Last checked 3 September 2026
Compound annual growth rate is the constant yearly rate at which a starting value would have to grow to reach an ending value over a given number of years.
CAGR flattens a bumpy path into the single rate that produces the same destination. Its value is comparability: two portfolios that both went from $50,000 to $80,000 over four years have the same CAGR regardless of how differently they got there.
That smoothing is also its main limitation. CAGR is silent on volatility, so a steady climb and a violent round trip to the same endpoint are indistinguishable. Pair it with a drawdown figure if the path matters, which for anyone who has to live through it, it does.
It also breaks when the starting value is zero or negative, which is common for personal net worth. There is no meaningful percentage growth from a negative base, which is why selftickr shows absolute change rather than a rate for accounts below zero.
(ending value ÷ starting value)^(1 ÷ years) − 1
Undefined when the starting value is zero or negative.
selftickr turns your net worth into a stock — a symbol, a daily change, a rating and a chart. Manual entry, no bank connection, private until you decide otherwise.
Join the waitlist