Enter your starting SIP, yearly increase, expected return and tenure. This step-up SIP calculator shows your corpus with and without the increase, plus a year-by-year table.
Step-up SIP Calculator
Raise your SIP every year by a percentage or a fixed amount and compare it with a flat SIP.
Year-by-year schedule (monthly SIP, total invested and corpus at year end)
| Year | Monthly SIP (₹) | Invested (₹) | Corpus (₹) |
|---|
Illustrative estimates only. Actual returns vary with the market.
A flat ₹5,000 SIP for 10 years at an illustrative 12% grows to about ₹11.62 lakh. Raise it by 10% every year and the same starting amount reaches about ₹16.87 lakh. A step-up SIP calculator shows that gap before you commit a rupee.
How do you use this step-up SIP calculator?
- Enter the monthly SIP you can start with today.
- Add the yearly return you expect. Pick a number you can defend, not the highest one you have heard.
- Set the tenure in years.
- Choose how the SIP grows: a percentage each year, or a fixed rupee amount each year.
- Press Calculate, then compare the result with the flat SIP line and read the year-by-year schedule.
- Use Copy result to save a summary you can share.
Stock Charcha built this step-up SIP calculator to show the flat SIP next to the stepped one, because the difference between the two is the whole point of stepping up.
How does the step-up SIP calculator work out the result?
Each year your SIP rises, either by a percentage or by a fixed amount. The calculator treats every instalment as invested at the start of the month and compounds it monthly.
Balance = (Previous balance + This month's SIP) × (1 + monthly rate)
The monthly rate is the annual return ÷ 12 ÷ 100. The SIP amount stays fixed for 12 months, then steps up for the next year, and the same maths repeats until the tenure ends.
What does a worked example look like?
Take ₹5,000 a month for 10 years at an illustrative 12%, with and without a 10% yearly step-up.
| Plan | Total invested | Estimated corpus | Estimated returns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat SIP | ₹6,00,000 | ₹11.62 lakh | ₹5,61,695 |
| 10% step-up | ₹9,56,245 | ₹16.87 lakh | ₹7,30,918 |
You invest about ₹3.56 lakh more and end with about ₹5.25 lakh more. These figures are illustrative, not a promise, and real returns change every year.
How much does the step-up percentage change the step-up SIP calculator result?
Here is the same ₹5,000 SIP for 10 years at 12%, with different yearly increases.
| Yearly step-up | Total invested | Estimated corpus |
|---|---|---|
| No step-up | ₹6.00 lakh | ₹11.62 lakh |
| 5% a year | ₹7.55 lakh | ₹13.93 lakh |
| 10% a year | ₹9.56 lakh | ₹16.87 lakh |
| 15% a year | ₹12.18 lakh | ₹20.59 lakh |
Each extra five points adds a bigger slice than the last, because the larger SIPs of later years also get time to grow. Choose a percentage your income can keep up with.
Can a flat SIP match a step-up SIP?
Yes, but you pay for it from day one. A flat SIP of about ₹7,262 a month reaches the same ₹16.87 lakh corpus. That means starting with roughly ₹2,262 more every month, instead of growing into it. Total outlay tells a different story: the flat SIP puts in about ₹8.71 lakh for that corpus, against ₹9,56,245 for the step-up. You trade a higher total for an easier start.
A step-up SIP lets you begin at a comfortable amount and let your salary do the lifting. Try both in the step-up SIP calculator and see which fits your budget.
How big a starting SIP do you need for ₹1 crore?
Say you want ₹1 crore in 20 years at an illustrative 12%. With a 10% yearly step-up you would start at about ₹5,028 a month. A flat SIP would need about ₹10,009 a month from the start.
The step-up path invests about ₹34.56 lakh in total, while the flat path invests about ₹24.02 lakh. Your own return assumption will move these numbers, so run the step-up SIP calculator with a lower return as well. Stock Charcha suggests treating this as a stretch goal, not a forecast.
What does this step-up SIP calculator leave out?
It does not deduct the fund's expense ratio, so enter a net return for a safer result. It also ignores capital gains tax and inflation, which means a corpus 20 years away buys less than the number suggests. At Stock Charcha we would rather show a cautious number than a flattering one. Check current tax rules on the Income Tax Department website as of today.
Real SIPs do not grow in a straight line, and a step-up only works if your income rises to match. For fund data, use AMFI, and check whether your fund house or app offers a top-up option. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme related documents carefully before investing.
Where should you go after using the step-up SIP calculator?
If SIPs are new to you, start with what is SIP in mutual funds, then see the power of SIP in Indian equities. Unsure between monthly and one-time investing? Read SIP vs lump sum.
Carrying a loan too? Compare your options in our loan vs invest calculator. Then rerun the step-up SIP calculator with a lower return and a smaller step-up, and see whether the plan still works.
Founder of Stock Charcha. Stock market enthusiast, actively investing since November 2022. About the author
Educational content only. This page is not personalised financial advice. Please do your own research or speak to a SEBI-registered adviser before investing, and read our disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good step-up percentage for a SIP?
Many people tie it to their expected yearly salary growth, so testing 5% to 10% is a reasonable start. Choose a figure your budget can keep up with, because a step-up you cannot afford is worse than a smaller one you can.
Does a step-up SIP carry more risk than a flat SIP?
The fund risk is the same, because you are buying the same fund. What grows is your commitment, since later instalments are larger. Make sure future cash flow can support them, and keep an emergency fund separate.
Can I use the step-up SIP calculator with a fixed rupee increase?
Yes. Change the step-up type to a fixed rupee increase and enter the amount you will add to your monthly SIP each year, for example ₹500. The comparison with a flat SIP works the same way.
Can I change or stop my step-up later?
Most fund houses and investing apps let you modify or stop a SIP, but the process differs by platform. Check your app's SIP settings, and confirm whether a top-up option can be edited after it starts.
Is the step-up SIP calculator result guaranteed?
No. Equity fund returns are market-linked, and the calculator assumes one steady return every year. Real results will rise and fall, so treat the number as a planning estimate and test a lower return too.