Year over Year Growth Calculator
Enter last year’s value and this year’s to get the YoY growth rate, the absolute change, and — for gaps longer than a year — the annualized (CAGR) rate.
Example: with Value one year ago 120000 · Value now 150000 · Years between values 1 → YoY growth: 25.0%.
Computed by the calculator below using its default values. Change any input to see your own numbers.
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Check it outThe year over year growth formula
YoY growth = (current − prior) ÷ prior × 100. If revenue went from 120,000 last year to 150,000 now, that’s (150,000 − 120,000) ÷ 120,000 = +25%. The prior-year value always goes in the denominator; flip it and you’d get 20%, which is wrong. Shrinking values come out negative — 200 down to 150 is −25%.
Year over year comparisons are popular because they cancel seasonality: December vs last December is a fair fight, December vs November isn’t. For gaps longer than a year, don’t just divide the total growth by the years. Going from 100 to 121 over two years is 21% total but 10% annualized, because growth compounds: 100 × 1.10 × 1.10 = 121. That compound rate is the CAGR this tool reports alongside the simple change.
How it’s calculated
YoY growth % = (current − prior) ÷ prior × 100, with the prior value required to be positive (percent change from a zero or negative base is undefined). Absolute change = current − prior. The annualized rate uses the CAGR formula: (current ÷ prior)^(1 ÷ years) − 1, which equals the simple YoY rate when years = 1.
Results update as you type and are estimates, not professional advice — verify important decisions with a qualified professional.
Common mistakes
- Dividing by the current value instead of the prior one — growth is measured against where you started.
- Averaging multi-year growth arithmetically: 21% over two years is 10% per year compounded, not 10.5%.
- Comparing periods that aren’t seasonally matched — use the same quarter or month from the prior year.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate year over year growth?
Subtract last year's value from this year's, divide by last year's, and multiply by 100. From 80 to 92: (92 − 80) ÷ 80 × 100 = 15% YoY.
Can YoY growth be negative?
Yes — a drop from 200 to 150 is (150 − 200) ÷ 200 = −25%. Negative YoY simply means the metric shrank versus the same period last year.
What's the difference between YoY and CAGR?
YoY compares two consecutive years; CAGR is the constant compound rate across several years. Over one year they're identical, so this calculator shows both.
What is a good YoY growth rate?
It depends on the base: mature economies grow 2–3% (US real GDP rose 2.8% in 2024), established companies mid single digits, and early-stage startups often target 50%+ from small bases.
Why does the calculator show a dash when last year was zero?
Percent change divides by the prior value, and dividing by zero is undefined. Report the absolute change instead, e.g. “+500 users from zero.”