ROI Calculator
Free ROI Calculator: subtract what you put in from what you got back and divide by what you put in: =(Return-Invested)/Invested, formatted as a percentage.
Net profit €250.00
Monthly Budget Template
Plan a month, record what actually happened, and see the gap on every line.
How it works
In Excel or Google Sheets, subtract what you put in from what you got back and divide by what you put in: =(Return-Invested)/Invested, formatted as a percentage.
Record the amount invested and the amount returned in separate cells.
In a blank cell type =(Return-Invested)/Invested, pointing at those two cells.
Press Enter and format the cell as a percentage.
Optionally add a =Return-Invested cell to show the absolute profit alongside the rate.
What this does
ROI expresses profit as a percentage of the money you committed, so a €50 gain on €200 and a €500 gain on €2,000 are revealed as the same 25% return. It is the quickest way to rank options that cost different amounts, because it normalises every result back to "per euro invested".
A worked example
You invest €1,000 in a project and it returns €1,250. Enter =(1250-1000)/1000 and format as a percentage: the ROI is 25%. Net profit is €250. If the return were instead €900, the formula gives -10% — a loss — which the result box flips to red so the sign is unmissable. ROI is the back-of-the-envelope test every budget owner runs first: did this spend earn its keep? Use it to triage projects before a deeper model, then switch to CAGR or NPV when timing and discounting matter.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to subtract the original investment, which reports gross return instead of ROI.
- Ignoring fees, taxes or holding time, so two ROIs are not really comparable.
- Mixing time periods — a 25% ROI over five years is not the same as 25% in one year (use CAGR for that).
- Dividing by the return instead of the investment, which understates the figure.
FAQ
What counts as a good ROI?
Context decides it: a marketing campaign might target 300%+, while a low-risk bond ROI of 4% can be excellent. Compare against the risk and the next-best use of the money.
ROI vs CAGR — which should I use?
ROI is a single total-period figure; CAGR annualises it. Use CAGR when the holding periods differ, ROI for a quick same-period comparison.
Can ROI be over 100%?
Yes — any time the profit exceeds the original outlay. A €1,000 investment returning €2,500 is a 150% ROI.