What If I Invested?: Stock & ETF Return Calculator
Pick a stock, fund or Bitcoin, a start date and an amount, one time or every month, and see what it would be worth today. With dividends reinvested and real monthly prices through Oct 2026.
See what $1,000 invested 10 years ago is worth today, or plan ahead with the investment calculator.
Try a scenario
Amazon · worth in Oct 2026
If you had invested $500.00 a month in Amazon starting in May 1997, it would be worth about $21.8M in Oct 2026: +$21.6M more than you put in.
| Money put in | $177K |
|---|---|
| Dividends (reinvested) | $0.00 |
| Biggest drop along the way (price, peak to low) | -93.1% |
| Money put in, in today's dollars (adjusted for inflation) | $270.5K |
| Yearly return after inflation | 22.3% |
| Same plan in the S&P 500 (SPY) (dividends reinvested, 10.8% a year) | $1.2M |
| Gain | +$21.6M |
Show year-by-year details
| Year | AMZN return | Put in so far | Value at year end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 106.0% | $4,000.00 | $8,101.49 |
| 1998 | 966.4% | $10K | $121K |
| 1999 | 42.2% | $16K | $179.1K |
| 2000 | -79.6% | $22K | $38.7K |
| 2001 | -30.5% | $28K | $32.9K |
| 2002 | 74.6% | $34K | $64.7K |
| 2003 | 178.6% | $40K | $190.2K |
| 2004 | -15.8% | $46K | $166.2K |
| 2005 | 6.5% | $52K | $184.2K |
| 2006 | -16.3% | $58K | $160.7K |
| 2007 | 134.8% | $64K | $386.9K |
| 2008 | -44.6% | $70K | $218.6K |
| 2009 | 162.3% | $76K | $583.7K |
| 2010 | 33.8% | $82K | $789.1K |
| 2011 | -3.8% | $88K | $764.2K |
| 2012 | 44.9% | $94K | $1.1M |
| 2013 | 59.0% | $100K | $1.8M |
| 2014 | -22.2% | $106K | $1.4M |
| 2015 | 117.8% | $112K | $3M |
| 2016 | 10.9% | $118K | $3.4M |
| 2017 | 56.0% | $124K | $5.3M |
| 2018 | 28.4% | $130K | $6.8M |
| 2019 | 23.0% | $136K | $8.3M |
| 2020 | 76.3% | $142K | $14.7M |
| 2021 | 2.4% | $148K | $15.1M |
| 2022 | -49.6% | $154K | $7.6M |
| 2023 | 80.9% | $160K | $13.8M |
| 2024 | 44.4% | $166K | $19.9M |
| 2025 | 5.2% | $172K | $20.9M |
| 2026 | 4.1% | $177K | $21.8M |
Yearly return includes dividends. Partial years are shown for the first and last year.
Based on monthly prices from Yahoo Finance, adjusted for stock splits (Bitcoin from the Bitstamp exchange). Purchases happen at the start of each month; no fees or taxes. Past returns don't predict future returns. Plan ahead with the investment calculator.
03 — Examples
What if you had invested…
Real results from the calculator, through Oct 2026. Click any scenario above to change the amounts or dates.
$500 a month in Amazon since 1997
Starting May 1997, $177K put into Amazon would be worth about $21.8M in Oct 2026: 123× the money, or 25.5% a year. Along the way the price fell 93.1% from a peak, so holding on wasn't easy.
$20,000 in Tesla in 2016
Starting Jan 2016, $20K put into Tesla would be worth about $519.9K in Oct 2026: 26× the money, or 35.1% a year. Along the way the price fell 67.7% from a peak, so holding on wasn't easy.
$3,600 a year in the S&P 500 since 1995, dividends reinvested
Starting Jan 1995, $115.2K put into S&P 500 (SPDR S&P 500 ETF) would be worth about $909.2K in Oct 2026: 7.9× the money, or 10.7% a year.
$1,000 in Apple in 2000
Starting Jan 2000, $1,000.00 put into Apple would be worth about $438.1K in Oct 2026: 438.1× the money, or 25.4% a year. Along the way the price fell 79.2% from a peak, so holding on wasn't easy.
