Inflation Calculator
Value of money over time.
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About Inflation Calculator
The Inflation Calculator shows how the buying power of money changes over time. Enter an amount, a start year, an end year, and an average annual inflation rate, and it compounds the rate across the years to reveal the equivalent value and the total percentage change in prices.
It's completely free with no sign-up, no limits, and no ads getting in the way. Every calculation runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you type never leave your device and are never sent to a server.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the inflation calculator free to use?
- Yes, it is 100% free with no account, sign-up, or subscription required. You can run as many calculations as you like.
- Is my data uploaded or stored anywhere?
- No. All calculations happen locally in your browser using JavaScript. The amounts and years you enter are never uploaded, saved, or shared with any server.
- How does the calculator work?
- It applies compound inflation using the formula amount x (1 + rate/100) ^ (end year - start year). This gives the equivalent value in the target year plus the cumulative percentage change in prices.
- What inflation rate should I enter?
- Use the average annual rate for your period. Long-run consumer inflation in the U.S. has averaged roughly 3% per year, but you can enter any rate to match a specific country, era, or scenario.
- Can I calculate backwards to an earlier year?
- Yes. If your end year is before your start year, the tool discounts the amount instead, showing what today's money would have been worth in that earlier year.
- Why does my result differ from official inflation figures?
- This tool uses one fixed average rate you provide, while official figures use actual year-by-year CPI data that varies. Use it for quick estimates and planning rather than exact historical values.