Free Calculator
Investment Fee Calculator & Fee Drag Visualiser
Enter your portfolio value, expected gross return, and the MER you're paying. See how your balance compares against a low-fee baseline over 30 years — and find your Rule-of-72 doubling time.
How this is calculated ▸
- Gross vs net-of-fees growth — each portfolio compounds at its net return (gross return minus MER) each year. Contributions are added as a lump sum at the start of each year.
- Rule of 72 — doubling time ≈ 72 ÷ net return %. Most accurate for returns between 5% and 12%.
- Nominal AUD, pre-tax — all figures are in nominal Australian dollars before income tax. No inflation adjustment is applied.
- Constant return — gross return and MERs are held fixed for all 30 years. Real-world returns vary year to year.
Doubling time
12.0y vs 10.6y
yours vs low-fee
Lost to fees at 30y
$226,472
% of final wealth lost
17.4%
| Year | Your Portfolio | Low-fee Baseline |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $112k | $113k |
| 2 | $125k | $127k |
| 3 | $139k | $142k |
| 4 | $154k | $158k |
| 5 | $170k | $176k |
| 6 | $186k | $194k |
| 7 | $204k | $214k |
| 8 | $222k | $235k |
| 9 | $242k | $257k |
| 10 | $263k | $281k |
| 11 | $285k | $306k |
| 12 | $309k | $334k |
| 13 | $333k | $363k |
| 14 | $360k | $394k |
| 15 | $388k | $427k |
| 16 | $417k | $462k |
| 17 | $449k | $500k |
| 18 | $482k | $541k |
| 19 | $517k | $584k |
| 20 | $555k | $630k |
| 21 | $594k | $679k |
| 22 | $636k | $732k |
| 23 | $681k | $788k |
| 24 | $728k | $848k |
| 25 | $778k | $912k |
| 26 | $831k | $980k |
| 27 | $887k | $1.1M |
| 28 | $947k | $1.1M |
| 29 | $1.0M | $1.2M |
| 30 | $1.1M | $1.3M |
These are estimates. See the fees you're actually paying across every fund and broker on Metrifly.
FAQ
Questions about fees and this calculator
What is an MER?
The Management Expense Ratio is the annual percentage a fund or ETF charges on your balance. A 1% MER on $100,000 is $1,000 a year — deducted whether the fund goes up or down.
How can a small fee cost so much?
Fees compound like returns, in reverse. A 0.8% gap sustained over decades can erase a six-figure share of your final balance because every dollar paid in fees is a dollar that never compounds.
How accurate is the Rule of 72?
It's a close approximation: years to double ≈ 72 ÷ return %. It's most accurate for returns between about 5% and 12%.
Are fees the only thing that matters?
No — strategy, tax, and behaviour matter too. But fees are the one cost you control directly, and they're often hidden. Metrifly surfaces the fees you're actually paying across every fund and broker.
Want to see the actual performance of your investments, broken down by fees, FX, and income? See Metrifly Portfolio Performance →