Simple and Discounted Payback Calculator
Find first whole-period recovery and a clearly labeled within-period interpolated payback for conventional project inflows.
YOUR CALCULATION
Result
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Calculation steps
Work through one step at a time or reveal the complete calculation. The steps use your current inputs.
How to calculate
Accumulate ordinary and discounted inflows separately. Identify the first end-period cumulative amount reaching the outlay, then interpolate linearly within that crossing period.
Interpolated payback=completed periods+remaining outlay/next period receipt
Worked example
Outlay 1000 with end-period receipts 400 and 800 recovers at period 2; linear interpolation gives 1.75 periods. At 0% discount simple and discounted paybacks coincide.
Assumptions and input details
Only one initial outlay followed by 1–600 nonnegative receipts. The first whole recovery period respects end-period timing. Fractional payback is a separate linear interpolation assumption, not an actual receipt time. Unrecovered projects report remaining shortfall. The entered discount rate is per receipt period, not automatically annual. Payback omits receipts after recovery and is not a profitability ranking. No live market data or national tax rules are inferred. Enter consistent amounts in one currency unless explicitly stated otherwise.
References: OpenStax: discounted payback
Using this calculator
Can I enter my own problem?
Yes. Replace the example values with your own inputs. The result, calculation steps, tables and applicable diagrams update from those inputs. Blank or invalid values clear the result; example values are never silently substituted for missing inputs.
Are the results exact?
Results use floating-point arithmetic and displayed rounding. Read the formula, assumptions and any stated data precision before interpreting the result.
Is my input uploaded?
The calculation runs in your browser. No account, file upload or external AI service is required. Inputs are not saved between page reloads.
Discount signed cash flows at their entered times and sum their present values. Keep initial outlays, future inflows and the undiscounted total visible.
Solve a unique money-weighted return for a conventional investment with regular or dated receipts.
Add balances in different currencies, including debts. Convert the total and compare a table and currency chart.
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