EPF vs PPF vs NPS Calculator
Compare three India’s biggest retirement tools side-by-side: Employee Provident Fund, Public Provident Fund, and National Pension System. Same annual contribution, same horizon — see which builds the biggest corpus and delivers the highest post-tax value.
Methodology. All three: annual compounding. EPF: employer + employee 12% of basic, assumed here = full contribution; full maturity tax-free. PPF: voluntary contribution up to ₹1.5L/year, 15-year lock-in, full maturity tax-free. NPS: Tier-1 auto-choice lifecycle fund (equity-heavy when young), 60% tax-free lumpsum + 40% mandatory annuity at retirement. EPF & PPF are sovereign-backed (lower risk); NPS has equity exposure (higher expected return, higher variability). Tax-deduction equivalence: all three get ₹1.5L 80C + NPS gets additional ₹50K 80CCD(1B) = ₹2L total. Rates are government-set and revised periodically.
Worked comparison: ₹1.5 lakh a year for 25 years
| EPF | PPF | NPS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return assumed | 8.25% (declared) | 7.1% (current quarter) | 10% (market-linked) |
| Corpus after 25 years | ≈ ₹1.23 crore | ≈ ₹1.03 crore | ≈ ₹1.62 crore |
| Guaranteed? | Rate declared yearly | Govt-set, reset quarterly | No |
| Access before retirement | For specified needs; full on leaving work | Partial from year 7; matures in 15 years | Limited until 60 |
| At maturity | Tax-free (after 5 years’ service) | Fully tax-free | Up to 60% tax-free; part must buy an annuity |
NPS builds the largest corpus on paper because of its equity exposure, but it is not guaranteed and part of it must buy a taxable annuity. Non-government subscribers can now take up to 80% as a lump sum under PFRDA’s December 2025 rules.
How to use them together
- EPF is automatic for most salaried people — keep it running and transfer it between jobs.
- PPF is the tax-free, guaranteed bucket, especially useful for the self-employed.
- NPS adds equity growth and, in the new tax regime, an employer contribution under 80CCD(2) is still deductible.
Read the detailed comparison in EPF vs VPF vs PPF and the NPS guide, or project each one individually with the EPF, PPF and NPS calculators.
FAQs
Can I contribute to all three?
Yes. There is no rule against holding EPF, PPF and NPS together.
Which gives the best tax deduction?
In the old regime, NPS offers an extra ₹50,000 under 80CCD(1B) beyond the ₹1.5 lakh 80C limit.
Figures last checked October 2026. Calculator results are estimates; actual lender, fund or tax outcomes can differ.