Our ETF Fee Calculator – Understand the Impact of High Expense Ratios
February 10, 2026
Raph Antoine
Banker on Wheels|ETF Fee Impact Calculator
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INPUTS
How Much Will You Invest?
Starting Investment – The lump sum you are investing today.
Annual Investments – How much you plan to add each year. If you invest monthly, multiply by 12.
Expected Return – The annual return you expect before fees. A typical long-term equity assumption is 6–10%.
Starting Investment
Annual Investments
ETF Expected Return8.0%
Investment Horizon30 Years
How Much Do The Chosen ETFs Cost? (in %)
First ETF Fee – The Total Expense Ratio (TER) of the cheaper ETF. Example: 0.03% for a Vanguard S&P 500 ETF.
Second ETF Fee – The TER of the more expensive ETF you are comparing against.
You can find the TER on the fund provider’s website or on platforms like justETF, Morningstar, or your broker.
First ETF (Cheaper)
Second ETF (More Expensive)
ETF COST IMPACT COMPARISON 🚴
How Much Money Will You Lose Over Time?
Both ETFs start with the same investment and receive the same annual additions.
Each year, the portfolio grows by the expected return and is reduced by the respective ETF fee.
The chart shows how the fee difference compounds over your chosen investment horizon. The orange bar represents the high-fee ETF value. The dark red bar on top shows how much more the low-fee ETF is worth.
Comparison of cheaper vs more expensive ETF (in Years)
Low Fee ETF
High Fee ETF
You Lose
Portfolio Value With Both ETFs
How Did Both Portfolio Values Evolve Over Time? (In Years)
Year
Low Fee
High Fee
Difference
Thank you for reading. Good Luck and Keep’em* Rolling!
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