A second opinion in three steps
How OpenFactsheet works
The three steps
- 1
Get the investment's monthly returns
Start with the free example to see what OpenFactsheet does, with nothing to prepare. When you're ready, find the investment's monthly returns: on the factsheet, in the annual report, or from your broker.
- 2
Drop the file or paste the table
The calculation runs on your device. It looks at how the investment grew, how far it fell, how much it moved around and how reliable the information is, with the same published method for every investment.
- 3
Read an independent report
See plain-English takeaways first, then explore detailed charts and calculations if you wish. You can save the report as a PDF.
What you need
A list of the investment's monthly returns: how much it went up or down each month, like 1.2% or -0.8%.
Fund factsheets and annual reports often print a table of monthly returns. Your broker or the fund provider may also let you download them. Upload the file, or copy the table and paste it straight in.
Files the web tool accepts
- A CSV file or an Excel workbook (.xlsx), up to 5 MB, or a table pasted from a spreadsheet or a factsheet.
- One row per month, with the date and the return, for example
2024-01-31, 1.2. - Or a table with a Year column and one column per month, January to December.
- Percentages (1.2) or decimals (0.012). The tool works out which, and asks if it can't tell.
Not sure about the layout? Download the sample file from the analysis page and copy its format.
What the web tool can't do yet
- Read a PDF factsheet
- Look up a fund by its name or ticker
- Fetch prices or returns from the internet
The web tool can't look up funds for you yet: you bring the returns.
Where do I find monthly returns?
Four places to look, from easiest to hardest.
On the factsheet
Many factsheets print a table of monthly returns, a row per year and a column per month. Copy the whole table, including the header row, and paste it here.
In the annual or semi-annual report
Look for a performance section. If it only gives one figure per year, that isn't enough: the tool needs a return for each month.
From your broker or platform
Some platforms let you download an investment's history as a spreadsheet. Look for a download or export option on its performance or price page.
On the provider's website
The investment's own page sometimes offers its performance history as a download. Ask the provider for monthly returns if you can't find them.
Only have prices? OpenFactsheet analyzes returns, not prices or unit values. If you give it prices, it says so rather than guessing. Check before or after fees: returns after all fees (net) are what an investor actually received.
Illustrations are generic mock-ups, not any real provider's pages.
What you'll see
A quick overview comes first, in plain English. Every figure has a short explanation of what it means.
Growth
How much the investment grew over the whole period, and per year on average.
Biggest historical drop
The worst fall from a previous high, and when it happened.
Recovery time
How many months it took to get back to that previous high, or whether it hasn't yet.
How much it moved
How large the ups and downs were in a typical year.
Data confidence
How long the history is and whether anything in the data looks unusual.
Comparison
How it did against a benchmark, such as a market index, if you add one.
When you want more, switch to the detailed analysis: charts of growth and losses, every monthly return, and every measurement in the published methodology. You can save the report as a PDF, or download it as JSON or a standalone HTML page.
Your data stays with you
- Your file never leaves your device. The open-source calculation library runs in your browser, so the file is never uploaded, stored or shared.
- There is no account to create and nothing to sign up for.
- The calculator is downloaded from this website, and your browser keeps it for next time. While you analyze, the page makes no requests to anyone else.
Where your data goes
Your device
- Your file or pasted table
- The open-source calculatorruns in your browser
- Your report
openfactsheet.org
Sends the web page and the calculator, once; your browser keeps them. Receives nothing about your file or your results.
Good to know
A second opinion is most useful when you know what it can and can't tell you.
It looks at the past, not the future
Everything in a report describes what already happened. Past performance does not predict future results.
It's only as good as the data
OpenFactsheet analyzes the returns you supply. It can flag things that look unusual, but it can't confirm the numbers are complete or correct.
Fees matter
Returns can be shown before fees (gross) or after fees (net). The tool can't tell which from the numbers alone, so check the source.
Short histories say less
A few years of returns can be luck either way. Each figure is labelled with how far it can be trusted.
It's not advice
OpenFactsheet never says whether an investment is good, bad or right for you. It gives you evidence to ask better questions.
A few words explained
Terms you may meet in a report, in everyday language.
Monthly return
How much an investment went up or down in one month, as a percentage. For example, 1.2% means it grew by 1.2% that month; -0.8% means it fell by 0.8%.
Benchmark
Something to compare against, usually a market index the investment could reasonably be measured against. Adding one is optional.
Biggest drop (drawdown)
How far the investment fell from its highest point before it started climbing again. Professionals call this the maximum drawdown.
Typical yearly swing (volatility)
How much the returns tended to move up and down over a year. Bigger swings mean a bumpier ride, in both directions.
Track record
The history of returns you're looking at. The longer it is, the more it can tell you.
See it for yourself in about a minute.
The example uses ten years of made-up monthly returns, so you can explore a full report without preparing anything.