Fixed Deposit (FD) vs SIP in Equity Mutual Funds

₹10,000/Month SIP vs FD for 10 Years

✦ Real Return
SIP wins by ₹5.5L after tax
After 30% tax & 6% inflation on ₹12L invested
SIP
+4.4%/yr real
Before tax
₹22.4L
After tax
₹21.3L
After inflation
₹11.9L
FD
-1.0%/yr real
Before tax
₹17.4L
After tax
₹15.8L
After inflation
₹8.8L
Adjust tax slab30%
0%5%10%15%20%30%
Income above ₹20L (new regime)

Your FD is losing to inflation. After investing ₹12L, your FD ends up worth only ₹8.8L in today's purchasing power — a real-terms loss.

Assumptions used
FD 7%SIP 12%Tax 30%Inflation 6%
Assumptions
FD interest rate7%
SIP expected return12% p.a.
Income tax slab30%
Inflation6%
Monthly investment₹10,000
Duration10 years
realreturn.in · See what your money actually earnsEstimates only · Not financial advice · Based on current Indian tax laws

How much does ₹10,000/month SIP vs FD give in 10 years?

10,000/month in SIP (Equity Mutual Funds) for 10 years → ₹22.4L before tax
10,000/month in Fixed Deposit (FD) for 10 years → ₹17.4L before tax
After tax & 6% inflation: SIP +4.4%/yr vs FD -1.0%/yr

💡

When does SIP overtake Fixed Deposit?

At assumed returns of 12% for SIP and 7% for FD, SIP edges ahead from year 1 — but the lead is small in early years (a few thousand rupees in year 1, around ₹50,000 by year 4). The gap accelerates after year 5 and reaches ₹5L by year 10. If you assume more conservative SIP returns (9–10%) or higher FD rates (8%+), FD can stay ahead through year 4 or 5. Use the tax slider above to see your bracket.

How big is the gap between SIP and FD after 10 years?

Both invest ₹12L over 10 years. SIP returns ₹5L more.

SIP
₹22.4L
+4.4% real
FD
₹17.4L
-1.0% real
Same money, same duration. The only difference is where you put it. SIP ends up giving you ₹5L more — roughly ~4 years of your monthly savings.

Why does SIP beat FD over 10 years?

📈
Grows faster — 12% vs 7% per year
That 5% annual difference compounds over 10 years into ₹5L extra on ₹10,000/month.
🧾
₹0.5L less tax
FD interest taxed at 30% like salary = ₹1.6L tax. SIP gains taxed at 12.5% above ₹1.25L = ₹1.1L tax. That ₹0.5L saving exists before counting higher returns.
🔥
Fixed Deposit barely beats 6% inflation
7% FD minus 30% tax = 4.9% post-tax. Minus 6% inflation = -1.0%/yr real. After investing ₹12L, your FD ends up worth only ₹8.8L in today's purchasing power — a real-terms loss.

When is FD a better choice than SIP?

SIP wins here — but Fixed Deposit is better if:

You need money within 3 years
SIP can drop 30–40% temporarily. FD guarantees your amount on the exact date you need it.
You pay little or no income tax
At 0–5% tax, FD's real gain rises to 3–4%/yr — far more competitive.
Market drops would make you stop SIP
SIP fell 35% in 2020 then recovered. An abandoned SIP loses to FD every time.
It's your emergency fund
3–6 months of expenses should always be in FD — never in the markets.

Full SIP vs FD comparison table

SIPFD
Before tax corpus₹22.4L₹17.4L
Total invested₹12L₹12L
Annual return rate12%7%
Tax paid₹1.1L₹1.6L
After-tax corpus₹21.3L₹15.8L
In today's purchasing power₹11.9L₹8.8L
Real return/yr+4.4%-1.0%
Guaranteed?✗ No✓ Yes
Withdraw anytime?✓ YesPenalty
Tax efficient?✓ Yes✗ No

Common questions

Is ₹10,000/month SIP in Equity Mutual Funds better than Fixed Deposit (FD) for 10 years?
Based on estimated returns, yes — at a 30% tax slab. At 12% CAGR, SIP gives ₹22.4L vs FD's ₹17.4L before tax. After tax and inflation, SIP's estimated real return is +4.4%/yr vs FD's -1.0%/yr. Use the tax slider above to see your bracket.
What is ₹10,000/month SIP worth after 10 years?
At 12% CAGR, ₹10,000/month SIP in Equity Mutual Funds for 10 years gives approximately ₹22.4L on ₹12L invested. After 12.5% LTCG tax on gains above ₹1.25L, you get approximately ₹21.3L. Actual returns depend on market performance and are not guaranteed.
What is ₹10,000/month Fixed Deposit (FD) interest in 10 years?
At 7% interest, ₹10,000/month FD for 10 years gives approximately ₹17.4L. After 30% income tax on interest, approximately ₹15.8L. With 6% annual inflation, that has the purchasing power of ₹8.8L in today's money.
In which year does SIP overtake Fixed Deposit (FD) for ₹10,000/month?
At 12% SIP and 7% FD, SIP edges ahead from year 1, but the lead is small in early years. The gap accelerates after year 5 and reaches ₹5L by year 10. If you assume more conservative SIP returns (9–10%) or higher FD rates (8%+), FD can stay ahead through year 4 or 5.
Is SIP in Equity Mutual Funds safe? What if markets crash?
SIP in Equity Mutual Funds does not guarantee your capital — unlike Fixed Deposit. In 2020, equity mutual funds fell ~35% before recovering. Over any 10-year period in Indian market history, patient SIP investors have not had negative returns — but this is not a guarantee. If you need money on a specific date, FD is genuinely safer.

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At a glance · 30% tax · 6% inflation
SIPFD
Before tax₹22.4L₹17.4L
Tax paid₹1.1L₹1.6L
After tax₹21.3L₹15.8L
Real value₹11.9L₹8.8L
Real return+4.4%-1.0%
Guaranteed?NoYes
Try other combinations
₹5K/month · 10 years
₹10K/month · 5 years
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₹20K/month · 10 years
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