Compound growth calculator
See how a balance grows when each month's return builds on the last, with optional monthly deposits. Useful for setting realistic expectations.
Show as table
| Month | Balance | Deposited |
|---|---|---|
| Month 0 | $1,000.00 | $1,000.00 |
| Month 1 | $1,130.00 | $1,100.00 |
| Month 2 | $1,263.90 | $1,200.00 |
| Month 3 | $1,401.82 | $1,300.00 |
| Month 4 | $1,543.87 | $1,400.00 |
| Month 5 | $1,690.19 | $1,500.00 |
| Month 6 | $1,840.89 | $1,600.00 |
| Month 7 | $1,996.12 | $1,700.00 |
| Month 8 | $2,156.00 | $1,800.00 |
| Month 9 | $2,320.68 | $1,900.00 |
| Month 10 | $2,490.30 | $2,000.00 |
| Month 11 | $2,665.01 | $2,100.00 |
| Month 12 | $2,844.96 | $2,200.00 |
| Month 13 | $3,030.31 | $2,300.00 |
| Month 14 | $3,221.22 | $2,400.00 |
| Month 15 | $3,417.86 | $2,500.00 |
| Month 16 | $3,620.39 | $2,600.00 |
| Month 17 | $3,829.01 | $2,700.00 |
| Month 18 | $4,043.88 | $2,800.00 |
| Month 19 | $4,265.19 | $2,900.00 |
| Month 20 | $4,493.15 | $3,000.00 |
| Month 21 | $4,727.94 | $3,100.00 |
| Month 22 | $4,969.78 | $3,200.00 |
| Month 23 | $5,218.87 | $3,300.00 |
| Month 24 | $5,475.44 | $3,400.00 |
Hypothetical. Real trading returns vary from month to month and can be negative; this shows what a steady return would do, not what to expect.
How compounding works
Each month, the return is applied to the whole balance, including last month’s gains. Deposits are added at the end of each month.
Next balance = balance × (1 + monthly return) + deposit
Small monthly numbers add up: 3% a month is about 42.6% a year, and 5% a month is about 79.6% a year.
Why real accounts don’t grow in a straight line
This calculator assumes the same return every month. Real trading doesn’t work like that: returns swing, some months are negative, and losses hurt more than gains help. A 20% loss needs a 25% gain just to get back to where you were. That’s why protecting the downside, with a small, fixed risk per trade, matters more than chasing a high monthly number. See the losing streak calculator for the other side of the picture.
The figures are illustrations, not a forecast or a promise of returns.