Project the future value of a gold investment with compound growth — for a lump sum, a monthly plan, or both — and see how it stacks up against leaving the same money in cash.
Illustrative projection using monthly compounding at the rate you set. Gold returns are volatile and not guaranteed; this is an educational tool, not financial advice.
📊 Data source: gold price figures are based on LBMA (London Bullion Market Association) annual-average reference data. Prices last reviewed: 29 June 2026. Figures are indicative for planning, not live market prices.
The tool compounds your money monthly. Each month, your balance grows by your expected annual return divided by twelve, and then your monthly contribution (if any) is added. After your chosen number of years, you see the projected value, how much of that was your own money, and how much is growth.
To make the number meaningful, it also projects the same contributions held in cash at a much lower rate (a typical savings account), so you can see gold's potential advantage — or, in a weak decade for gold, its disadvantage.
Gold has no earnings or dividends, so its return is entirely the change in its price. Over the long run that price has trended up, but in waves rather than a straight line. Here are approximate annual-average gold prices to ground your assumptions:
| Year | Approx. gold price (USD/oz) | What was happening |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ~$280 | End of a long bear market |
| 2010 | ~$1,225 | Post-2008 crisis surge |
| 2015 | ~$1,060 | Multi-year correction |
| 2020 | ~$1,770 | Pandemic flight to safety |
| 2024 | ~$2,350 | Record highs amid rate cuts & demand |
Approximate annual averages, USD per troy ounce, based on LBMA reference data. For orientation only.
From 2000 to 2024 that is roughly an 8-9% annualized gain in dollars — but note the 2010→2015 stretch where gold fell. That is why a planning assumption of 5-7% is sensible, and why gold suits long horizons.
By compounding your starting amount and any monthly contributions at the annual rate you choose, using monthly compounding.
Historically ~7-9% in USD over two decades, but volatile. A conservative 5-7% is a reasonable planning assumption.
No. Over long periods it has broadly preserved purchasing power, but it can lag inflation for years. See our Gold vs. Inflation analysis.
No — it is an educational projection tool. For decisions about your own money, consult a licensed advisor.