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Gold vs Bitcoin Calculator

Same dollars, same month — three very different outcomes. Pick a start date and see who wins.

Bitcoin 🏆
$179,323.96
179.3× · ++17,832.4% · +63.9%/yr
Gold
$3,697.45
3.7× · ++269.7% · +13.3%/yr
S&P 500
$3,843.69
3.84× · ++284.4% · +13.7%/yr
$297.39K$156.52K$15.65K2016-01now
BitcoinGoldS&P 500
BitcoinGoldS&P 500

Data as of Jul 21, 2026

Estimates only — not financial advice.

Quick answer

It depends almost entirely on when you start. $1,000 put into Bitcoin in January 2016 is worth about $179,323.96 today (179.3×), while the same $1,000 in gold grew to $3,697.45 (3.7×). Start at a crypto cycle top instead and gold often wins the following two years.

How this is calculated

For each asset we look up the month-close price at your start date, buy $amount ÷ price units, and value them at today's price: Bitcoin from exchange history (July 2010 onward), gold from LBMA-based monthly averages with a live PAXG spot, and the S&P 500 price index from 2015 (it drops off the chart for earlier starts). CAGR annualizes the multiple over the holding period.

Two honest caveats. Nominal dollars — a 2010 dollar bought more than today's. And the S&P line excludes dividends, which add roughly 1.5–2 percentage points a year to equity returns. Neither changes the headline pattern: Bitcoin dominates long windows, gold cushions the crypto winters.

Frequently asked questions

Which performed better, gold or Bitcoin?
Over most multi-year windows since 2010, Bitcoin — by a wide margin. $1,000 in January 2016 became about $179,323.96 in BTC vs $3,697.45 in gold. But pick a window starting at a crypto cycle top (late 2017, late 2021) and gold wins the next 1–2 years. The start date does most of the work, which is exactly what this tool lets you test.
Is Bitcoin really 'digital gold'?
They share the store-of-value thesis: fixed or predictable supply, no central issuer, priced against a weakening dollar. They differ in track record (gold: millennia; BTC: since 2009), volatility (BTC routinely draws down 70–80%, gold rarely more than 40%), and custody (a vault vs. cryptographic keys).
Why compare against the S&P 500 too?
Because 'just buy the index' is the default alternative for most savers. If an asset can't beat broad equities over your holding period, its story matters less. The S&P line uses the price index, so real equity returns (with dividends) are ~1.5–2%/yr higher than shown.
Does this account for inflation?
No — all figures are nominal dollars. For a real-terms view of Bitcoin specifically, see the inflation-adjusted BTC calculator, which deflates by US CPI.
Where do the gold prices come from?
Monthly averages from the LBMA-based public dataset back to 1971 (when the dollar left the gold standard), with the live spot price via the PAXG tokenized-gold market. Bitcoin history comes from exchange data starting July 2010.

Related guides

Gold vs Bitcoin as an Inflation Hedge: 55 Years of DataGold compounded ~8.9%/yr since 1971 but spent 1980–2000 losing money; Bitcoin did 138%/yr but crashes 70%+. What the data actually says about hedging.Buying the Bitcoin Top: What the Worst Timing in History ReturnedWe filled a $10,000 buy at the exact peak of all four Bitcoin cycle tops, then ran a $100/month DCA from the same months. DCA won three of four.

Related calculators

What If I BoughtThe same backtest for 10 cryptosGold Price per GramLive price for every karatInflation-Adjusted BTC ReturnReal returns after US CPI

Disclaimer: This tool provides educational estimates only — it is not financial, investment, or tax advice. Crypto assets are volatile; past performance does not guarantee future results. See our methodology and full disclaimer.