Mutual funds, in plain English
Search any Indian mutual fund. See how it did — and ask us anything, no jargon.
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Category mix, hidden concentrations, 5-year time machine, and how it compares to the Nifty 50 — all in seconds. Zero storage. Zero advice. Deleted in 1 hour.
Funds people ask about
See all →A starting point — not a recommendation. Tap any to see details.
Flexi-cap fund famous for holding foreign stocks like Alphabet and Meta alongside Indian ones.
One of the oldest small-cap funds. Higher swings, but strong long-term track record.
Large, well-known mid-cap fund from HDFC. Steady process, moderate risk.
Popular tax-saving equity fund with a 3-year lock-in and Section 80C benefits.
Aggressive small-cap fund that rebalances often. High risk, high potential.
Large-cap fund invested in India's biggest listed companies.
Diversified large-cap fund with a long history.
Low-cost index fund that copies the Nifty 50. Returns match the market.
Types of mutual funds
Understand the main flavours in one line each.
Big, established companies
Mid-sized companies
Smaller, faster-growing companies
Mix of large, mid and small
Fixed mix across company sizes
Equity + tax saving
Tracks a market index
Mix of stocks and bonds
Bonds and lending instruments
Very short-term parking
Low-risk equity strategy
Gold-linked fund
Focused on one theme
The 30-second basics
Everything you need to read the rest of this site.
What's a mutual fund?
A pool of money from many investors, invested by a professional in stocks, bonds or a mix. You own units of the pool.
What's NAV?
The per-unit price of the fund. It's calculated once a day. If NAV is ₹100 and you invest ₹5,000, you get 50 units.
What's CAGR?
Compound Annual Growth Rate — the steady yearly return that would explain the fund's total change over a period.
Direct vs Regular
Direct plans have no distributor commission, so returns are 0.5-1% higher every year. Same fund, cheaper class.
Latest from the blog
All posts →What is NAV in a mutual fund? A clear guide with examples
NAV (Net Asset Value) is the per-unit price of a mutual fund, calculated once a day. Here is how it works, why the number does not tell you if a fund is cheap or expensive, and how to read it.
What is ELSS? Tax saving mutual funds and the 3-year lock-in, explained
ELSS funds are equity mutual funds that save tax under Section 80C with a 3-year lock-in. Here is how the deduction works, what the lock-in actually means, and how ELSS compares to PPF and NPS.
What is CAGR and how to read a mutual fund's returns
CAGR is the steady yearly return that would explain a fund's total change. Here is how to read 1Y, 3Y, and 5Y CAGR, when to use absolute returns, and how CAGR relates to compounding.
What is a mutual fund? A plain-English explainer for Indian investors
A mutual fund is a shared pool of money invested by a professional. Learn how it works, what NAV means, and how you buy and sell units — all in plain English.
Common questions
Quick answers. Tap any question to see more.
What is a mutual fund?+
A mutual fund is a shared pool of money from many investors. A professional fund manager invests the pool in stocks, bonds, or a mix, and each investor owns units of the pool. When the value of what the fund holds goes up or down, so does the price of your units.
What is NAV?+
NAV stands for Net Asset Value. It is the per-unit price of the fund, calculated once every business day. If a fund's NAV is ₹100 and you invest ₹5,000, you receive 50 units.
What is the difference between direct and regular plans?+
A direct plan is bought straight from the fund house with no distributor commission, so returns are typically 0.5 to 1 percent higher every year. A regular plan is bought through a distributor or advisor and includes their commission. Both are the same underlying fund.
What does CAGR mean for a mutual fund?+
CAGR is Compound Annual Growth Rate — the steady yearly return that would explain the fund's total change over a period, assuming smooth growth. If a fund's 5-year CAGR is 15%, ₹1 lakh invested 5 years ago would be about ₹2.01 lakh today.
What is a flexi cap fund?+
A flexi cap fund is an equity fund that can invest in large, mid, or small companies in any proportion. The fund manager decides the mix based on where they see the best opportunities, unlike category-restricted funds.
Is MF Gyan a stockbroker or advisor?+
No. MF Gyan is a research and analytics tool that helps you understand historical fund data in plain English. It is not a broker, not a distributor, and not a SEBI-registered investment adviser. For personal investment advice, please consult a SEBI-registered adviser.
Curious about a specific fund? Just ask.
The assistant explains every term in plain English and can compare funds side-by-side.