GuideWhale ROI Calculator
Calculate return on investment for projects, features, and campaigns
Enter your project costs and returns
Total upfront cost (development, marketing, etc.)
Period to measure returns
Additional revenue generated over timeframe
Ongoing costs to support the revenue
Your ROI metrics
ROI
20.0%
Positive
Profitable investment.
Profitability analysis
Net Profit
$10,000
Payback Period
10.0 months
Monthly ROI
1.7%
Financial analysis
Investment
$50,000
Revenue
$80,000
Costs
$20,000
Net Profit
$10,000
Calculation:
• Total Return = $80,000 revenue - $20,000 costs = $60,000
• Net Profit = $60,000 return - $50,000 investment = $10,000
• ROI = ($10,000 ÷ $50,000) × 100 = 20.0%
How ROI builds over time
| Month | Investment | Revenue | Costs | Monthly Profit | Cumulative | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $50,000 | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | -$45,000 | -90.0% |
| 2 | - | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | -$40,000 | -80.0% |
| 3 | - | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | -$35,000 | -70.0% |
| 4 | - | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | -$30,000 | -60.0% |
| 5 | - | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | -$25,000 | -50.0% |
| 6 | - | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | -$20,000 | -40.0% |
| 7 | - | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | -$15,000 | -30.0% |
| 8 | - | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | -$10,000 | -20.0% |
| 9 | - | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | -$5,000 | -10.0% |
| 10 | - | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | $0 | 0.0% |
| 11 | - | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | $5,000 | 10.0% |
| 12 | - | $6,667 | $1,667 | $5,000 | $10,000 | 20.0% |
When to use this calculator
Product & Features
New Feature Development
Investment: Dev costs | Returns: Upsell revenue
Product Redesign
Investment: Design/dev | Returns: Increased conversions
Platform Migration
Investment: Migration costs | Returns: Reduced hosting
Marketing & Sales
Marketing Campaign
Investment: Ad spend | Returns: New customer revenue
Sales Hiring
Investment: Salary/training | Returns: Additional sales
Content Marketing
Investment: Content creation | Returns: Organic traffic
About ROI
Return on Investment (ROI) measures the profitability of an investment relative to its cost. It's expressed as a percentage showing the gain or loss.
Formula: ROI = (Net Profit ÷ Investment) × 100
Interpretation: An ROI of 100% means you doubled your money. 50% means you gained half of what you invested. Negative ROI means you lost money.
Best Practices: Compare ROI across different projects to prioritize investments. Consider payback period alongside ROI for a complete picture. Remember that some investments (like brand building) have intangible benefits beyond direct ROI.