$1,000 in Nvidia in 2000
Starting Jan 2000, $1,000.00 put into Nvidia would be worth about $2.3M in Oct 2026: 2,271× the money, or 33.4% a year. Along the way the price fell 87.2% from a peak, so holding on wasn't easy.
$100 in Bitcoin in 2013
Starting Jan 2013, $100.00 put into Bitcoin would be worth about $584.8K in Oct 2026: 5,848.2× the money, or 87.2% a year. Along the way the price fell 80.6% from a peak, so holding on wasn't easy.
$200 a month in Coca-Cola since 2000, dividends reinvested
Starting Jan 2000, $64.4K put into Coca-Cola would be worth about $292.5K in Oct 2026: 4.5× the money, or 9.8% a year.
$10,000 in Intel in 2000
Starting Jan 2000, $10K put into Intel would be worth about $27.9K in Oct 2026: 2.8× the money, or 3.9% a year. The S&P 500 did better over the same years. Hindsight makes winners look obvious; most single stocks don't become Amazon. Along the way the price fell 83.0% from a peak, so holding on wasn't easy.
04 — 10 years
What $1,000 invested 10 years ago is worth today
$1,000 invested in Oct 2016 with dividends reinvested, valued in Oct 2026. Sorted from best to worst.
Over the last 10 years, Bitcoin turned $1,000 into about $127.3K, the most of the 28 investments here. The S&P 500 (SPY) turned it into about $4,099 (15.0% a year), and 14 of 28 beat it. Nike did worst, ending at $856.
| Investment | Worth today | Per year | Per year after inflation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | $127.3K | 61.7% | 56.4% |
| Nvidia (NVDA) | $121.7K | 61.0% | 55.8% |
| AMD (AMD) | $72.6K | 53.0% | 48.0% |
| Tesla (TSLA) | $28.2K | 39.3% | 34.7% |
| Apple (AAPL) | $13.4K | 29.3% | 25.1% |
| Microsoft (MSFT) | $10.2K | 25.9% | 21.8% |
| Costco (COST) | $7,866.94 | 22.7% | 18.7% |
| Alphabet (Google) (GOOGL) | $7,039.36 | 21.4% | 17.4% |
| JPMorgan Chase (JPM) | $6,592.05 | 20.6% | 16.6% |
| Netflix (NFLX) | $6,334.69 | 20.1% | 16.2% |
| Nasdaq-100 (Invesco QQQ ETF) (QQQ) | $6,230.22 | 19.9% | 16.0% |
| Walmart (WMT) | $6,090.28 | 19.6% | 15.7% |
| Amazon (AMZN) | $5,750.00 | 18.9% | 15.1% |
| Meta (Facebook) (META) | $4,835.83 | 16.9% | 13.1% |
| S&P 500 (SPDR S&P 500 ETF) (SPY) | $4,098.82 | 15.0% | 11.3% |
| Total U.S. stock market (Vanguard VTI ETF) (VTI) | $3,919.21 | 14.5% | 10.8% |
| Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B) | $3,760.24 | 14.0% | 10.3% |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average (SPDR DIA ETF) (DIA) | $3,437.43 | 13.0% | 9.3% |
| ExxonMobil (XOM) | $3,336.05 | 12.7% | 9.0% |
| Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) | $3,041.57 | 11.7% | 8.0% |
| Coca-Cola (KO) | $3,035.56 | 11.6% | 8.0% |
| McDonald's (MCD) | $2,859.31 | 11.0% | 7.4% |
| Gold (SPDR Gold Shares ETF) (GLD) | $2,838.97 | 10.9% | 7.3% |
| Procter & Gamble (PG) | $2,387.48 | 9.0% | 5.5% |
| Starbucks (SBUX) | $2,372.75 | 8.9% | 5.4% |
| Intel (INTC) | $2,154.94 | 7.9% | 4.4% |
| Disney (DIS) | $1,300.73 | 2.6% | -0.7% |
| Nike (NKE) | $855.92 | -1.5% | -4.7% |
05 — How it works
How the stock return calculator works
The data, the method, and how to read the results.
