You can calculate your Return on Investments (ROI) using Zerodha's SIP calculator for lump sum or SIPs in different ways, depending on your investment type and duration.
Lump sum investment for less than a year
Method: Absolute Return
When you make a lump sum investment for less than a year, use absolute return to get a true picture of your earnings.
Let’s say you made a lump sum investment of Rs. 2,75,000 on 28 May 2018 and the present value of the investment is Rs. 325000. In such a case, calculating the absolute return will give a true picture of your earnings.
Example: You invested ₹2,75,000 on 28 May 2018, and your investment is now worth ₹3,25,000 on 10 December 2018.
| Date | Amount |
| 2018/05/28 | -275000 |
| 2018/12/10 | 325000 |
| Absolute Return | 18.18% |
*Negative Values indicate cash outflows.
Absolute Return % = (Current Value - Investment Value) / Investment Value x 100
= (325000 - 275000) / 275000 * 100
= 18.18
Absolute return shows your investment growth without considering the time period. It simply calculates the percentage difference between your initial investment and current value.
Lump sum investment over multiple years
Method: CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate)
When you make a lump sum investment for more than a year, CAGR provides the right picture of your returns. CAGR represents the consistent rate at which your investment would have grown if it had compounded at the same rate each year.
Example: You invested ₹2,75,000 on 23 May 2018, and your investment is worth ₹3,25,000 on 23 July 2019.
| Date | Amount |
| 2018/05/23 | -275000 |
| 2019/07/23 | 325000 |
| Duration | 425 days |
| CAGR | 15.43% |
*Negative Values indicate cash outflows.
CAGR = [(Current Value / Investment Value)^(365/Number of Days)] - 1
= [(325000/275000)^(365/425)] - 1
= 0.1543 [15.43%]
Case 3: SIP for less than a year
SIPs
Method: XIRR (Extended Internal Rate of Return)
When you invest through SIP for less than a year, calculate absolute profit for your investments. Absolute profit to be considered for investments less than a year. When your SIP runs for more than one year, use XIRR to calculate returns accurately.
Example: You started a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from December 2017 to January 2019, and your portfolio is worth ₹1,80,000.
| Date | Amount |
| 2017/12/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/01/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/02/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/03/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/04/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/05/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/06/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/07/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/08/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/09/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/10/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/11/05 | -10000 |
| 2018/12/05 | -10000 |
| 2019/01/05 | -10000 |
| 2019/01/07 | 180000 |
| XIRR | 54.96% |
*Negative Values indicate cash outflows.
You can read more about mutual fund return calculations by visiting Measuring Mutual fund Returns module on Varsity. For a video walkthrough on XIRR, see How to check XIRR for individual investments and entire portfolio?