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Mutual Fund Returns Calculator
Track a fund's absolute and annualised return over any holding period. Adjust any input below and your results update instantly.
Understanding fund returns
The concept, the motivation, and what to watch out for.
What's the difference between absolute and annualised return?
Absolute return is simply the total percentage gain over your entire holding period, with no regard to how long it took. Annualised return (CAGR) spreads that same gain evenly across each year, making it comparable across different holding periods.
A fund that returns 50% absolute over 3 years and one that returns 50% absolute over 6 years have very different annual growth rates — annualising is what makes them fairly comparable.
Units, not rupees, are what you actually hold
A mutual fund investment buys you units at that day's NAV — your return comes from the NAV moving, not from any rupee amount changing directly.
Absolute return can be misleading alone
A large absolute return over a long holding period can hide a fairly ordinary annual growth rate — always check the annualised figure too.
How this calculator helps
Enter your investment, purchase NAV, today's NAV, and holding period — both return figures update instantly, with the full formula and year-by-year path shown alongside them.
Calculate your fund's return
Fill in the starred fields on the left — your results update instantly on the right.
Your details
≈ ₹1.00 L
e.g. ₹1,00,000 invested in a mutual fund
e.g. ₹45.50 per unit
e.g. ₹68.20 per unit
e.g. 3 years since you invested
How these compare
vs. typical India long-term ranges
Annualised return: 14.4%
India long-term equity avg: 10–13%
These are example numbers. Edit any input on the left to see your own.
Your annualised return (CAGR) is
14.4%
49.9% absolute return
Current value
₹1.50 L
Units held
2197.80
Implied value path
Fund valueAmount invested
Year-by-year breakdown
This shows the smooth compounding path implied by your annualised return — not necessarily what happened in any single year.
YearFund valueAmount investedStatus
1₹1.14 L₹1.00 L
1.14x invested
13% is growth
2₹1.31 L₹1.00 L
1.31x invested
24% is growth
3₹1.50 L₹1.00 L
1.50x invested
33% is growth
Compare against benchmarks
See how your fund stacks up against common long-term benchmarks.
Your fund
14.4% CAGR · 3y
₹1.50 L
Value after your holding period
Actual
At Nifty 50 avg (12%)
₹1.00 L · 3y · 12%
₹1.40 L
Value after your holding period
-₹9,397
At FD rate (7%)
₹1.00 L · 3y · 7%
₹1.23 L
Value after your holding period
-₹27,386
Worked example, using your numbers
A step-by-step walkthrough of how your NAVs become your returns.
Step 1 · Units allotted
Investing ₹1.00 L at a NAV of ₹45.5 bought you
2197.80 units
Step 2 · Current value
At today’s NAV of ₹68.2, those units are worth
₹1.50 L
Step 3 · Annualised return
Spread evenly across 3 years, that’s
14.4%
✓
Your fund delivered a 49.9% absolute return — equivalent to 14.4% annualised over 3 years.
Personalised insights
What your numbers reveal, and what changing them would do.
Your ₹1.00 L investment is now worth ₹1.50 L
That's a gain of ₹49,890 — a 49.9% absolute return across 2197.80 units.
Your fund beats the long-term Nifty 50 average by ₹9,397
At a 12% long-term index average, ₹1.00 L would have become ₹1.40 L over the same 3 years.
At this rate, your money roughly doubles every 5.0 years
Using the Rule of 72, a 14.4% annualised return implies a doubling time of about 5.0 years.
Your absolute return is 49.9%, vs. 14.4% annualised
Over 3 years, the annualised figure is what's actually comparable to other funds or benchmarks.
How this is calculated
Every step of the math behind your result, shown in the open.
Units allotted at purchase
Investment = amount invested, NAV_purchase = NAV per unit at purchase, U = units allotted
Your investment amount buys a number of units (U) based on that day's NAV — this is the fixed quantity you continue to hold.
Example: ₹1.00 L ÷ ₹45.5 → 2197.80 units
Your current value
U = units held, NAV_today = current NAV per unit, CV = current value
Multiplying your units by today's NAV gives what your holding is actually worth right now, regardless of how much you originally invested.
Example: 2197.80 units × ₹68.2 → ₹1.50 L
Annualising your return
n = holding period in years, CAGR = annualised return
Taking the nth root of your growth multiple spreads the total gain evenly across every year, giving the constant annual rate that explains the same result.
Example: (₹1.50 L ÷ ₹1.00 L)^(1/3) − 1 → 14.4%
Assumptions
- Assumes a single lump-sum purchase — not multiple purchases or SIPs into the same fund.
- NAV values are used exactly as entered — dividends and expense ratios aren't separately modelled.
- Figures are indicative and pre-tax — not financial advice.
Did you know?
A few facts behind NAV and fund returns.
NAV
NAV is calculated once a day
Unlike stock prices that move continuously, a mutual fund's NAV is calculated just once at the end of each trading day.
72
The Rule of 72
Divide 72 by your annualised return to estimate doubling time — the same shortcut used for CAGR and XIRR.
G/D
Growth vs IDCW plans
A fund's "Growth" option reinvests gains into the NAV, while its "IDCW" option pays some out — comparing NAV movement alone is most accurate for Growth-option funds.
AMFI
One place for every fund's NAV
AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India) publishes the daily NAV of every registered mutual fund scheme in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions we hear most about tracking fund returns.
What's the difference between absolute and annualised return?
Absolute return is your total gain over the whole holding period, however long that was. Annualised return (CAGR) spreads that gain evenly per year, making returns over different holding periods fairly comparable.
What is NAV?
Net Asset Value (NAV) is the price of one unit of a mutual fund, calculated at the end of each trading day based on the fund's total assets divided by its outstanding units.
Where do I find my purchase NAV and today's NAV?
Your purchase NAV is on the investment statement or confirmation email from when you bought the fund. Today's NAV is published daily on your fund house's website, app, or AMFI's website.
Why might my absolute return look large but my annualised return look modest?
A long holding period can produce a large absolute return even at an ordinary annual growth rate, simply because compounding has had many years to work — this is normal, not a sign your annualised figure is being understated.
Does this account for dividends, taxes, or expense ratios?
No, this calculator uses only the NAV values you enter, which for growth-option funds already reflect reinvested gains. Figures shown are pre-tax and don't separately account for expense ratios.
Is this financial advice?
No. This tool provides indicative estimates based on your assumptions. Consult a certified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Related calculators
Other tools worth checking as you plan your investments.
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Project how your monthly mutual fund SIP could grow over time with compounding.
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LInvestments
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Project the future value of a one-time investment at your expected rate of return.
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CInvestments
CAGR Calculator
Work out the annual growth rate of an investment between two dates.
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XInvestments
XIRR Calculator
Find the annualised return for cash flows that happen at irregular dates.
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Learn more
Articles to go deeper on the ideas behind this calculator.
Fundamentals
CAGR vs absolute return: what's the difference?
Why annualising your return makes gains over different time periods comparable.
5 min read
Fundamentals
Understanding NAV and units
How your investment turns into units, and why NAV movement is what drives your return.
5 min read
Comparison
Growth vs IDCW: which option should you pick?
How the two payout options affect your fund's NAV and your actual returns.
6 min read