DCA Calculator
Simulate dollar cost averaging with real market data or custom scenarios.
Free — no signup, no ads, instant results
Who Is This For?
Long-term investors and crypto buyers who want to see how regular, disciplined investing performs compared to trying to time the market — and understand their true average cost basis.
What is Dollar Cost Averaging?
Dollar cost averaging (DCA) is the practice of investing a fixed dollar amount into an asset at regular intervals — weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly — regardless of the current price. When prices are low you buy more units, and when prices are high you buy fewer. Over time, this smooths out your average purchase price and removes the emotional burden of trying to time the market.
The Formula
Average Cost = Total Invested / Total Units
ROI = ((Current Value - Total Invested) / Total Invested) x 100
How to Use
- Real Ticker mode: Enter a ticker symbol (e.g. BTC-USD, AAPL, SPY), set your investment amount, frequency, and lookback period. Click "Calculate" to fetch real historical prices and simulate your DCA.
- Manual Simulation mode: Enter a start price, end price, number of periods, and volatility level. Click "Re-simulate" to generate different price paths.
- Review the result cards for your current value, total invested, average cost, P&L, and ROI.
- Scroll through the period table to see each individual purchase.
Worked Example
Scenario: $500/month into BTC for 1 year.
Step 1: Select "Real Ticker" mode with symbol BTC-USD, $500 per period, monthly frequency, 1 year lookback.
Step 2: Click "Calculate" to fetch real BTC prices from the past year.
Step 3: The calculator shows your average cost basis, total BTC accumulated, current portfolio value, and ROI — all based on actual market data.
DCA vs Lump Sum
Research from Vanguard shows that lump sum investing outperforms DCA roughly two-thirds of the time, because markets trend upward over long periods. However, DCA significantly reduces the risk of investing at a market peak. For most people, the psychological benefit of DCA — not having to make one big timing decision — makes it the more sustainable strategy.
Assumptions & Edge Cases
- Real ticker mode uses daily closing prices from Yahoo Finance.
- Simulated prices are approximate — use Real Ticker for accuracy.
- Does not include trading fees or tax implications.
Frequently Asked Questions
DCA is an investment strategy where you invest a fixed amount at regular intervals regardless of price. It reduces the impact of volatility by spreading purchases over time.
Historically, lump sum beats DCA about 2/3 of the time because markets tend to go up. But DCA reduces regret risk and is psychologically easier for most people.
Yes, DCA is one of the most popular strategies for Bitcoin and crypto. It removes the stress of trying to time volatile markets.