โ‚ฟ
FinanceTools
Understanding ROI: Is Your Investment Actually Profitable?

Understanding ROI: Is Your Investment Actually Profitable?

FI By FinanceTools Team
Dec 20, 2025
10 min Read

Whether you're buying a stock, a rental property, or a new piece of software for your business, the ultimate question is always: Is this worth the cost? Return on Investment (ROI) is the metric that gives you the answer.

How ROI is Calculated

The basic ROI formula is simple: take the net profit of the investment, divide it by the original cost, and multiply by 100 to get a percentage.

ROI = [(Current Value - Cost of Investment) / Cost of Investment] x 100

Annualized ROI: The Real Comparison

Standard ROI has one major flaw: it doesn't account for time. A 50% return is amazing if it takes 1 year, but mediocre if it takes 10 years.

To compare different types of investments (like a house vs. a crypto coin), you should use Annualized ROI. This tells you what your average yearly return is, allowing for an "apples-to-apples" comparison.

Factors That "Eat" Your ROI

  • โ— Taxes: Capital gains taxes can take a significant bite out of your final net profit.
  • โ— Inflation: If your ROI is 5% but inflation is 6%, you are technically losing purchasing power.
  • โ— Fees: Trading commissions, management fees, and maintenance costs should always be subtracted from your profit.

Ready to take control?

Use our professional-grade tools to visualize your strategy and speed up your progress.

Check Your Investment ROI