Calculate returns, measure alpha, and analyze your investment portfolio with interactive charts and risk metrics. Free portfolio analytics for serious investors.
| Ticker | Buy Date | Buy Price | Shares | Current | Value | Gain/Loss | Return % | Ann. Return |
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Enter each sub-period return (between cash flows). TWR links these returns to eliminate the distortion of deposits and withdrawals.
TWR is the industry standard for comparing portfolio performance against benchmarks. It strips out the effect of deposits and withdrawals so you can measure true investment skill, not just timing of cash flows.
A tech-heavy portfolio should be compared to the NASDAQ, not the S&P 500. Choosing the wrong benchmark can make poor performance look good — or make great performance look mediocre.
Commissions, spreads, management fees, and taxes all erode returns. A portfolio showing 12% gross may only deliver 9% net. Always track after-fee performance for the real picture.
The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) measures how concentrated your portfolio is. An HHI above 2,500 signals high concentration risk — a single stock crash could devastate your returns.
Checking performance daily leads to emotional decisions. The sweet spot: review metrics quarterly, rebalance annually, and only make changes when your allocation drifts more than 5% from target.
Every serious investor needs a systematic approach to tracking portfolio performance. Without it, you are flying blind — unable to tell whether your strategy is working, whether you are beating the market, or whether your risk-adjusted returns justify your approach. A portfolio tracker transforms raw numbers into actionable investment analytics.
The foundation of any portfolio performance tracker is complete transaction data. For each holding, record the ticker or name, purchase date, purchase price, number of shares, and any associated fees. This data feeds every calculation — from simple return percentages to sophisticated risk-adjusted metrics.
For each position, compute both the total return (percentage gain or loss) and the annualized return. Total return tells you how much you made; annualized return tells you how fast. A 50% gain over 5 years is very different from a 50% gain over 6 months.
Once individual holdings are calculated, roll everything up to the portfolio level. Total portfolio value, total cost basis, weighted average return, and portfolio-level statistics like best performer, worst performer, and average holding period give you the big picture of your investment portfolio analytics.
If you have added or withdrawn cash during the measurement period, simple returns are misleading. Time-weighted return (TWR) breaks your portfolio into sub-periods (between each cash flow), calculates the return for each sub-period, then geometrically links them. This is how professional fund managers report performance and how you should track portfolio performance for benchmark comparison.
Alpha — the excess return above a benchmark — is the ultimate measure of active management skill. Calculate alpha by subtracting the benchmark return from your portfolio return. Tracking error measures how consistently you deviate from the benchmark. Low tracking error with positive alpha is the holy grail of portfolio management.
Returns mean nothing without context. A portfolio that returned 15% with extreme volatility may be inferior to one that returned 12% with low volatility. Key risk metrics for your portfolio tracker include:
Many investors calculate returns before fees, giving themselves an inflated picture of performance. Trading commissions, fund expense ratios, advisory fees, and tax drag can shave 1-3% off annual returns. Always track net-of-fee performance. Your portfolio return calculator should factor in every cost that reduces your actual take-home return.
If you only track current holdings, you are ignoring the losers you already sold. This survivorship bias makes your portfolio look better than it actually performed. A proper investment portfolio tracker records every trade — winners and losers — for a complete picture of your decision-making quality over time.
Using simple returns when you have made deposits or withdrawals gives misleading results. If you added $50,000 right before a 10% market drop, your money-weighted return will look terrible — even if your stock picks were sound. Use TWR to evaluate investment skill and MWR to understand your actual dollar experience.
Comparing a bond-heavy portfolio to the S&P 500 is meaningless. Comparing a small-cap portfolio to the Dow Jones is equally misleading. Choose a benchmark that matches your asset allocation, market cap, and geographic exposure. Better yet, create a blended benchmark that reflects your target allocation.
Daily performance monitoring leads to anxiety-driven trading. Studies show that investors who check their portfolio less frequently earn higher returns because they avoid panic selling during normal volatility. Set a quarterly review schedule and stick to it.
The best way to track portfolio performance is to calculate time-weighted returns (TWR) for each holding and your overall portfolio, then compare against a relevant benchmark like the S&P 500. This removes the distortion caused by deposits and withdrawals, giving you a true measure of investment skill.
Time-weighted return (TWR) measures the compound growth rate of one dollar invested and eliminates the impact of cash flows, making it ideal for comparing against benchmarks. Money-weighted return (MWR), also called internal rate of return (IRR), accounts for the timing and size of deposits and withdrawals, reflecting your actual dollar experience.
Portfolio alpha is calculated by subtracting the benchmark return from your portfolio return. If your portfolio returned 12% and the S&P 500 returned 10%, your alpha is +2%. A positive alpha means you outperformed the benchmark. For risk-adjusted alpha, use Jensen's Alpha, which also accounts for portfolio beta.
A good return depends on risk level and time horizon. The S&P 500 has historically returned about 10% annually before inflation (~7% real). Consistently beating this after fees is excellent. Most professional fund managers fail to outperform over 15+ year periods, which is why index funds are popular.
Most experts recommend quarterly reviews for performance analysis and annual rebalancing. Checking too frequently leads to emotional trading. Focus on long-term trends, and only rebalance when your allocation drifts more than 5% from your target — not in response to short-term market noise.