Priya · 5-year SIP
Bull-run SIP
₹10,000/month for 5 years (₹6L invested). Markets ran hard — current value ₹9.4L.
XIRR~16.8%
"Looks like" CAGR~9.4%
XIRR captures that early SIPs had 5 years to compound.
XIRR calculator · your SIP's real return
Your fund's CAGR isn't your CAGR. XIRR is.
The rate that accounts for every rupee you actually invested, on the day you actually invested it. Same solver Excel uses — but with sliders.
Share this XIRR scenario
Send the link — your client opens to these exact numbers.
XIRR · your real return
%
compounding drawdown
If you'd misread this as a lumpsum CAGR, you'd see — off by .
Total invested
Current portfolio value
SIP mode
₹500 ₹1L
1 years 30 years
₹1k ₹5Cr
Cumulative invested vs current value
Current value Invested
Year
Value
Invested
Method: SIP cash-flow series — 12 × years monthly outflows of , one terminal inflow of . Identical to
=XIRR(values, dates) in Excel.
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01·The concept
XIRR vs CAGR — they're not the same number.
CAGR assumes one rupee in, one rupee out — a clean before-and-after. A SIP is dozens of separate before-and-afters. XIRR is the only honest answer.
CAGR — Compound Annual Growth Rate
The annualised rate at which a single lumpsum grows from start to end. Two inputs: start value, end value, and the number of years.
CAGR = (End / Start)1/n − 1
Use it for: NAV-to-NAV growth on a factsheet, lumpsum investments, FD comparisons.
XIRR — Extended Internal Rate of Return
The annualised rate that makes the net present value of all your in-and-out flows equal zero. Each cash flow is discounted by the days since the first one.
Σ CFi / (1 + XIRR)(di − d0) / 365 = 0
Use it for: SIPs, top-ups, switches, withdrawals — anything with multiple cash flows on different dates.
02·Advanced mode
Custom cash flows — your exact transactions.
If you topped up irregularly, did a switch, or made a partial withdrawal — punch in the actual rows. This is what you'd type into Excel.
| Date | Amount (negative for outflow / SIP, positive for inflow / current value) | |
|---|---|---|
Result
From your cash-flow series
Total outflow
Total inflow
Net
XIRR
03·Real scenarios
Three investor stories — XIRR vs CAGR side by side.
Rohit · SIP + top-ups
Bonus-driven investor
SIP ₹15k/mo for 8 years + two bonus top-ups (₹2L + ₹3L). Now worth ₹28L on ₹19.4L invested.
XIRR~11.4%
"Looks like" CAGR~4.7%
Bonus top-ups hadn't compounded long. CAGR drags down. XIRR is honest.
Anjali · SIP in a drawdown
Bear-phase investor
₹5k SIP for 3 years (₹1.8L in). Mid-cap correction — portfolio worth ₹1.55L today.
XIRR~−9.8%
"Looks like" CAGR~−4.7%
Bad enough — but recent SIPs are buying low. Don't stop.
Common questions
FAQ.
Which is 'right' — XIRR or CAGR?
Both — for different situations. CAGR is right for any single lumpsum investment held to a single redemption (FDs, NAV factsheets, real estate). XIRR is right for everything with multiple cash flows: SIPs, top-ups, partial withdrawals, switches. For a vanilla SIP, only XIRR makes sense.
Why does my fund's factsheet show CAGR but my AMC app shows XIRR?
Factsheets show fund-level NAV-to-NAV CAGR — assuming a lumpsum at start. Your AMC's portfolio page knows your actual transactions and computes XIRR. The numbers can differ by 4-6 percentage points easily, and the XIRR is closer to your real experience.
Is XIRR the same as IRR?
XIRR is IRR for irregular dates. Plain IRR assumes payments at regular intervals (annually, monthly, etc.). XIRR handles any date spacing, which is why every brokerage and AMC app uses XIRR for portfolios.
What's a 'good' XIRR for an equity SIP?
Long-run (10+ year) XIRR for diversified equity SIPs in India has historically been 11–14%. Below 9% over a decade suggests fund-selection issues. Below 7% — talk to an advisor. Above 16% is great but check whether it's because of small-cap risk or genuine outperformance.
Can XIRR be negative?
Yes — if your portfolio is worth less than you've put in. The negative number is the annualised rate at which you're losing money. Use it to size the recovery you need rather than panicking — a SIP in a bear phase often turns into your best long-run XIRR.
Why does Excel sometimes give #NUM! for XIRR?
When the cash flows all have the same sign (all outflows or all inflows), there's no rate that zeros out the NPV — no XIRR. You need at least one outflow and one inflow. If you're still computing, the current value of the portfolio counts as a notional inflow on today's date.
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