How does this portfolio vs index comparison work?
The tool builds a hypothetical portfolio that puts an equal amount into each ticker you enter at the start of the period, then holds it with no rebalancing. Both the portfolio and the index are rebased to 100 at the first common trading date, so the chart shows relative growth: a line at 115 means up 15% over the period.
Which index should I compare my portfolio to?
Pick the index closest to what you would otherwise buy. The S&P 500 is the most common yardstick for US-heavy portfolios; the S&P/TSX 60 fits Canadian stock pickers; total-market ETFs like VTI or VXUS suit broader mixes, and a bond index fits fixed-income holdings.
Does the comparison include dividends?
Yes. The tool uses adjusted closing prices, which fold dividends and distributions back into the series, so both your tickers and the index are compared on a total-return basis.
What ticker format do Canadian stocks and ETFs use?
Use Yahoo Finance symbols: Canadian listings take a .TO suffix (RY.TO, XEQT.TO, VFV.TO), while US listings are the bare ticker (AAPL, SPY, VTI). If a ticker isn't recognized, the tool tells you which one to fix.
How are mixed Canadian and US tickers handled?
Each ticker's return is measured in its own trading currency and the lines are compared in percentage terms, so the CAD/USD exchange rate is not applied. That keeps the comparison simple, but a portfolio mixing currencies would move somewhat differently in your home currency.
Is this investment advice?
No. This is an educational simulation built on historical prices. Past performance doesn't predict future returns, and an equal-weight buy-and-hold simplification won't match a real account with contributions, fees and rebalancing.