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CD Calculator

Certificate of deposit maturity value, APY and early withdrawal.

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YearInterest earnedBalanceReal value

Value at maturity

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Interest earned—
APY—
Interest after tax—
Real return after inflation—
Purchasing power at maturity—

Breaking the term early

Interest earned by then—
Penalty—
You would receive—

Quick Tool Overview

The CD Calculator gives the maturity value, interest earned and annual percentage yield on a certificate of deposit, applies the early withdrawal penalty if you break the term, and shows the real return after inflation alongside the nominal one.

What it does
Calculates CD maturity value, APY and early withdrawal cost
You give it
A deposit, a rate, a term and a compounding frequency
You get back
The maturity value, interest, APY and real return
Best for
Comparing CD offers and deciding on a term
Calculators Free, unlimited use No sign-up Runs in your browser

About the CD Calculator

Enter the deposit, the rate, the term and the compounding frequency to get the maturity value, the interest earned and the annual percentage yield. APY is the figure that makes two CDs comparable when their compounding differs, which it usually does.

Two other things decide whether a CD is the right place for money. The first is the early withdrawal penalty, typically several months of interest, which the calculator applies so you can see what breaking the term actually costs. The second is inflation: a CD paying below the inflation rate loses purchasing power even while the balance rises, so the real return is shown alongside the nominal one, and on longer terms that distinction is the whole story.

Key features of the CD Calculator

APY calculated

The figure that makes two CDs comparable when their compounding frequencies differ, which they usually do.

Early withdrawal penalty

Several months of interest is typical, and on a short hold it can exceed everything earned.

Real return shown

A CD paying below inflation loses purchasing power even as the balance rises, and on long terms that is the whole story.

Any compounding frequency

Daily, monthly, quarterly or annual, since banks differ and it changes the APY.

Ladder-friendly

Run several terms quickly to compare a ladder against a single long CD.

How to use the CD Calculator

  1. 1

    Enter the deposit and rate

    The amount and the annual percentage rate the bank quoted.

  2. 2

    Set the term and compounding

    How long the CD runs and how often interest compounds, commonly daily or monthly.

  3. 3

    Read the maturity value

    The final balance, the interest earned and the effective APY.

  4. 4

    Check the early withdrawal cost

    Enter the penalty in months of interest to see what breaking the term would cost.

Frequently asked questions

APR is the nominal rate without compounding; APY includes it. A CD compounding daily has an APY slightly above its APR, and APY is the figure to compare across banks because it already accounts for the difference.

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