What is year-over-year (YoY) growth?

YoY growth compares a metric's value to the same period last year, eliminating seasonal variations. Formula: ((Current - Previous) / Previous) × 100%. It shows the percentage change over 12 months.

Why use YoY instead of month-over-month?

YoY eliminates seasonal effects. Retail sales naturally spike in December; comparing December to November is misleading. Comparing December 2024 to December 2023 shows true annual growth.

What's a good YoY growth rate?

It varies by industry and company stage. Startups may target 100%+ growth; mature companies might target 5-15%. Compare to industry benchmarks and your historical performance.

How do I calculate compound annual growth rate (CAGR)?

CAGR shows smoothed annual growth over multiple years: ((End Value / Start Value)^(1/Years) - 1) × 100%. Unlike YoY, CAGR averages out year-to-year volatility.

What metrics should I track with YoY analysis?

Key metrics include revenue, profit, customer count, average order value, website traffic, and conversion rates. Choose metrics aligned with your business goals and strategy.

How do I interpret negative YoY growth?

Negative growth means the metric declined versus last year. Investigate causes: market conditions, competitive pressure, or internal issues. One quarter of negative growth may be anomaly; multiple quarters signal trends.

What's the difference between YoY and year-to-date (YTD)?

YoY compares same periods across years. YTD compares cumulative performance from January 1 to current date versus the same period last year. YTD shows progress toward annual goals.

How should I present YoY data to stakeholders?

Show both absolute numbers and percentages. Provide context with industry benchmarks and historical trends. Use charts to visualize multi-year patterns. Explain drivers of significant changes.

Year-over-Year Growth Calculator

Calculate percentage growth between two time periods

Instant results•No signup•Estimates only

Quick Presets

Previous Period Value

Current Period Value

Year-over-Year Growth Rate

+15.00%

Absolute Change

+$15,000

Growth Multiple

1.15x

Previous Value

$100,000

Current Value

$115,000

Projected Next Period (at same rate)

$132,250

Formula: YoY Growth = ((Current - Previous) / Previous) × 100

Visualization

Growth Projection

Total Value
Contributions

Final Value

$300,851

Total Contributed

$130,000

Earnings

+$170,851

Results are estimates based on the values you enter.

Results are estimates for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. Your actual budget may vary based on spending habits and unforeseen expenses.

How calculations work Full disclaimer

Year-over-Year Growth Calculator Formula

YoY = \frac{V _{current} - V _{previous}}{V _{previous}} \times 100%

Year-over-Year growth measures the percentage change between two periods. Subtract the previous value from the current value, divide by the previous value, and multiply by 100 to express as a percentage. Positive values indicate growth; negative values indicate decline.

How the Year-over-Year Growth Calculator Works

1Enter the value from the previous period (last year, last quarter, etc.)
2Enter the value from the current period
3The calculator computes the absolute change and percentage change
4View the growth rate, growth multiple, and projected next period

Year-over-Year Growth Calculator Key Terms

YoY Growth: Year-over-Year growth—the percentage change in a metric compared to the same period in the previous year, eliminating seasonal variations.
Absolute Change: The raw numerical difference between current and previous values (Current - Previous).
Growth Multiple: Current value divided by previous value. A multiple of 1.5x means the value is 50% higher than before.
CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate—the smoothed annual growth rate over multiple years, assuming constant growth.

Year-over-Year Growth Calculator Tips

•Compare YoY to avoid seasonal distortions (Q4 sales are always higher)
•Consider external factors that may skew comparisons (COVID-19 in 2020)
•Use multiple periods to identify trends vs. one-time events
•Combine with other metrics for context (growth rate + profit margin)
•Be cautious with small base numbers that can show misleading percentages

When to Use This Year-over-Year Growth Calculator

✓Analyzing revenue or sales growth
✓Tracking user acquisition over time
✓Comparing investment performance
✓Evaluating business metrics
✓Creating growth forecasts

Year-over-Year Growth Calculator Examples

Revenue Growth

Last Year:$1,000,000This Year:$1,250,000

Result:+25% YoY growth

Revenue increased by $250,000, representing 25% year-over-year growth.

User Growth

Last Year:50,000 usersThis Year:75,000 users

Result:+50% YoY growth

User base grew from 50K to 75K, a 50% increase year-over-year.

Negative Growth

Last Year:$500,000This Year:$425,000

Result:-15% YoY decline

Revenue declined by $75,000, representing a 15% year-over-year decrease.

Understanding Year-over-Year Growth in Depth

Year-over-Year (YoY) growth is one of the most important metrics in business and investing. By comparing the same periods across years, it eliminates seasonal fluctuations and provides a clearer picture of true growth.

Why YoY Matters

Retail sales in December are always higher than January—that's seasonality. Quarter-over-quarter comparisons would be misleading. YoY compares December 2024 to December 2023, giving an apples-to-apples view of whether the business is truly growing.

Interpreting Growth Rates

High-growth startups: 100%+ YoY is expected early stage. Mature companies: 10-20% YoY is strong. Established industries: 3-5% may be excellent. Context matters—compare to industry benchmarks and historical performance.

The Rule of 72

To estimate how long it takes to double at a given growth rate, divide 72 by the growth rate. At 12% YoY growth, a value doubles in approximately 6 years (72 / 12 = 6). This helps visualize the long-term impact of consistent growth.

Caution with Percentages

A company growing from $10K to $20K revenue shows 100% growth. Growing from $1M to $1.1M shows only 10% growth, but the absolute increase ($100K) is far larger. Always consider both percentage and absolute values when analyzing growth.

Year-over-Year Growth Calculator FAQs

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Marcus Chen

Financial Analysis Specialist

Marcus has over 12 years of experience in quantitative finance and personal financial planning. He specializes in loan analysis, investment modeling, and consumer debt strategies. His methodologies incorporate industry-standard financial mathematics used by major lending institutions.

Content reviewed: January 2026Next review scheduled: 2027

Editorial Standards: All calculations use industry-standard financial formulas. Content is reviewed for mathematical accuracy and updated to reflect current market conditions. This tool provides estimates for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice.