FD vs SIP Calculator

Compare fixed deposit (lump sum) with a systematic investment plan (SIP) at the same assumed rate. FD returns are guaranteed; SIP returns in reality depend on market performance.

Compare FD & SIP

Formulas

FD: A = P(1+r/n)^(nt). SIP: FV = P × [((1+r)^n - 1) / r] × (1+r) with r monthly.

SIP assumes a fixed monthly return for illustration. Actual mutual fund returns are market-dependent.

FAQs

Key Terms

Maturity amount
Final value received at deposit end: principal plus accumulated interest.
Compounding
Interest earned on both principal and previously earned interest.
Annualized rate
Interest rate quoted for one year; converted internally for period-wise calculations.

Benefits of This Calculator

  • Quickly compare tenure and rate combinations before locking deposits.
  • Understand maturity, principal, and interest split through chart-style outputs.
  • Use formula and FAQ context to validate bank app numbers confidently.

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Comparing a guarantee with an estimate

An FD return is a guarantee. A SIP return is an assumption — usually 10–12% for equity mutual funds based on long-term Nifty 50 history, or 7–8% for hybrid funds. The calculator above lets you set both numbers, but you should treat them with very different confidence levels: the FD line is what you will get; the SIP line is what you might get. For goals less than three years away, the FD line is usually the safer assumption, because equity SIPs can comfortably underperform FDs over short windows.

Tax also moves the comparison. FD interest is taxed every year at your slab. Equity mutual fund gains held for more than a year qualify for long-term capital gains (LTCG) at 12.5% above ₹1.25 lakh per financial year (post-July 2024 budget). For someone in the 30% slab investing for 7+ years, equity SIPs usually win on post-tax returns — but they also carry the volatility you have to live with along the way.

₹10,000/month for 10 years

FD-equivalent at 7.0%
Maturity ~₹17.31 lakh, interest ~₹5.31 lakh
SIP @ 12% assumed return
Corpus ~₹23.23 lakh, gain ~₹11.23 lakh
SIP @ 8% (bad-decade scenario)
Corpus ~₹18.42 lakh, gain ~₹6.42 lakh

Even a bad-decade SIP at 8% beats the FD here. The point of running the comparison is to see the worst-case SIP outcome, not just the optimistic one — that is the real decision you are making by choosing equity over a deposit.