Investment Plan Comparison Calculator

Compare two investment strategies side by side and see which one performs better over time. Perfect for comparing different ETFs, stocks, or contribution strategies.

Plan A

Plan B

Conservative ETF: $429,022
Growth ETF: $583,569
Total Invested Baseline

Comparison Results

🏆 Growth ETF Wins!

Conservative ETF

Final Value
$429,022
Total Contributions
$130,000
Total Gains
$299,022
Total Dividends
$93,788
Effective Annual Return
6.15%

Growth ETF

Final Value
$583,569
Total Contributions
$130,000
Total Gains
$453,569
Total Dividends
$77,439
Effective Annual Return
7.80%

Difference Analysis

Final Value Difference
$154,547
+36.02%
Dividends Difference
$16,348
-17.43%
Gains Difference
$154,547
+51.68%

Growth ETF outperforms Conservative ETF by $154,547 (+36.02%)

How to Use This Comparison Tool

Why Compare Investment Plans?

Different investment strategies can produce vastly different results over time. By comparing two plans side by side, you can make informed decisions about which ETFs, stocks, or dividend strategies align best with your financial goals. Even small differences in returns or contribution amounts compound significantly over decades.

Common Comparison Scenarios

Compare high-dividend ETFs vs growth ETFs to understand the tradeoff between current income and capital appreciation. Evaluate the impact of different monthly contribution amounts on long-term wealth. Analyze how starting early vs starting late affects your final portfolio value, or see how different tax rates impact your after-tax returns.

Popular Use Cases

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ETF vs ETF

Compare VYM (high dividend 6%) vs VOO (growth 7%) to see which strategy builds more wealth over 20-30 years

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Contribution Amounts

See exactly how investing $300/month vs $500/month impacts your wealth after 20 years of consistent contributions

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Time Horizons

Compare starting early (20 years) vs starting late (10 years) with the same contributions to see the power of time

Tips for Accurate Comparisons

  • ✓Use realistic return rates based on historical data for each asset class - S&P 500 averages ~10%, dividend aristocrats ~8-9%
  • ✓Consider dividend yields realistically - high-dividend strategies (5-7%) typically have lower capital appreciation than growth stocks
  • ✓Account for tax rates - qualified dividends (15-20%) often have favorable tax treatment compared to ordinary income
  • ✓Remember that past performance doesn't guarantee future results - use conservative estimates for long-term planning

Ready to Dive Deeper?

Explore our other calculators to plan your complete dividend investment strategy.

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