ahead. Add a 3% upfront load to Fund B and the gap grows to $46,056. A gap of only 0.10 percentage points (0.20% against 0.10%) still comes to $4,615, which is why it pays to compare costs before choosing between similar funds.
How to choose your inputs.
Starting amount and monthly contribution. What you invest at the start and each month. Both funds receive the same amounts.
Gross annual return. The yearly return both funds earn before costs. Using the same figure isolates the effect of fees.
Expense ratio. The fund’s yearly ongoing cost, found in its fact sheet.
Other yearly fees. Advisory, platform or account fees charged each year, as a percentage.
Upfront cost. A sales load or commission taken from each deposit, as a percentage.
How the fee comparison calculator works.
Each fund grows at the gross return less its total yearly cost, month by month. Upfront costs reduce every deposit before it is invested. A third, cost-free path shows what the costs took.
Amount invested = deposit × (1 − upfront cost)
Cost of fees = cost-free ending value − ending value with costs
Costs are subtracted from the return as a yearly rate. Taxes, trading spreads and changes in fees over time are not modeled.
Limits of this investment fee comparison calculator.
The calculator assumes both funds earn the same gross return, so it isolates costs and ignores the fact that real funds differ in what they hold and how they perform. It uses a constant return, ignores taxes and trading spreads, and treats fees as a smooth yearly percentage. A cheaper fund is not guaranteed to do better, but costs are one of the few things you can see in advance.
Common questions about the investment fee comparison calculator.
Is a 0.5% fee difference really important?
Over long periods, yes. A half-point of cost every year can reduce the ending value noticeably, and the gap widens the longer you invest.
What counts as an “other yearly fee”?
An advisor’s percentage fee, a robo-advisor fee, or a platform charge on top of the fund’s own expense ratio.
What is an upfront cost?
A sales load or commission paid when you invest. It reduces the amount that actually gets invested.
Does a higher fee ever pay off?
Only if the extra cost is more than made up by better results or services you value. The tool assumes the same gross return, so it isolates the cost effect.
What is an expense ratio?
The expense ratio is the yearly cost of owning a fund, shown as a percentage of the amount invested. It is taken from the fund’s assets, so you do not see a bill.
How much do investment fees cost over 25 years?
It depends on the gap and the amount invested. In the example above, a 1.00% yearly cost took $43,381 from Fund B, compared with $4,700 for a 0.10% fund.
More calculators.
Educational illustration only, not personal investment advice. Both funds are assumed to earn the same gross return, and taxes and trading costs are excluded.
Further learning: How to research an ETF · Glossary: Expense ratio · ETF Fee Impact Calculator · Investor.gov: Financial tools and calculators · Research methodology · Financial disclaimer