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Why is your Sharpe ratio different from other websites/tools?

Without seeing the other calculation, it is hard to compare side-by-side. However, there is a fair amount of variation between financial sites, and so here are some common themes based on what we’ve seen before.

Note: The Sharpe ratio is calculated as (expected return - risk-free rate) / volatility. 

Therefore, the two main factors to consider when calculating the Sharpe Ratio:

  1. Expected return: This should be forward-looking and avoid recency bias. Calculating the Sharpe Ratio simply looking at historical returns over the last 1-3 years can be very problematic.
  2. Risk-free rate: A crucial component, often forgotten during the days of near-zero interest rates. Assuming a risk-free rate of 0% in today’s environment is very problematic.

PortfolioPilot uses an up-to-date risk-free rate by tracking the current fed interest rate, and uses a forward-looking estimate for expected returns, not just a most-recent historical average.

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1: As of November 14, 2025