Small regular savings can grow surprisingly large thanks to compounding. Our free compound interest calculator shows you exactly how: enter your starting amount, a monthly contribution, the annual interest rate, and the number of years, and watch your future value, total contributions, and interest earned appear.
Try different rates and time horizons — the difference an extra few years makes is often eye-opening.
How to Use the Compound Interest Calculator
- Enter your starting principal.
- Add your monthly contribution (or leave it at zero).
- Set the annual interest rate and the number of years.
- Choose monthly, quarterly, or yearly compounding and see the results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is compound interest?
Compound interest is interest earned on both your original money and the interest already earned. That snowball effect is why starting early matters so much.
How is this different from simple interest?
Simple interest is calculated only on the principal. Compound interest grows faster because each period’s interest itself starts earning interest.
What rate should I assume?
It depends on the investment. Savings accounts pay very little, while long-term stock market averages have historically been far higher — use a conservative rate for planning, not an optimistic one.
Planning a home purchase too? Our Mortgage Calculator estimates your monthly payment.