Crypto dollar-cost averaging (DCA) calculator

By the Blockhorizon Editorial Team · Updated 2 October 2026 · How we check facts

What is dollar-cost averaging?

The US Securities and Exchange Commission’s Investor.gov defines it this way: “Dollar-cost averaging means investing your money in equal portions, at regular intervals, regardless of the ups and downs in the market.” It adds: “By making regular investments with the same amount of money each time, you will buy more of an investment when its price is low and less of the investment when its price is high.”

That second sentence is the whole trick, and it is pure arithmetic. A fixed $100 buys more coins at $40,000 than at $60,000, so cheaper purchases carry more weight in your average. It does not tell you whether the coin’s price will be higher or lower when you sell.

How is the average cost calculated?

For each purchase (fee as a decimal, so 0.5% = 0.005):

1. Coins bought = amount per purchase × (1 − fee) ÷ price at that purchase

Then, across all purchases:

1. Total spent = amount per purchase × number of purchases
2. Total fees = total spent × fee
3. Total coins = sum of coins bought
4. Average cost per coin = total spent ÷ total coins
5. Value now = total coins × current price
6. Profit or loss = value now − total spent
7. Return = profit or loss ÷ total spent × 100%

The calculator also shows the simple average of the prices you entered, so you can compare it with your real average cost.

What does a worked example look like?

Using the default numbers: $100 per purchase, a 0.5% fee, six purchases at $60,000, $50,000, $40,000, $50,000, $60,000 and $55,000, and a current price of $55,000. Each purchase puts $99.50 to work after the $0.50 fee.

Average cost = $600 ÷ 0.01159326 ≈ $51,754.22 per coin, below the simple average price of $52,500 because the $40,000 purchase bought the most coins. Total fees were $3.00. At $55,000 the coins are worth about $637.63, a gain of $37.63 (6.27%).

Now change only the current price to $40,000. The same coins are worth about $463.73: a loss of $136.27 (−22.71%). Averaging lowered the cost per coin; it did not protect the money spent.

Computed examples for illustration only; these prices are not a prediction.

How do you use the calculator?

1. Enter the fixed amount you spend each time.
2. Enter the fee your platform charges on each purchase.
3. Type the price you paid at each purchase, up to six. Leave unused boxes empty.
4. Enter today’s price, or a price you want to test, and press Calculate.

Try a pessimistic current price, such as a third below your average cost, and read the loss line. To see what selling would cost on top, use the crypto fee calculator or the crypto profit calculator.

What are the limits and risks of dollar-cost averaging?

The US Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) describes the trade-off: “The trade-off is that while dollar-cost averaging may reduce the impact of short-term market swings, you could also miss out on some gains since part of your money stays in cash instead of being invested right away.”

Fees matter more when you buy often. FINRA notes: “If you pay commissions or other fees for each transaction, dollar-cost averaging might result in higher fees than lump sum investing due to the greater number of transactions you'll have, which could erode your returns.” A small flat fee on a small purchase can be a large percentage.

Above all, averaging cannot stop a falling price. UK and EU regulators warn that crypto prices can fall and rise quickly over short periods, and the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) says that if you invest in crypto you should be prepared to lose all your money. If the coin keeps falling, every purchase adds to the loss. Before using any platform, read the red flags of crypto scams and what Bitcoin is.