Investing
Dollar-Cost Averaging Calculator
Find your true average cost from a series of buys, then see what steady investing could grow to.
1. Your average cost
Separate with commas or spaces. The last price is used as today's value.
Average cost per unit
$44.31
vs. average price $46.67
- Buys
- 6
- Invested
- $600.00
- Units owned
- 13.5404
- Value at last price
- $812.42
- Gain / loss
- $212.42
2. Long-term DCA projection
Projected value
$17,202
- Total invested
- $12,000
- Growth
- $5,202
- Same total as lump sum today
- $23,606
Assumes a steady return. Real returns vary year to year and can be negative.
Why average cost beats average price
A fixed $100 buys 2 units at $50 but 3.33 units at $30. Because cheap buys get more units, the dollar-weighted average cost is pulled toward the low prices. In the default example the average price is about $46.67 while the average cost is lower.
Read the full guide: Dollar-cost averaging explained. For a single trade, use the crypto profit calculator.
Questions
What is dollar-cost averaging?
Investing a fixed dollar amount on a schedule regardless of price. You buy more units when prices are low and fewer when high, so your average cost ends up below the simple average of the prices.
Is DCA better than investing a lump sum?
In rising markets a lump sum invested earlier usually ends higher, because more money is invested for longer. DCA reduces the risk of investing everything right before a drop, and it fits investing from each paycheck.
Does it work for Bitcoin?
The math is identical for any asset. Crypto's bigger price swings make the gap between average cost and average price larger, in both directions.
Does this include fees?
No. Small frequent buys can carry high percentage fees on some apps, which eat into DCA results. Check your platform's fee per buy.
Educational estimate, not investment advice. Past returns don't predict future results.