Real monthly prices
The calculator uses each investment's actual monthly prices, adjusted for stock splits, from Yahoo Finance. Each purchase buys shares at the opening price of its month, and the value is measured at the closing price of your end month.
Dividends reinvested
Many companies pay dividends. With reinvestment on, each dividend buys more shares. It adds up: $10,000 in the S&P 500 (SPY) in January 2000 is worth about $81.6K with dividends reinvested, versus $58K if they were kept as cash.
Lump sum vs. investing every month
Investing a fixed amount on a schedule (dollar-cost averaging) buys more shares when prices are low. $100 a month in the S&P 500 since January 2000 adds up to $32.2K put in and about $194.2K today.
What “a year” means
The yearly figure is your money-weighted annual return: the steady yearly rate that would turn your actual deposits into the final value. For a single lump sum, it equals the compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
Inflation
A dollar in 2000 bought more than a dollar today. The summary restates what you put in using the Consumer Price Index (from 1990 on), so you can compare it fairly with today's value.
What it leaves out
No trading fees, fund expenses beyond what's in the fund price, or taxes on dividends and gains. Bitcoin data starts in September 2011. And it only covers investments that exist today, so it can't show companies that went bust.
06 — FAQ
What if I invested: common questions
What if I invested $1,000 in Amazon in 1997?
It would be worth about $2M in Oct 2026, starting May 1997. Amazon went public in May 1997. Change the dates or amount in the calculator above.
What if I invested $1,000 in Apple in 2000?
It would be worth about $438.1K in Oct 2026, starting Jan 2000. With dividends reinvested. Change the dates or amount in the calculator above.
What if I invested $1,000 in Nvidia in 2000?
It would be worth about $2.3M in Oct 2026, starting Jan 2000. With dividends reinvested. Change the dates or amount in the calculator above.
What if I invested $100 in Bitcoin in 2013?
It would be worth about $584.8K in Oct 2026, starting Jan 2013. Bitcoin prices here come from the Bitstamp exchange, from September 2011. Change the dates or amount in the calculator above.
What would $1,000 in the S&P 500 10 years ago be worth today?
About $4,099: $1,000 in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) in Oct 2016 with dividends reinvested, valued in Oct 2026. That's 15.0% a year, or 11.3% after inflation.
Which investment did best over the last 10 years?
Of the 28 investments in the table above, Bitcoin did best: $1,000 became about $127.3K, followed by Nvidia ($121.7K) and AMD ($72.6K). Past winners aren't a guide to the next 10 years.
Does the calculator include dividends?
Yes. Dividends are reinvested by default, buying more shares each time they're paid. Turn reinvestment off to keep them as cash instead; the summary shows the total either way.
Is it adjusted for inflation?
It shows both. The main figures are in actual dollars; the summary also shows what you put in restated in today's dollars and your yearly return after inflation, using the Consumer Price Index from 1990 on.
Why are my results different from news articles?
Articles are written on a specific day, often leave out dividends, and use different start dates and prices. This calculator uses monthly prices through Oct 2026, buys at the start of your first month, and reinvests dividends unless you turn that off.
Why can't I check Bitcoin in 2010?
Bitcoin prices here come from Bitstamp, one of the oldest exchanges still operating, starting in September 2011. Before that, trading happened on a handful of tiny exchanges with unreliable prices, so the calculator starts in 2011.
Is it better to invest a lump sum or monthly?
Historically, a lump sum invested right away has often come out ahead because markets tend to rise over time, but investing monthly spreads out your risk of buying at a peak. Compare both by setting a starting amount or a monthly amount above.
Does this mean I should buy these stocks?
No. These are past results, picked with hindsight. Past performance doesn't predict future returns, and a diversified index fund spreads the risk of any one company. This is education, not investment advice.
Sources
- Monthly prices and dividends for stocks and funds: Yahoo Finance, split-adjusted, retrieved 2026-11-12.
- Bitcoin: Bitstamp exchange BTC/USD daily prices, grouped by month.
- Inflation: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U (series CUUR0000SA0).
Past results only. Figures are historical estimates from monthly data and exclude fees and taxes. They are not predictions or investment advice.
Nothing you enter is stored. Consider talking with a fee-only financial adviser before making investment decisions.