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Compound Interest Calculator

See how a starting balance plus regular contributions grows over time, with daily, monthly, or yearly compounding.

Final balance
$0
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How compound interest works

Compound interest earns returns on both your original money and the returns it has already earned. Because each period’s interest is added to the balance before the next period is calculated, growth speeds up the longer you leave it — the effect people call “interest on interest.” Contributions add fuel: every deposit starts compounding from the moment it lands.

A worked example

Start with $10,000, add $300 a month, and earn 6% a year compounded monthly. After 20 years the balance is far more than the deposits alone, because two decades of monthly compounding do most of the work in the final years — which is why starting early matters more than the exact rate.

Questions

How is compound interest calculated?

Compound interest is calculated on both your original principal and the interest already added. Each period, interest is applied to the running balance, so growth accelerates over time.

Does compounding frequency change the result?

Yes. More frequent compounding (daily vs yearly) produces a slightly higher balance because interest is added to the balance more often.