Before spreadsheets and financial calculators, every finance student and banker relied on printed compound interest tables. They are still the fastest way to see how rate and time interact, and they remain standard in accounting, finance and engineering-economics courses and exams. This generator builds a future value of $1 table — the growth factor (1 + i)n — for exactly the rates, periods and precision you need.
How to generate the table
- Set the first rate, last rate and step for the columns (up to 16 rates).
- Set the first period and last period for the rows (up to 360 rows).
- Choose the number of decimal places.
The table appears below the calculator; long tables collapse with a “show all” button. The highlighted result above it is the factor in the bottom-right corner, a useful sanity check.
The factor behind every cell
i is the interest rate per period as a decimal and n is the number of periods. Multiply the factor by a present amount to get its future value: FV = PV × FVIF.
Worked example
You deposit $5,000 at 6% compounded annually and want to know its value in 10 years.
- Row 10, column 6%: 1.7908
- Future value: $5,000 × 1.7908 = $8,954.00 (the exact factor 1.790848 gives $8,954.24)
The same column answers related questions instantly: at 6%, money roughly doubles by period 12 (factor 2.0122) and roughly triples by period 19 (3.0256).
Reading patterns in the table
- Doubling times. Scan any column for the first factor above 2.0. The results line up with the rule of 72: about 12 periods at 6% (1.0612 = 2.0122), 9 at 8% (1.089 = 1.9990, just under) and 8 at 9% (1.098 = 1.9926).
- Rate vs. time. 1.126 = 1.9738 and 1.0324 = 2.0328: four times as long at a quarter of the rate gets you to roughly the same place.
- Reciprocals. Every factor here is the reciprocal of the matching cell in the present value table.
Matching rates and periods
Tables work in periods, not years. Convert first:
| Situation | Column (rate per period) | Row (periods) |
|---|---|---|
| 8% a year, compounded annually, 5 years | 8% | 5 |
| 8% a year, compounded quarterly, 5 years | 2% | 20 |
| 6% a year, compounded monthly, 3 years | 0.5% | 36 |
Interpolating between columns
For 6.5% over 10 periods, averaging the 6% and 7% factors gives (1.7908 + 1.9672) ÷ 2 = 1.8790, while the true factor is 1.8771. Linear interpolation slightly overstates exponential growth; with this generator, simply set a 6.5% column instead.
For one-off answers with any compounding frequency, the future value of a lump sum calculator is quicker. For level deposits use the future value of annuity table, and for all six standard factors at one rate, the compound interest factor table.
Factors are computed exactly and then rounded to the decimals you choose. For study and planning; not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
What does a future value of $1 table show?
Each cell is the future value interest factor (1 + i)^n: what $1 grows to after n periods at rate i per period. Multiply the factor by any amount to find that amount's future value.
How do I read the table?
Find the row for the number of periods and the column for the interest rate per period. At 6% and 10 periods the factor is 1.7908, so $5,000 grows to $5,000 × 1.7908 = $8,954.
Can I use the table for monthly compounding?
Yes, as long as the rate and periods match. For 6% a year compounded monthly over 5 years, use a 0.5% column and the 60-period row. Set the rate range to start at 0.5% with a 0.25% or 0.5% step to generate it.
Why does my textbook's table differ in the last digit?
Printed tables are rounded, usually to three or four decimals, and rounding conventions vary. Choose more decimal places here for precision; differences in the fourth or fifth decimal are rounding, not errors.
How can I estimate a factor for a rate between columns?
Linear interpolation between neighboring columns gives a close estimate, but because growth is exponential it slightly overstates the true factor. It is better to generate a column at the exact rate.