Investment Fee Impact Calculator
Compare two annual investment fees and see how they could change your savings over time.
Inputs used
How much could investment fees cost me?
Scenario links include your inputs in the URL fragment. Anyone with the link can read them. Use hypothetical amounts when sharing.Adjust the inputs to compare possibilities.
What this means
The difference includes lost growthThis compares two fee assumptions applied to the same hypothetical gross return. It does not compare service quality or determine which investment suits you. Try changing the time horizon.
Free educational illustration only. Results depend on your assumptions and may not fit your circumstances. This tool does not provide individualized advice; do not use it as your sole basis for a financial decision. Read the financial disclosures.
Fee drag is approximated by subtracting annual fees from annual return. Actual fee timing can differ. Taxes and inflation are excluded; identical gross returns are assumed.
How this calculator works
Each scenario converts the gross effective annual return less its annual fee to an equivalent monthly rate, using monthly periods and month-end contributions. The difference in ending balances includes both fees and growth forgone.
Model assumptions: Fee drag is approximated by subtracting annual fees from annual return. Actual fee timing can differ. Taxes and inflation are excluded; identical gross returns are assumed.
Model reviewed: October 10, 2026. Outputs are rounded for display; calculations use unrounded values. Defaults and return comparisons are illustrative, not recommended assumptions.
Worked example
Starting with $100,000, adding $500 monthly for 25 years, and assuming a 7% gross effective annual return, scenario A with a 0.1% annual fee ends $148,650.12 above scenario B with a 1% annual fee under this fee-drag approximation.
Hypothetical example, calculated with this tool’s model; not a forecast or recommended assumption.
Load this example in the calculator ↗Common questions
Does the fee difference include lost growth?
Yes. The ending-balance difference includes the modeled fee reduction and the growth those dollars could have earned. Both scenarios use the same gross effective annual return and contributions.
Does this reproduce every expense-ratio charge?
No. It approximates each fee by subtracting an annual fee percentage from the annual return. Actual deductions, trading costs, taxes, and fee schedules can differ.