Beginner tool · Byte

The Fee Eater

“Fees are the one investing cost you fully control. A small yearly % sounds harmless — but over decades it quietly eats a big slice of your money. Let's see how big.”

— Byte

🍽️ Lost to fees over 30 years

€37.433

That's about 17% of your pot — gone, without you ever seeing a bill.

Low-cost index fund (0.2%): €225,445Your fund (1.2%): €188,012

You invest each month€200

For30 years

Gross yearly return (before fees)7%

Before fees, a broad world index has averaged around 7% a year long-run. Try others:

Your fund's yearly fee1.2%

Index funds often charge 0.1–0.3% a year. Actively-managed funds often charge 1–2%. Slide to your fund's number (its TER / ongoing charge).

Byte: Here's the trap: you pay the fee every year on your whole balance — and every euro lost to fees also loses all the growth it would have earned. So a 1.5% fee doesn't cost you 1.5%; over 30 years it can quietly swallow 25–35% of your final pot. The one reliable way to keep more: choose low-cost index funds and check the yearly fee before anything else.

⚠️ Educational only — not financial advice. Illustrative: both options compound at the gross return you pick (default 7%) minus their yearly fee. Real returns vary and can be negative; funds differ. Compare each fund's actual ongoing charge (TER) yourself.