Tools › Agile & sprint planning › Sprint Velocity Calculator
Sprint Velocity Calculator
Velocity is the number of story points a team completes on average per sprint. Tracking multiple sprints gives a reliable picture of team capacity — useful for planning and forecasting.
Sprint Velocity Calculator: how does it work?
Enter the completed story points for each sprint. The calculator computes two values. First, the overall average: the sum of all entered sprints divided by the number of sprints. This provides a stable long-term view. Second, the rolling average over the last 3 sprints (rolling-3): the average of the three most recent sprints. This reacts faster to changes in team composition, ways of working, or sprint content, making it a better indicator for the very next sprint. Use velocity as a planning tool, not a performance metric. A higher velocity does not mean a team is working better; it depends entirely on how the team estimates story points. Never compare velocity across teams.
Example
Suppose your team completed four sprints with 20, 30, 40, and 50 story points respectively. The overall average is (20 + 30 + 40 + 50) ÷ 4 = 35 points. The rolling average over the last 3 sprints is (30 + 40 + 50) ÷ 3 = 40 points. For planning the next sprint, 40 is a more realistic estimate than 35, because the team has consistently delivered more in recent sprints.
Frequently asked questions
How many sprints do I need for a reliable velocity?
Aim for at least 4 to 6 sprints for a stable average. In the first two or three sprints, output varies significantly due to unfamiliarity with estimation techniques and changing team composition. After 6 sprints the curve typically levels off.
Why not use a trendline or multi-sprint forecast model?
Velocity is not deterministic: team changes, holidays, technical debt, and scope shifts introduce unpredictable variation. A 3-sprint rolling average is honest about this uncertainty. More complex forecast models imply a precision that practice does not justify.
Can I compare velocity across different teams?
No. Story points are an internal relative scale per team. One team may estimate a task at 5 points while another gives the same work 13 points. Cross-team comparisons lead to wrong conclusions and pressure teams to game their estimates.
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