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Compound Interest Calculator

Watch a starting balance and monthly contributions compound over decades — principal, contributions, and growth split apart.

New to this? Start here

This shows what happens when your money earns money. Set what you have now and what you can add each month — the chart shows how much of your future balance comes from growth rather than saving. Drag Years or Annual return to see how much faster growth takes over.
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Final balance
$854,537
after 30 years
You put in
$190,000
Growth did
$664,537
350% of what you contributed

By year 8, growth is adding more per year than you are — your money out-earns your saving.

ContributionsGrowth
$0$250k$500k$750kyr 0yr 6yr 12yr 18yr 24yr 30
View as table
YearContributedGrowthBalance
0$10,000$0$10,000
5$40,000$11,637$51,637
10$70,000$43,669$113,669
15$100,000$106,088$206,088
20$130,000$213,778$343,778
25$160,000$388,915$548,915
30$190,000$664,537$854,537

Methodology & assumptions

  • Interest compounds monthly; contributions are added at the end of each month.
  • The annual return is applied as a constant rate — real markets vary year to year (see the Monte Carlo simulator for sequence risk).
  • Contribution step-up is applied once per year.
  • Results are nominal (not inflation-adjusted) and pre-tax.

Educational only

This simulator is for education. It uses simplified assumptions, is not financial, tax, or investment advice, and no result here is a prediction or a recommendation. Talk to a licensed professional before acting.

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