Bitcoin DCA calculator
Buying a fixed amount of bitcoin on a schedule smooths out your entry price, but whether it beats a lump sum depends on the path the price takes. Choose how much you invest each week or month, for how long, a start and end price, the shape of the market in between and how volatile it is, and this calculator plays the plan out purchase by purchase. It shows your average cost, coins stacked and final value, then compares the result with putting the same money in on day one.
Price and your average cost
The bitcoin price along your path and your running average cost per coin. When the price line is above your cost, you are in profit.
DCA vs lump sum on different paths
The same plan, start and end prices with each shape of market. Lump sum puts everything in at the first purchase.
| Market path | DCA final value | Lump sum final value | DCA average cost | Winner |
|---|
How the plan is simulated
The calculator builds a price for every purchase date from your start price, end price and the shape you choose, then adds random noise using your seed so the same settings always give the same path.
It then buys your fixed amount at each price, less the fee, and adds up the coins.
Build the path
The price moves in percentage terms from the start to the end, via a low point or a high point if you pick a dip or a peak.
dip low = start × (1 − swing)
Add noise
Each price is nudged by a random amount scaled to your volatility.
price = path × evolatility × random
Buy each period
The fee comes off each purchase.
coins += amount × (1 − fee) ÷ price
Average cost
Everything you spent divided by the coins you hold.
average cost = total invested ÷ coins
Lump sum
The whole amount bought at the first price, with the same fee.
lump coins = total × (1 − fee) ÷ first price
Bitcoin DCA questions
What is dollar-cost averaging into bitcoin?
It means buying a fixed dollar amount of bitcoin on a regular schedule, such as $100 every week, whatever the price. When the price is low your money buys more, and when it is high it buys less. Over time your average cost per coin ends up below the average price over the same period.
Is DCA better than investing a lump sum?
It depends on the path the price takes. If the price rises steadily, a lump sum invested at the start does better because all the money is in the market earlier. If the price falls first and recovers later, DCA usually wins. The table below the calculator compares both on several price paths.
Why does this calculator use a price path instead of real prices?
So you can test the future rather than only the past. You choose a start price, an end price and the shape of the journey between them, with as much random volatility as you like. Change the seed number to see a different random path with the same settings.
How often should I buy?
Weekly or monthly are the most common. Buying more often smooths your average price a little more, but if each purchase has a fixed fee, frequent small buys can cost more. Look for an exchange with low recurring-buy fees.
Do fees matter for DCA?
Yes, because they are charged on every purchase. A 1.5 percent fee on each weekly buy adds up to 1.5 percent of everything you invest. The calculator takes the fee off every purchase.
Does DCA protect me from losses?
No. If the price ends lower than your average cost, you lose money. DCA reduces the risk of putting everything in at a bad moment, but it does not change the risk of the asset itself.