How the crypto DCA calculator works
The calculator builds a monthly price path from your three prices.
With "fall to the low, then recover", the price falls in a straight line to the lowest price at the middle of the period and then rises to the end price.
With "straight line", the price moves evenly from the start price to the end price.
Each month, the crypto DCA calculator buys coins with your amount after the fee, adds them up, and values them at the end price.
Crypto DCA calculator example: a fall and a full recovery
Example: €100 a month for 24 months, with a 1% fee, while the price falls from €50,000 to €25,000 and returns to €50,000.
| Item (example) | Result |
|---|---|
| Total invested | €2,400 |
| Coins bought | 0.065069 |
| Average buying price, fees included | €36,884 |
| Value at the end | €3,253 |
| Result | +€853 (+35.6%) |
Illustrative scenario calculated with the crypto DCA calculator above; the prices are assumptions, not a forecast.
In this path, regular buying ends with a gain even though the price only returned to where it started.
That is the main idea of DCA, but it depends entirely on the price recovering.
What the crypto DCA calculator shows when prices do not recover
Change the end price to €25,000 and the same plan ends at €2,001, a loss of 16.6%.
Change it to €5,000 and the plan ends at €673, a loss of 72%.
Regular buying spreads your purchases over time, but it does not protect you from a price that keeps falling.
The guide to dollar-cost averaging in crypto explains what DCA does and does not do.
What dollar-cost averaging is good for
- It removes the timing decision: you do not have to guess the right day to buy.
- It fits a budget: a fixed monthly amount is easier to plan than a large lump sum.
- It lowers the average price in falling markets: the same euros buy more coins when the price is low.
- It reduces regret: a fall after one large purchase can feel worse than a fall during regular buying.
What dollar-cost averaging cannot do
- It cannot turn a falling asset into a profitable one.
- It does not reduce fees: each purchase costs a fee, and small purchases can have high fixed fees.
- It does not guarantee a better result than one purchase at the start, as the lump sum versus DCA calculator shows.
Fees in a crypto DCA plan
Recurring purchases are often made through the simple buying screen, which can cost more than the exchange's order book.
A 1% fee on every monthly purchase means 1% of all the money you put in goes to costs.
Check the fee for recurring purchases before you start, and compare exchanges on the list of crypto exchanges with recurring buy.
Setting up a crypto DCA plan safely
- Check your finances first: the financial readiness test takes three minutes.
- Choose an amount you will not need: the investing budget calculator helps.
- Choose an authorised exchange: check its MiCA licence in the ESMA register.
- Pay by SEPA: card-funded recurring purchases cost more.
- Review once a year: check fees, your plan and crypto's share of your savings.
Crypto DCA calculator: four price paths compared
Example: €100 a month for 24 months with a 1% fee, starting at €50,000.
| Price path (example) | Average cost | Value at the end | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falls to €25,000, recovers to €50,000 | €36,884 | €3,253 | +35.6% |
| Falls to €25,000, recovers to €75,000 | €41,255 | €4,363 | +81.8% |
| Rises steadily to €100,000 | €72,603 | €3,306 | +37.7% |
| Falls steadily to €25,000 | €36,302 | €1,653 | −31.1% |
Illustrative scenarios calculated with the crypto DCA calculator; €2,400 invested in each case.
The same plan can end anywhere from a large gain to a large loss, and the only thing that changed was the price path, which nobody controls.
Why the average cost falls in a dip
A fixed euro amount buys more coins when the price is low.
Example: €100 buys 0.002 BTC at €50,000 but 0.004 BTC at €25,000.
After both purchases you hold 0.006 BTC for €200, an average cost of about €33,333, which is below the simple average of the two prices, €37,500.
Illustrative, before fees.
This effect is the mathematical core of dollar-cost averaging, and it works only if the price eventually rises above your average cost.
Crypto DCA calculator: choosing the monthly amount
- Start from your budget: the investing budget calculator shows a ceiling.
- Check the share over time: after two or three years of buying, what share of your savings will crypto be?
