Enter the fixed amount you invest and the price on each purchase date, and see your average cost, shares and return.
Runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded
Dollar cost averaging means investing the same amount at regular intervals regardless of price. You buy more shares when prices are low and fewer when they are high, so your average cost per share tends to fall between the highest and lowest prices you paid.
Enter one price per period, oldest first. The calculator shows the shares you accumulated, your average cost, the final value at the last price, and a lump-sum comparison that invests the same total on the first date. Past prices do not predict future ones, so use the result to understand the mechanics rather than to forecast returns.
Not reliably. In markets that rise over time, investing a lump sum early usually does better because the money is invested for longer. DCA mainly reduces the risk of investing everything just before a fall, and it helps people invest steadily from income.
Use the closing price on the day of each purchase, or the average for the month if your broker buys monthly. Your brokerage statement lists the exact price and shares for every trade, which is the most accurate source.
The average cost is total money invested divided by total shares. Because you buy more shares when prices are low, the average cost is weighted toward cheaper purchases, so it is usually lower than a simple average of the prices.
No. Trading commissions, fund expense ratios and taxes reduce returns. Subtract them from the final value for a more realistic result, or add the fee to each monthly amount.
The calculator treats shares as divisible, which matches most modern brokers that offer fractional shares. If your broker only allows whole shares, the result will be slightly different.
No. The prices you enter are used only for this calculation in your browser.