XP to Level Calculator
The curve matters more than the numbers.
Work out XP to Level. The curve matters more than the numbers. Free, with no account and nothing to install.
XP needed
28,500
5.7 hours at the stated rate · 9 levels
Which curve a game uses changes the answer by an order of magnitude, so it is an input rather than an assumption. A linear curve makes late levels cheap; an exponential one makes them practically unreachable, and that is a design decision rather than an accident. The curves cross over. At a modest exponential rate, exponential is actually cheaper than quadratic for the first dozen levels and overtakes it decisively later — so which is 'steeper' depends entirely on where you are looking. Most long-running games use something between quadratic and exponential precisely to stretch the endgame. The last few levels frequently cost more than everything before them combined, which is the point.
How the XP to Level Calculator works
Total experience to reach a target level under linear, quadratic or exponential curves, with the time at a stated rate. Which curve a game uses changes the answer by an order of magnitude.
Also known as: how much xp to max level · hours to reach a level · levelling curve calculator · xp needed from level to level
Frequently asked questions
How much XP do I need?
It depends entirely on the curve. The same base value and level range can differ by orders of magnitude between a linear and an exponential progression, which is why the curve is an input here.
Which curve do games use?
Most long-running games use something between quadratic and exponential, specifically to stretch the endgame. The last few levels frequently cost more than everything before them combined.
Is exponential always steeper than quadratic?
No, and this surprises people. At a modest exponential rate it is cheaper for the first dozen levels and overtakes decisively later — the curves cross over.
How do I estimate my XP per hour?
Measure it rather than guess. Track XP over a fixed session and divide; the figure varies enormously with method, and a plan built on a guessed rate is a plan built on nothing.
Why do games slow levelling down?
To pace content and stretch engagement. It is a design decision rather than an accident, and the curve is usually the single most deliberate number in a progression system.
Put this calculator on your own site
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<p style="font:13px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif;margin:6px 0 0;color:#64748b">Powered by <a href="https://www.thecalclibrary.com/xp-to-level-calculator" style="color:#64748b">XP to Level Calculator</a> from The Calc Library</p>The only condition is that the credit line below the frame stays in place. That one line is what pays for the tool being free — it is how anyone else finds it.