Finance
ROI Calculator
Calculate return on investment and net return from what something cost and what it returned.
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Transparent methodology
What the result includes—and what it does not
Built for anyone measuring what a project, campaign, or purchase returned against everything it cost, not just the advertising portion.
Calculation method
- 1Net return = total amount returned − investment cost.
- 2ROI = net return ÷ investment cost, shown as a percentage.
- 3Both inputs are totals you supply, so the denominator is whatever you decide the cost basis is — media spend, cost of goods, tooling, and paid time can all sit inside the same figure. This is the difference from ROAS, which divides by advertising spend alone.
- 4The currency selector changes the symbol and number format only. Amounts are not converted between currencies, and the ROI percentage is unaffected by the choice.
Assumptions and limits
- This is simple total ROI over whatever period your two numbers cover. It is not annualized and future cash flows are not discounted, so a 30% return earned in one year and in five years read identically here.
- Nothing is added for you. Taxes, financing costs, refunds, overhead, and the value of your own time affect the result only if you build them into the investment cost.
- An amount returned below the investment cost is accepted and produces a negative ROI and a negative net return.
- ROI describes neither risk, timing, liquidity, nor what the same money would have returned elsewhere.
Worked example
A $5,000 investment that returned $6,500
Input: $5,000 investment cost and $6,500 total amount returned — the values the tool loads with.
Output: ROI 30% and net return $1,500.00.
Primary sources
- Google Ads — About return on investment (ROI)Official formula (revenue − cost of goods sold) ÷ cost of goods sold, with a worked example whose denominator combines production cost and ad spend.
- Google Ads — About Target ROAS biddingStates ROAS as the conversion value earned per dollar of ad spend — the narrower denominator that ROI replaces with the full cost basis.
How to use it
Three steps. One clear answer.
- 1Enter or paste the values requested by the tool.
- 2Review the input units and choose any relevant options.
- 3Calculate, then copy or download the result you need.
Built for trust
Useful without the friction.
- No registration or paywall before your result.
- Responsive controls for phone, tablet, and desktop.
- Clear assumptions and warnings where estimates have limits.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate ROI?
Subtract the investment cost from the total amount returned, then divide by the investment cost. $5,000 spent and $6,500 back is $1,500 ÷ $5,000 = 30% ROI.
What is the difference between ROI and ROAS?
ROAS divides revenue by advertising spend alone. ROI divides the net return by the whole cost basis, so cost of goods, tooling, and paid time pull the figure down. The same campaign can read 2.4× on ROAS and only 50% on ROI once the goods it sold are paid for.
What should I include in the investment cost?
Every outlay you want the return judged against: purchase price, fees, shipping, cost of goods sold, software, and paid labor. The calculator adds nothing on its own, so anything you leave out inflates the ROI.
Can ROI be negative?
Yes. When the amount returned is below the cost, both figures go negative — $8,000 in and $6,000 back returns −25% ROI and a −$2,000.00 net return.
Does this calculator give annualized ROI?
No. It reports simple total ROI for the period your two numbers already cover, with no time input. For a per-year (CAGR) figure, use the Investment Return Calculator, which asks for the number of years.
What is a good ROI?
There is no universal threshold, and this tool does not judge one. A percentage only means something alongside the period it covers, the risk taken, and what the next-best use of the same money would have returned.
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