A small annual fee compounds into a big number. See what fees cost your portfolio.
A fund expense calculator shows how much a mutual fund or ETF's expense ratio costs you over time, by comparing your balance with and without the annual fee.
An expense ratio is charged on your entire balance every year, so a seemingly small fee, say 0.75%, is a 0.75% lower return annually, compounded. Over decades, that can consume a large share of your final balance, sometimes a quarter or more, because the fee applies to a growing pool of money.
This math is why low-cost index funds have become the default for long-term investors. Minimizing the expense ratio is one of the few reliable ways to keep more of your return compounding for you rather than for the fund company. Even a fraction of a percent, over a lifetime, is worth thousands.
A 0.75% expense ratio can consume a quarter or more of your final balance over decades, because the fee is charged on your whole balance every year.
Low-cost index funds often charge under 0.10%. Anything approaching 1% is expensive and drags heavily on long-term returns.
Because they compound. A 1% fee is a 1% lower return every year, and over a lifetime that quietly consumes a large share of your growth.
See the exact formula and a worked example on our methodology page.