DCA Calculator: Dollar-Cost Averaging Returns

DCA Calculator (Dollar-Cost Averaging)

See how dollar-cost averaging worked out: enter the fixed amount you invest each time and the price at each purchase. You get the units bought, your average cost, and your profit at the current price. Works for stocks, ETFs or crypto.

Your numbers

Amount per purchaseFee per purchasePrice at each purchase (one per line or comma-separated)Current price

Result

Average cost per unit

—

Units bought

—

Total invested

—

Current value

—

Profit / loss

—

Return

—

How DCA average cost works

Units bought each time = (Amount − Fee) ÷ Price
Average cost = Total invested ÷ Total units

Because you invest the same amount each time, you automatically buy more units when the price is low and fewer when it’s high. That makes your average cost lower than the simple average of the prices (mathematically, it’s the harmonic mean).

Example: $100 at $50, $45, $40, $42, $48 and $55 buys about 13.00 units for $600: an average cost of about $46.14, below the simple average price of $46.67.

DCA vs lump sum

DCA spreads out the timing of your purchases, which reduces the risk of putting everything in at a peak. Investing a lump sum straight away gets the money working sooner. Which comes out ahead depends on what the price does afterwards; neither is guaranteed to win.

Buying different amounts?

If the amount changes each time, or you’re counting shares rather than money, use the stock average calculator. For crypto profit on a single buy, see the crypto profit calculator.

ChartWatch is independent and not affiliated with TradingView, any broker or exchange. This calculator uses only the numbers you enter and runs in your browser. Results are estimates before taxes and any costs you leave out. It is a calculation tool, not financial advice.

FAQ

What is dollar-cost averaging?

Investing a fixed amount at regular intervals regardless of the price, so you buy more units when prices are low and fewer when they're high.

How do you calculate the average cost with DCA?

Divide the total amount invested by the total number of units bought. Units for each purchase are the amount invested divided by that purchase's price.

Is DCA better than investing a lump sum?

Not always. DCA reduces timing risk; a lump sum is invested sooner. The better choice depends on how prices move afterwards.

More free TradingView tools

TradingView — the fastest way to follow markets

ChartWatch is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to TradingView, Inc. “TradingView” is a trademark of its respective owner. Exchange, broker and platform names are trademarks of their respective owners.