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SIP, FD, RD and PPF: which calculator to open first
How the four Indian savings tools differ, and a fair way to compare the same monthly amount.
They are not substitutes
A SIP buys fund units. The return moves. An FD locks a lump sum at a rate the bank prints. An RD does the same with a monthly instalment. PPF is a 15-year government scheme at a notified rate, currently 7.1% for October–December 2026, with a ₹1.5 lakh yearly cap and tax-free interest under the present rules.
Comparing a 12% SIP with a 7% FD is only useful if you remember one of those rates can be missed. Comparing a 7% SIP assumption with a 7% FD is the honest version: the FD's maturity is contractual, the SIP's is not, and the SIP can still be higher or lower.
A practical order
If the money is for a goal inside three years, start with FD or RD. If you can leave a lump sum untouched and want the small-savings rate, open the PPF calculator and check both the April lump sum and the monthly deposit. The April deposit wins because PPF interest counts the balance through the year.
If the goal is seven years or more and you can tolerate a bad year, the SIP calculator is the one that shows how a step-up changes the corpus. Use all four on the same monthly budget. The point of having them on one site is that the formulas are stated, not that one product wins.