Recurring amount
Choose an amount per transaction or a monthly budget and follow a consistent schedule.
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Recurring investing
Recurring investing
DCA calculator
Estimate how recurring contributions may build over time. Set starting capital, contribution amount and frequency, expected return, time horizon, fees and inflation.
✓ Free to use with no required registration✓ Works with monthly and other recurring contributions
What DCA means
Recurring purchases instead of trying to time one perfect entry
DCA (Dollar-Cost Averaging) is an approach where predefined amounts are invested at regular intervals. It can make the process more disciplined, but it does not remove market risk.
Buying at different market prices
With the same cash amount, lower prices buy more units while higher prices buy fewer units.
Long-term horizon
The calculator shows how recurring contributions and compound growth interact over many years.
Fees and inflation
You can include fees and separately estimate purchasing power for a more realistic scenario.
How to calculate
Five inputs for a basic DCA scenario
Starting capital
Enter the amount already invested or the amount you plan to invest at the start.
Recurring contribution
Set an amount per transaction or monthly budget and choose the purchase frequency.
Expected return
Use a reasonable scenario assumption rather than a promise. Actual returns can differ substantially.
Time horizon
Choose the investment period. Over longer horizons, recurring contributions and compounding become more visible.
Extra assumptions
Add fees and inflation when useful to compare nominal growth with purchasing power.
Simple example
How much you contribute before investment returns
Starting with $10,000 and then investing $500 every month for 10 years means your own total contributions equal:
$70,000 is the contribution total before market returns, fees and taxes. The final portfolio value can be above or below this amount.
Starting capital10 000 $
Monthly contribution500 $
Time horizon10
Total contributed70 000 $
DCA vs lump sum
Two different ways to distribute market entry timing
DCA
Capital enters gradually. This reduces dependence on one specific entry point and fits situations where investable cash arrives regularly, such as from salary.
Lump-sum investing
All available capital is invested at once. The money spends more time in the market, but the outcome depends more heavily on the initial entry point.
Important
DCA does not guarantee a profit and does not protect against a prolonged market decline. The calculator models scenarios and is not personalised investment advice.
Questions
Frequently asked about DCA
What does DCA stand for?
DCA stands for Dollar-Cost Averaging: investing predefined amounts at selected recurring intervals.
Does DCA have to be monthly?
No. The interval can be weekly, monthly or another cadence. The important part is defining the rule in advance and matching it to your cash flow.
What return should I enter in the calculator?
It is better to test several scenarios, such as conservative, base and optimistic assumptions. Historical returns do not guarantee future performance.
Can the calculator include inflation?
Yes. The main calculator can include inflation and show the purchasing power of the final amount separately from the nominal result.
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