- Stress-test the end result: use the stress test with the planned total.
- Check fees: the fee per purchase applies to every euro you invest.
When to stop a DCA plan
A DCA plan should have rules for stopping as well as starting.
- When crypto reaches your maximum share of savings.
- When your finances change, such as a job loss or a new loan.
- When you need the money for a goal.
- When the plan causes stress or constant price checking.
Stopping by rule is very different from stopping in panic after a fall.
Crypto DCA calculator and frequency
Buying weekly instead of monthly spreads purchases more finely, but with a fixed fee per purchase it costs more.
Example: a €1 fixed fee costs €12 a year with monthly buying and €52 with weekly buying.
Illustrative fixed fee.
With a percentage fee, frequency makes little difference to cost, and the choice can follow your pay cycle.
Crypto DCA calculator: twelve example months
Example: €100 invested every month while the price falls from €100 to €50 and then rises to €120.
| Month | Price | Coins bought |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | €100 | 1.000 |
| 2 | €80 | 1.250 |
| 3 | €60 | 1.667 |
| 4 | €50 | 2.000 |
| 5 | €60 | 1.667 |
| 6 | €70 | 1.429 |
| 7 | €80 | 1.250 |
| 8 | €90 | 1.111 |
| 9 | €100 | 1.000 |
| 10 | €100 | 1.000 |
| 11 | €110 | 0.909 |
| 12 | €120 | 0.833 |
| Total | €79.39 average cost | 15.115 |
Illustrative prices only, before fees.
The €1,200 invested is worth about €1,814 at the final price of €120, while a single purchase in month 1 would be worth €1,440.
The result depends entirely on the price path: if the price had stayed at €50 after month 4, the plan would show a loss.
Crypto DCA calculator: recurring buy settings to check
- The payment method, since card payments often cost more than a bank transfer or account balance.
- The fee per recurring purchase, including any fixed part.
- Whether the purchase uses an instant-buy screen with a spread.
- The day of the month, ideally soon after your salary arrives.
- What happens if the balance is too low: skipped purchase or a failed card charge.
- How to pause or stop the plan in the app.
The guide to recurring crypto purchases compares how providers handle these settings.
Crypto DCA calculator: weekly, monthly or quarterly
| Frequency | Purchases a year | Effect of a €1 fixed fee on €1,200 a year |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 52 | €52, or 4.3% |
| Monthly | 12 | €12, or 1% |
| Quarterly | 4 | €4, or 0.3% |
Example fee only; with a purely percentage-based fee, frequency makes little difference to the total cost.
Crypto DCA calculator: questions readers ask
Is DCA the same as buying the dip? No; DCA buys on a fixed schedule whatever the price, while buying the dip tries to time the market.
How long should a DCA plan run? There is no fixed answer; many people decide the period and total amount in advance and review once a year.
Can I lose money with DCA? Yes; if prices fall and do not recover, every purchase can end up worth less than it cost.
Review the plan once a year.
Lower the amount whenever your budget gets tighter.
Frequently asked questions
What does the crypto DCA calculator calculate?
It shows how many coins regular monthly purchases would buy along a price path you choose, your average buying price and the value at the end.
Does the crypto DCA calculator use historical prices?
No. You choose the start, lowest and end prices, so the result is a scenario rather than a forecast or a record of the past.
Is dollar-cost averaging safer than buying all at once?
It spreads the timing risk, but it does not protect against a price that keeps falling, and it does not always give a better result.
How often should I buy in a DCA plan?
Monthly is common because it matches pay cycles. Buying more often can raise costs if fees are fixed per purchase.
Do fees matter in a crypto DCA plan?
Yes. Every purchase pays a fee, so the fee percentage applies to all the money you invest.
Is my data saved when I use the crypto DCA calculator?
No. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is stored or sent.
Every figure on this page is checked against the ESMA register, the exchange's own terms and fee pages or another primary source, and the sources are listed above. Editorial policy · How we rate