FreeByte

Investment fee impact calculator

What a 1% fee really costs over decades.

Built and reviewed by Dovanic, Founder and editor, FreeByteLast reviewed: 2026-08-18
$
$
7%
1%

Lost to fees

$184,584

Net balance

$792,994

With these inputs, lost to fees comes to $184,584 over 25 years. Net balance works out to $792,994. The result assumes gross return stays at 7%.

Before fees
$977,578
Fee drag
18.9%

Over time · by years

What moves the number · Lost to fees

Input−10%Now+10%
Invested$171,979$184,584$197,188
Monthly contribution$178,730$184,584$190,438
Gross return$157,447$184,584$216,558
Annual fee$167,957$184,584$200,837
Years$146,792$184,584$256,617

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What a 1% fee really costs over decades.

A worked example

Starting figures

Invested
$100,000
Monthly contribution
$500
Gross return
7%
Annual fee
1%
Years
25

What it returns

Lost to fees
$184,584
Net balance
$792,994
Before fees
$977,578
Fee drag
18.9%

How to read the results

With the defaults above, lost to fees works out at $184,584.

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