Investment fee comparison calculator
Compare two ongoing fee assumptions under the same balance, contributions and gross return—then see both the ending gap and foregone compounding.
Deterministic comparison of constant percentage fees. No transaction fees, tax, volatility, changing returns, product assessment or recommendation.
Year-by-year comparison
| Year | Scenario A | Scenario B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $16,856.22 | $16,754.38 |
| 2 | $24,174.03 | $23,909.29 |
| 3 | $31,984.51 | $31,488.49 |
| 4 | $40,320.83 | $39,517.14 |
| 5 | $49,218.4 | $48,021.88 |
| 6 | $58,714.99 | $57,030.96 |
| 7 | $68,850.94 | $66,574.28 |
| 8 | $79,669.3 | $76,683.51 |
| 9 | $91,216 | $87,392.22 |
| 10 | $103,540.08 | $98,735.96 |
| 11 | $116,693.89 | $110,752.38 |
| 12 | $130,733.27 | $123,481.37 |
| 13 | $145,717.85 | $136,965.2 |
| 14 | $161,711.27 | $151,248.61 |
| 15 | $178,781.45 | $166,379.03 |
| 16 | $197,000.88 | $182,406.69 |
| 17 | $216,446.93 | $199,384.79 |
| 18 | $237,202.18 | $217,369.68 |
| 19 | $259,354.78 | $236,421.08 |
| 20 | $282,998.81 | $256,602.23 |
Included
- Two ongoing annual percentage fee assumptions
- Identical starting balance, contributions, timing and gross return
- Ending-balance comparison and modeled drag versus no fees
- Year-by-year scenario comparison
Not included
- Transaction, tiered, fixed or performance fees
- Tax, volatility, market sequence or changing returns
- Product quality, suitability or recommendation
What this means
Both scenarios use the same proven periodic engine as the Investment growth calculator. Only the annual fee changes, so the ending difference isolates the modeled effect of that assumption.
Modeled fee drag includes more than fees deducted. It also includes the growth that the removed amount no longer earns, which is why it must not be read as a statement of literal fees charged.
Formula & worked example
modeled fee drag = no-fee ending balance − scenario ending balance ending difference = scenario A ending − scenario B ending
The same $10,000 balance and monthly contributions over 20 years at fees of 0.25% and 1%
- Cash flows
- Identical
- Gross return
- Identical
The lower-fee scenario has the larger modeled ending balance; the page shows the difference without recommending either product.
How this calculation works
The calculation follows the formulas, definitions and assumptions explained on this page. The references below support the method and any stated boundaries.
Official sources
- Investor.gov — fees and expenses — Ongoing fees reduce the amount left invested and can materially affect long-term value