Investment Calculators
Investment Fee Calculator
Show the cumulative cost of annual investment charges by comparing the same portfolio with and without fees.
Value after fees
$500,446
- Value with no fees
- $610,300
- Total cost of fees
- $109,854
- Share of growth lost to fees
- 24.9%
How this calculator works
Net return = gross return − annual fee, applied to the running balance
- fee
- the total annual charge across fund and platform
Example calculation
Illustrative example — not advice
Worked example — the investment fee calculator as it loads, using the default figures below.
- 01Enter starting amount: $50,000.
- 02Enter monthly contribution: $400.
- 03Enter gross annual return: 7%.
- 04Enter annual fee: 1%.
- 05Enter years: 25 years.
- 06Read the value after fees from the results panel: $500,446.
Value after fees: $500,446. Value with no fees: $610,300. Total cost of fees: $109,854. Share of growth lost to fees: 24.9%.
These figures come straight from the calculator above running on the values listed, so you can retype them and confirm every number yourself. Change any input and the results update immediately. Illustrative only — not a quote, offer or recommendation.
Important considerations
- Transaction costs and spreads sit outside the headline fee.
- A fee difference under one percent still compounds into a large sum over decades.
Related calculators
- Investment CalculatorProjected value of contributions and returns over time.
- Compound Interest CalculatorProject the growth of a balance with compounding and regular contributions.
- Retirement CalculatorProject your retirement balance and the income it could sustain.
- Portfolio Allocation CalculatorRebalancing trades to reach a target allocation.
- ROI CalculatorTotal and annualised return on any investment.
- CAGR CalculatorCompound annual growth rate between two values.
Terms used here
Frequently asked questions
Is a low fee always better?
Fees are one of the few certainties in investing, so the burden of proof sits with the expensive option.
Disclaimer
Legamoney calculators are educational tools. Results are estimates based on the figures you enter and do not constitute financial, tax or legal advice.
Last reviewed 2026-08-01