NAVs as of: 5 November 2026

  • 3 years: ₹10,000 a month (₹3,60,000 in all) became ₹3,85,269 at the median, 4.45% a year
  • 3 years: ₹3,60,000 invested at once became ₹5,16,136 at the median, 12.76% a year
  • 3 years: every fund ended with more as a lumpsum than as a SIP
  • 5 years: ₹10,000 a month (₹6,00,000 in all) became ₹7,96,945 at the median, 11.29% a year
  • 5 years: ₹6,00,000 invested at once became ₹10,70,950 at the median, 12.30% a year
  • 5 years: every fund ended with more as a lumpsum than as a SIP

SIP vs lumpsum in Value funds over 5 years yielded a median SIP value of ₹7,96,945 from a total investment of ₹6,00,000. Over the same 5-year period, the median lumpsum value reached ₹10,70,950. Over 3 years, the median SIP value was ₹3,85,269 from a total investment of ₹3,60,000. The median lumpsum value for this 3-year window was ₹5,16,136.

How the comparison was made

Both ways of investing use the same funds: the Direct Growth plans of Value funds that have the whole period’s NAV history. The SIP puts in ₹10,000 on the first trading day of each month. The lumpsum puts in the same total, ₹6,00,000 for the 5-year window, on the first day. Both are valued at the NAV on 5 November 2026. The figures are the median across funds; the table also gives the lowest and highest fund. They describe what happened in these periods and say nothing about the next one.

SIP vs lumpsum in Value funds: the results

Value funds, Direct Growth plans: median result across funds, 5 November 2023 to 5 November 2026 for the longest window — Source: NAV data via Accord Fintech, ThePip calculations
Way of investing Invested Median value Median annualised return Lowest to highest fund
3 years: SIP (36 × ₹10,000) ₹3,60,000 ₹3,85,269 4.45% 0.37% to 13.40%
3 years: lumpsum (₹3,60,000 on day one) ₹3,60,000 ₹5,16,136 12.76% 7.15% to 19.86%
5 years: SIP (60 × ₹10,000) ₹6,00,000 ₹7,96,945 11.29% 5.86% to 17.05%
5 years: lumpsum (₹6,00,000 on day one) ₹6,00,000 ₹10,70,950 12.30% 6.93% to 15.37%

The median SIP value is lower than the median lumpsum value across both the 3-year and 5-year periods. Every fund ended with more as a lumpsum than as a SIP in both windows. For the 3-year period, the median SIP value was ₹3,85,269 compared to the median lumpsum value of ₹5,16,136. Over 5 years, the median SIP value was ₹7,96,945 while the median lumpsum value was ₹10,70,950.

In how many funds did each way of investing end with more? — Source: NAV data via Accord Fintech, ThePip calculations
Window Funds with the full history Lumpsum ended with more SIP ended with more
3 years to 5 November 2026 21 21 0
5 years to 5 November 2026 19 19 0

FAQs

What is the difference between a SIP and a lumpsum?

A SIP invests a fixed amount at regular intervals, here on the first trading day of every month. A lumpsum invests the whole amount at once, here on the first day of the period.

How much did a ₹10,000 monthly SIP in Value funds become over 5 years?

Across 19 Direct Growth plans with the full history, ₹6,00,000 invested over 60 months became ₹7,96,945 at the median, a return of 11.29% a year. The funds ranged from ₹6,95,783 to ₹9,18,795.

Did a SIP or a lumpsum end with more in Value funds?

Over the 5 years to 5 November 2026, the median value of the SIP was lower than the median value of the lumpsum, and every fund ended with more as a lumpsum than as a SIP. The result belongs to this period; another period can differ.

Why is the SIP return not compared directly with the lumpsum return?

SIP money goes in over time, so each instalment is invested for a different length of time. The SIP return is the annualised rate that matches those dated cash flows; the lumpsum return is the annual rate over the whole period.

NAV data: Accord Fintech. Calculations: ThePip. For information only; not investment advice.