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SIP Calculator

Project what a monthly investment could grow to, split between what you put in and what the return adds, year by year.

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How to use SIP Calculator — Monthly Investment Returns

  1. 1Enter your monthly investment, the expected return and how many years.
  2. 2Adjust the sliders to see the result update instantly.
  3. 3Read the result, and the year-by-year table underneath.

About SIP Calculator

A SIP works on two things at once: the habit of investing the same amount every month, and the compounding that acts on each instalment from the day it goes in. The instalment you pay in year one has ten years to grow; the one you pay in year ten has a month. That is why the split between what you contributed and what the return added shifts so much with time. At ₹5,000 a month and a 12% assumption, ten years gives ₹6,00,000 invested against ₹5,61,695 of projected return — very nearly half the final value coming from growth rather than from you.

The year-wise table is the part worth reading slowly. Early rows are dominated by your own contributions, and the returns column looks disappointing; later rows tilt the other way as the accumulated balance starts doing more work than the monthly debit. Nothing about that curve is unusual, and it is the main reason stopping a SIP in year three feels reasonable and costs so much — the years that carry the compounding are the ones at the end.

Be honest about the assumption underneath all of it. This is a constant-rate projection: every month earns exactly the same return, which no equity market has ever done. Real sequences matter, a bad run near the end hurts more than a bad run at the start, and exit loads, stamp duty and capital gains tax all come off the final number. Use the calculator to size a commitment and to compare horizons, run it again at a lower rate to see the downside, and take advice from someone regulated to give it before you decide what to buy.

Frequently asked questions

How is a SIP return calculated?
With the future value of an annuity: FV = P × ((1+i)^n − 1) / i × (1+i), where P is the monthly instalment, n is the number of months and i is the monthly rate (annual rate ÷ 12 ÷ 100). The trailing (1+i) is there because a SIP is debited at the start of the month. ₹5,000 a month at 12% for 10 years gives ₹6,00,000 invested and a projected ₹11,61,695, of which ₹5,61,695 is return.
Is the projected value guaranteed?
No, and nothing about it should be read that way. A constant annual return is an arithmetic convenience; equity funds deliver uneven returns and can be down over a year or several. The useful way to use this is to run three scenarios — say 8%, 10% and 12% — and see how wide the range is, rather than treating one figure as the answer.
Why is my figure slightly higher than another SIP calculator?
Probably the timing assumption. This tool uses start-of-month instalments (an annuity due), which gives every contribution one extra month of growth; calculators that assume end-of-month payment return a value about 1% lower at a 12% rate. Neither is wrong — but a real SIP mandate is debited at the start of the period, which is why that convention is used here.
Does it deduct the expense ratio, exit load or tax?
No. The rate you enter is applied as-is. A fund's expense ratio is already netted off its published NAV returns, but exit loads, stamp duty and capital gains tax are not, and they come out of what you finally receive. If you want an after-cost projection, reduce the expected return you type.
What return should I assume?
The tool deliberately does not suggest one, because that would be advice it is in no position to give. Past category averages are widely published and are not a promise about the next ten years. Pick a range you consider conservative, look at the worst of it, and plan against that rather than the best case.
Can it handle a step-up SIP or a lump-sum top-up?
Not directly — it models a fixed monthly amount for the whole period. To approximate a step-up, run the calculator once per stage and add the results, remembering that each stage compounds only for its remaining years. For a one-off lump sum, use the compound interest calculator alongside it.