How this calculator works
Recurring subscriptions are easy to lose track of because each one looks small on its own. This calculator takes a list of subscription names and their monthly prices and adds them into a single monthly, yearly, and 5-year total, with a breakdown table showing exactly what each subscription costs over a year.
It also shows what that combined monthly amount could become if invested instead of spent, compounding monthly over 5 years at a return rate you choose, so you can weigh the ongoing convenience of each subscription against its longer-term opportunity cost.
The formula
Total monthly = sum of all subscription pricesTotal yearly = Total monthly × 12Total over 5 years = Total yearly × 5If invested instead: total monthly amount invested every month for 5 years, compounding monthly at the return rate you enterWorked example: three subscriptions
- Netflix at $15.49, Spotify at $11.99, and a gym membership at $40 a month.
- Total monthly = 15.49 + 11.99 + 40 = $67.48.
- Total yearly = 67.48 × 12 = $809.76; over 5 years, 809.76 × 5 = $4,048.80.
- Investing $67.48 a month for 5 years at a 7% annual return compounds to more than the $4,048.80 spent in cash, since the earliest contributions have the most time to grow.
Frequently asked questions
Does this include one-time or annual-billed subscriptions?
Enter any subscription as its equivalent monthly price — for an annual plan, divide the yearly charge by 12 before entering it, so it combines correctly with monthly-billed subscriptions.
What return rate should I use for money freed up by canceling a subscription?
Choose a rate that matches how you would realistically invest the money if you canceled a subscription, such as a savings account rate for a conservative estimate or a long-run diversified market average for a growth-oriented one.
Why does canceling one small subscription matter so little on its own?
A single low-cost subscription rarely moves the total much, but subscriptions tend to accumulate over the years without being reviewed. Listing all of them together is what reveals the combined size of the recurring bill.
Can I use this for business or household subscription audits?
Yes — the calculator works the same way for personal streaming and app subscriptions as it does for a household or small-business list of recurring software and service charges.
What if I split a subscription's cost with someone else?
Enter only the amount you personally pay each month for that subscription, not its full price, since the calculator simply adds up whatever monthly figure you enter for each entry — for example, if you split a $40 gym membership evenly with a partner, enter $20 as your monthly cost for that line rather than the full $40.