What Is a PPF Calculator?
A Public Provident Fund (PPF) calculator estimates how savings in an Indian PPF account could grow. It shows the amount contributed, estimated interest, maturity value and year-by-year balance based on your chosen assumptions.
PPF is a government-backed savings scheme. It differs from an ordinary lump-sum compound interest investment because interest eligibility depends on the balance during each calendar month, while accumulated interest is credited at the financial-year end.
How to Use the PPF Calculator
- Choose whether you will deposit the yearly amount once in April or in 12 equal monthly deposits.
- Enter the total amount to contribute in a financial year, between ₹500 and ₹1,50,000.
- Set the assumed annual PPF interest rate.
- Choose 15 years for a standard initial-term illustration, or an additional five-year-block scenario.
- Select whether deposits are made on or before the 5th, or after the 5th.
- Compare your estimated maturity, total contribution, interest and year-wise growth.
The calculator assumes a contribution schedule beginning in April, a constant annual interest rate, and no withdrawals.
How PPF Interest Works
For each month, an estimated eligible balance is determined using the scheme’s fifth-day rule. Monthly interest is calculated as:
Monthly interest = Eligible balance × Annual rate ÷ 12
Interest amounts for the financial year’s 12 months are accumulated, then credited to the account at the end of March.
Deposit Timing Matters
| Deposit timing | Treatment in this calculator |
|---|---|
| On or before the 5th | Deposit is eligible for interest in that month |
| After the 5th | Deposit starts qualifying for interest from the following month |
A deposit made early in April can earn interest for more months in that financial year than a deposit made late in the year.
PPF Annual vs Monthly Deposits
For a yearly contribution of ₹1,20,000, the calculator provides two schedules:
| Deposit mode | Assumed contribution |
|---|---|
| Annual | ₹1,20,000 once in April |
| Monthly | ₹10,000 each month from April to March |
If all other assumptions are equal, depositing the entire annual amount earlier generally results in a larger projected balance than spreading it across the year, because the money becomes eligible for interest sooner.
PPF Interest Rate and Future Projections
The PPF interest rate for October–December 2026 is 7.1% per year. The Indian government reviews small-savings rates quarterly. A rate applicable today is not a promise of an unchanged rate for the next 15 years.
The calculator’s editable rate is an assumption applied to every projected financial year. A real account may experience different rates over time.
For the current officially published rate information, refer to the National Savings Institute and the Department of Economic Affairs.
PPF Contribution Limits
Under the ordinary PPF contribution rules, the minimum deposit is ₹500 per financial year and the maximum is ₹1,50,000 per financial year.
The calculator restricts its annual-contribution input to those amounts. Actual eligibility, tax treatment, account status and payment rules depend on the applicable scheme and individual circumstances.
PPF Maturity and Extension
A PPF account generally matures after 15 years counted from the end of the financial year in which it was opened. The exact maturity date therefore depends on the opening date rather than a simple anniversary calculation.
Extensions are possible in further five-year blocks, subject to the scheme’s rules. The 20-, 25-, 30-, 35- and 40-year options are projection scenarios assuming eligible, properly elected extensions with further contributions. They are not a guarantee that a particular account will qualify for every modeled period.
What the PPF Results Mean
Total Invested
The sum of all deposits made during the selected projection. For a constant annual deposit, this is the yearly contribution multiplied by the projected number of financial years.
Estimated Interest
The extra balance generated by the modeled monthly interest calculation and annual interest credits.
Estimated Maturity Value
The contribution total plus accumulated interest shown at the end of the projected final financial year.
Year-Wise Table
The table shows cumulative deposits, accrued-and-credited interest and the financial-year-end balance for each modeled year.
Important Limitations
This calculator estimates a hypothetical sequence of complete financial years starting in April. It does not accept an account opening date, and it does not calculate your exact legal maturity date.
It also does not model quarterly changes in rates, withdrawal eligibility, loans, missed deposits, tax deductions, rounding conventions applied to individual accounts or extension-election paperwork.
Use your PPF passbook or financial institution’s statement for actual account balances and consult the latest government notifications for current rules.
Related RapidCalc Tools
- Compound Interest Calculator — Compare compounding frequencies for a lump sum.
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- FD Calculator — Explore a fixed-deposit illustration.
- Monthly Interest Calculator — Estimate interest for a borrowed amount or period.