Calculator Comparison

Stock Return Calculator vs Stock Return Calculator

Not sure which calculator to use? Here's a side-by-side comparison of the Stock Return Calculator and Stock Return Calculator to help you pick the right one for your needs.

Stock Return Calculator

Investment & Retirement

Calculate the total return on a stock investment including purchase price, selling price, dividends received, and trading fees.

What you enter

Number of Shares
Purchase Price Per Share
Selling Price Per Share
Total Dividends Received
Total Commissions/Fees

What you get

Total Return(primary)
Percentage Return
Capital Gain/Loss
Total Cost Basis

Use Stock Return Calculator

Stock Return Calculator

Investment & Retirement

Calculate your total stock investment return including purchase price, sale price, dividends received, and holding period. See annualized returns and compare against benchmarks.

What you enter

Purchase Price per Share
Number of Shares
Current/Sale Price per Share
Holding Period (Years)

What you get

Total Return(primary)
Total Return Percentage
Annualized Return
Capital Gain/Loss

Includes visual pie chart breakdown

Use Stock Return Calculator

Key Differences

Feature	Stock Return Calculator	Stock Return Calculator
Category	Investment & Retirement	Investment & Retirement
Inputs	5 required fields	4 required fields
Outputs	4 results	4 results
Chart	No chart	pie chart
FAQs	3 answered	6 answered

Input Comparison

Shared Inputs

Number of Shares
Total Dividends Received

Only in Stock Return Calculator

Purchase Price Per Share
Selling Price Per Share
Total Commissions/Fees

Only in Stock Return Calculator

Purchase Price per Share
Current/Sale Price per Share
Holding Period (Years)

Which Calculator Should You Use?

Use the Stock Return Calculator if you need to:

Calculate total return
When you know your number of shares and purchase price per share

Use the Stock Return Calculator if you need to:

Calculate total return
When you know your purchase price per share and number of shares
Want a visual pie chart breakdown

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate stock returns?

Total return = (Selling Price - Purchase Price) x Shares + Dividends - Commissions. This gives you the total dollar profit or loss on your investment.

Should I include dividends in my return?

Yes, dividends are a significant part of total stock returns. Historically, dividends have contributed about 40% of the S&P 500's total return over time.

What is total return on a stock?

Total return is the complete gain or loss from an investment, combining price appreciation and any dividends received. For example, if you buy a stock at $100, it rises to $110, and pays $2 in dividends, your total return is $12 ($110 - $100 + $2), or 12%. Always use total return when comparing investments.

What is annualized return?

Annualized return converts a holding period return to a yearly equivalent, allowing fair comparison between investments held for different lengths of time. A 50% total return over 4 years is not 12.5%/year — it's approximately 10.67%/year (calculated as: (1 + 0.50)^(1/4) - 1). Use annualized returns to compare any two investments.

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Bottom Line

Choose the Stock Return Calculator if you need to calculate total return. Use the Stock Return Calculator if you need to calculate total return. Both calculators are free and require no sign-up.

Use Stock Return Calculator Use Stock Return Calculator

Feature

Stock Return Calculator