Depreciation Calculator
Build a depreciation schedule with straight-line, declining-balance or sum-of-years-digits.
Results update as you type.
About this calculator
Depreciation spreads the cost of an asset over its useful life, and this depreciation calculator builds the full schedule for you. It supports the three most common methods — straight-line (an equal amount each year), declining-balance (accelerated, a fixed percentage of the falling book value) and sum-of-the-years’-digits (accelerated, weighted by remaining life) — and reports the yearly expense, accumulated depreciation and remaining book value.
Straight-line divides the depreciable base (cost minus salvage) evenly across the life. For example, a 50,000 asset with 5,000 salvage over 5 years depreciates 9,000 a year. Double-declining balance instead applies twice the straight-line rate to the current book value, so year one is 50,000 × 40% = 20,000 and later years shrink — front-loading the expense while never dropping below salvage.
Use it to plan book or tax depreciation, to compare how each method affects early-year expense, or to produce a schedule for accounting records. Accelerated methods suit assets that lose most value when new, while straight-line is simplest; tax rules may dictate the method for a given asset.
Frequently asked questions
Which depreciation method should I use?
Straight-line is simplest and spreads cost evenly. Declining-balance and sum-of-years-digits are accelerated — they write off more in the early years, which suits assets that lose value fastest when new. Tax rules may dictate the method for a given asset.
How does double-declining balance work?
It applies twice the straight-line rate (factor 2 ÷ life) to the remaining book value each year, so the expense falls over time. It never depreciates below the salvage value, and the schedule trims the final years to land exactly on salvage.
What is salvage value?
Salvage value is the estimated worth of the asset at the end of its useful life — what you could sell it for as scrap or resale. Depreciation only writes down the cost above salvage, so a higher salvage value means less total depreciation.
What is the difference between straight-line and accelerated depreciation?
Straight-line charges the same expense every year, giving a steady, simple schedule. Accelerated methods (declining-balance and sum-of-years-digits) charge more in the early years and less later, which can defer taxes and better match assets that lose value fastest when new.
How does sum-of-the-years-digits depreciation work?
It weights the depreciable base by remaining life over the sum of the years’ digits. For a 5-year asset the digits sum to 15, so year one takes 5/15 of the base, year two 4/15, and so on — an accelerated pattern that tapers more gently than declining balance.
What useful life and factor should I enter?
Use the number of years you expect the asset to be productive; tax systems publish standard lives for asset classes. The declining-balance factor sets how accelerated the method is — 2 gives double-declining balance, 1.5 gives 150%-declining balance.
API — use this calculator from code
Call this calculator as a free JSON endpoint — no key required. Send the field values below as query parameters or JSON. Read the full API docs →
Endpoint
GET https://calculator.free/api/v1/depreciation/curl
curl "https://calculator.free/api/v1/depreciation/?cost=50000&salvage=5000&life=5&method=straight"JavaScript fetch()
const r = await fetch(
"https://calculator.free/api/v1/depreciation/?" + new URLSearchParams({
"cost": "50000",
"salvage": "5000",
"life": "5",
"method": "straight"
}));
const data = await r.json();
console.log(data.results);Results are estimates for general guidance only, not financial, medical or tax advice.