Crypto DCA calculator
Pick an amount, a schedule and a period. The calculator replays it against real daily closes and shows what you would hold today.
Daily closes from Aug 17, 2017 to Sep 12, 2026. Buys execute at the day's close. Fees are not included.
A lump sum on day one would have finished $28,782 ahead of DCA over this period. DCA traded some upside for a smoother ride: its worst drawdown was -44.0%.
How to read the result
Total invested is the sum of every purchase. Value today multiplies the coins you accumulated by the latest close. Average cost is what you paid per coin on average; when it sits below the current price you are in profit.
Worst drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough drop in your portfolio value during the period. It is the number that decides whether you would actually have stuck with the plan.
Lump sum comparison
The lump sum figure assumes you invested the same total on day one. It is the honest benchmark: DCA is a strategy for managing regret and volatility, not a way to outperform a rising market.
Frequently asked questions
- What is dollar-cost averaging?
- Buying a fixed dollar amount on a fixed schedule regardless of price. You buy more coins when the price is low and fewer when it is high, which averages your entry over time.
- Is this calculator using real prices?
- Yes. It runs your schedule against actual daily closing prices from Binance, starting as early as August 2017 for Bitcoin and Ethereum. Nothing is projected.
- Does DCA beat lump sum?
- Historically a lump sum wins more often in rising markets because more money is exposed for longer. DCA wins when you start near a top and cuts your worst drawdown. The calculator shows both for any period you pick.
- Are fees included?
- No. A 0.1% fee per buy on a low-cost exchange changes the result by about 0.1%. Use the exchange fee comparison to see which venue keeps that cost lowest.