See what might happen if you invest the same amount again and again instead of trying to time the market.
Who this is for
People who invest the same amount on a schedule and want to see what that strategy could do.
What to type in
How much you plan to invest, how often you will invest, how long you will do it, and the market path.
Start with the assumptions, then use the interpretation below to compare tradeoffs without bouncing between sections.
Start with how much you plan to invest each time and how often you will do it.
Presets simulate common market paths; custom lets you set exact prices.
Entry strategy
DCA ends at $15,839.84 and lump sum ends at $21,600.00 under the chosen market path.
DCA spreads $12,000.00 over time instead of committing it all at once.
Your chosen market scenario changes the answer a lot. Rising markets tend to favor lump sum, while rough entries can favor DCA.
The DCA return here is 32.0% versus 80.0% for lump sum.
Use this to choose a process you can stick with emotionally, not just the highest number in one scenario.
Test bull, bear, and volatile paths before assuming one entry style is always better.
Results
Relative comparison of your main outputs
DCA ending value
$15.8K
Lump-sum ending value
$21.6K
DCA return
32.0%
Lump-sum return
80.0%
Per-period amount
$200.00
DCA ending value
$15.8K
Lump-sum ending value
$21.6K
DCA return
32.0%
Lump-sum return
80.0%
Per-period amount
$200.00
Use this if you want to understand how the calculator works, not just plug in numbers.
Step 1
Enter total investment amount, time horizon, and contribution cadence.
Step 2
Choose a market scenario preset or enter custom start/end prices.
Step 3
Compare DCA and lump-sum ending values and returns.
These cover the assumptions, tradeoffs, and edge cases behind the calculator.
Use the calculator for the math, then use these guides to make the decision with more confidence.
guide
Compound interest calculator
See how regular contributions and compounding work together.
/tools/compound-interest
guide
Investment return calculator
Compare periodic investing with lump-sum return assumptions.
/tools/investment-return
blog
Investing blog
Broader explainers on DCA, volatility, and long-term investing.
/blog