Financial planning
How much can an ETF savings plan grow?
Project final capital from monthly ETF contributions, expected return and horizon — contributed vs growth split.
Quick answer
Future value with monthly compounding: FV = C×(((1+r)^n − 1)/r) + PV×(1+r)^n, where C = monthly contribution, r = annual rate ÷ 12, n = months, PV = starting capital. Worked example — €200/month, 5% expected return, 20 years, no starting capital: you contribute €48,000; projected total ≈ €82,200 (≈ €34,200 from assumed growth, not a guarantee). Change the return field to stress-test pessimistic and optimistic scenarios.
Projected final capital
$82,206.73
- Total contributed
- $48,000.00
- Assumed growth (not guaranteed)
- $34,206.73
Related calculators: Savings goal · FIRE calculator · Compound interest · Mortgage payment · Rental yield
⚠️ Educational estimate only — not financial advice. Returns are assumptions, not guarantees — past results do not predict future performance and invested capital is at risk.
FV = monthly × ((1+r)^n − 1)/r + PV×(1+r)^n with monthly compounding. The return field is your hypothesis — markets fluctuate; this is a projection, not a forecast.
How it works
A PAC (piano di accumulo) spreads purchases over time — this calculator models the maths only, not fund fees, taxes or market crashes. Pair it with the savings-goal tool to work backwards from a target, or the FIRE calculator if your horizon is financial independence. For a general lump-sum + contributions setup, see compound interest.
The calculation ignores costs, and costs behave the same way the returns do: they compound. A fund charging one per cent a year more than another does not cost you one per cent — over twenty-five years it removes something like a fifth to a quarter of the final capital, because the fee is taken on the whole balance every year, including on the growth that the previous fees already prevented. It is the one variable in this projection that is knowable in advance and fully under your control, which makes it worth more attention than the expected return you had to guess at.
Frequently asked questions
Is 5% a realistic expected return?+
It is a neutral planning default for a diversified stock/bond portfolio — not a promise. Historical long-term equity returns in nominal terms were often higher, but decades with flat or negative returns exist. Always edit the field to match your own conservative assumption.
PAC vs investing a lump sum?+
Mathematically, investing everything early usually wins if returns are positive — more time in the market. A PAC reduces timing risk and fits paycheck savings. This calculator shows where regular contributions land; it does not pick between strategies.
Should I subtract inflation?+
Nominal projection shows account balance; real value divides by (1+inflation)^years — what that money might buy in today’s prices. Use 2–3% as a rough long-term inflation hypothesis in advanced settings.
Are ETF fees included?+
No — enter a net return after costs if you want realism (e.g. 5% gross market assumption minus 0.3% TER → 4.7% in the return field). Broker fees on each purchase also slightly reduce outcomes.