HDFC Children's Fund vs HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
HDFC Children's Fund is a Solution fund and HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan is a Solution fund. In the 3 years to 30-10-2026, HDFC Children's Fund (Direct) returned 8.0% a year and HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct) returned 9.3% a year. HDFC Children's Fund charges 1.03% a year and HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan 0.92% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 39.6%: they hold 24 of the same securities.
HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan
Solution
- 3 year return
- 9.3%
- Expense ratio
- 0.92%
- NAV
- ₹53.62
Which is better, HDFC Children's or HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan? Key differences
It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.
- HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan returned more over 5 years: 11.2% a year against 9.3%.
- HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan returned more over 3 years: 9.3% a year against 8.0%.
- HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan costs less: 0.92% a year against 1.03% (Direct plans).
- HDFC Children's swung less over 3 years: a standard deviation of 9.6% a year against 12.2%.
- HDFC Children's fell less in its worst fall since 26-02-2016: −28.9% against −34.9%.
- HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan holds more in large companies: 62.6% of the fund in large caps against 36.7%.
- HDFC Children's is the larger fund: ₹10,339 Cr against ₹6,645 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 39.6%: 24 of the same holdings.
Past returns do not promise future returns. This page is information, not investment advice.
Key facts
From each fund's scheme summary document and AMFI
| Fact | HDFC Children's Fund | HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | HDFC Mutual Fund | HDFC Mutual Fund |
| Category | Solution | Solution |
| AUM | ₹10,339 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹6,645 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹311.41 (Direct) | ₹53.62 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 1.03% | 0.92% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 1.81% | 1.87% |
| Riskometer | Very High | Very High |
| Benchmark | NIFTY 50 Hybrid Composite Debt 65:35 Index (Total Returns Index) | Nifty 500 TRI |
| Launch date | 02-03-2001 | 25-02-2016 |
| Minimum investment | ₹100 | ₹100 |
| Lock in | 5 years, or until the child turns 18 if earlier | 5 years, or until retirement if earlier |
| Fund managers | Chirag Setalvad, Gopal Agrawal, Anil Bamboli | Anupam Joshi, Arun Agarwal, Nandita Menezes, Chirag Setalvad, Gopal Agrawal |
| Exit load | (i) For existing investments by investors including SIP / SWAP registrations, etc (until May 22, 2018). In respect of units subject to lockin period: Nil In case of Units not subject to Lock-in Period: -3% if the Units are redeemed / switched-out within one year from the date of allotment. - 2% if the Units are redeemed / switched-out between first and second year of the date of allotment. - 1% if the Units are redeemed / switched-out between second and third year of the date of allotment. - Nil if the Units are redeemed / switched-out after third year from the date of allotment (ii) Fresh investments by investors including SIP/ SWAP registrations, etc (effective May 23, 2018): Nil | Fresh investments by investors including SIP / STP registrations, etc effective June 2, 2018: Exit Load (Upon completion of lock-in period): Nil Existing investments by investors including SIP / STP registrations, etc until June 1, 2018: Exit Load (Upon completion of lock-in period of 5 years) In respect of each purchase/switch-in of units offered under the respective Investment Plan(s) • An Exit Load of 1% is payable if Units are redeemed/ switched-out before completion of 60 years of age • No Exit Load is payable if Units are redeemed / switched-out on or after attainment of 60 years of age. |
HDFC Children's vs HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan: Returns Comparison
Returns as on 30-10-2026. Up to one year they are absolute returns. Longer periods are a rate per year.
| Fund | 1M | 3M | 6M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Children's Fund (Direct) | −1.71% | −3.88% | −0.62% | −6.09% | +7.95% | +9.25% | +12.30% |
| HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct) | +0.66% | −4.79% | −2.05% | −9.12% | +9.31% | +11.19% | +14.67% |
HDFC Children's vs HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan: Year-wise Returns
| Year | Children'sHDFC Children's | Retirement Fund - Equity PlanHDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan |
|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | −6.11% | −9.06% |
| 2025 | +3.18% | +6.24% |
| 2024 | +17.03% | +19.33% |
| 2023 | +27.95% | +34.15% |
| 2022 | +7.69% | +9.95% |
| 2021 | +27.53% | +44.27% |
HDFC Children's vs HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds, against Nifty 500 TRI, the benchmark of HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan
Rolling returns
Every 3-year holding period, 1,889 of them, one for each trading day from 26-02-2019 to 30-10-2026: the yearly return (CAGR) of each, plotted on the day it ended. One lucky or unlucky start day cannot flatter or hide a fund.
HDFC Children's Fund (Direct)
HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct)
Nifty 500 TRI
to
Oct 2019Jan 2018
to
Jan 2021May 2019
to
May 2022Sept 2020
to
Sept 2023Dec 2021
to
Dec 2024Mar 2023
to
Mar 2026
How the periods spread
| Fund | Below 0% | 0-5% | 5-10% | 10-15% | 15-20% | 20-25% | Above 25% | Mean | Median | Lowest | Highest | Beat benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Children's | 0.3 | 5.1 | 14.6 | 23.1 | 43.1 | 10.3 | 3.5 | 14.9% | 15.6% | −1.6% | 30.9% | 47% |
| HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan | 2.4 | 6.5 | 8.7 | 14.8 | 21.2 | 27.1 | 19.3 | 18.4% | 19.5% | −4.6% | 40.7% | 79% |
| Nifty 500 TRI | 2.7 | 6.1 | 8.1 | 26.5 | 38.5 | 14.0 | 4.1 | 15.1% | 15.7% | −6.3% | 33.5% | -- |
The table shows the % of periods in each return band; a darker cell holds more of them. Lumpsum: the yearly rate (CAGR) from a period's first NAV to its last. SIP: the XIRR of the monthly instalments. The benchmark is Nifty 500 TRI, over the same periods. "Beat benchmark" counts the periods in which the fund did better. Every fund is measured over the days all of them have, from 26-02-2016. Past returns do not promise future returns.
HDFC Children's vs HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan: SIP and Lumpsum Returns
What the same monthly or one-time investment would be worth in each fund today, from their own NAV history
Growth of an investment
₹10,000 on the first trading day of every month, from 01-02-2016 to 30-10-2026: 129 instalments, ₹12,90,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Children'sHDFC Children's Fund (Direct) | ₹12,90,000 | ₹25,27,864 | ₹12,37,864 | 12.0% |
| HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity PlanHDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct) | ₹12,90,000 | ₹29,76,443 | ₹16,86,443 | 14.8% |
HDFC Children'sHDFC Children's Fund (Direct)
HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity PlanHDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct)
Amount invested
From each plan's published NAV (Growth option), over the same days. Return a year: XIRR for a SIP, CAGR for a lumpsum, shown for a year or more. It does not include exit load, stamp duty or tax. Past returns do not promise future returns.
HDFC Children's vs HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | HDFC Children's Fund (Direct) | HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | −6.09% | −9.12% |
| Standard deviation | 9.47% | 12.70% |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.20 | -1.13 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.58 | -1.49 |
| Maximum drawdown | −11.1% (30-03-2026) | −14.0% (31-03-2026) |
| Beta | -- | 0.86 |
| Alpha | -- | −3.52% |
From daily NAVs, 30-10-2025 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
| Measure | HDFC Children's Fund (Direct) | HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +7.95% | +9.31% |
| Standard deviation | 9.57% | 12.19% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.20 | 0.27 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.27 | 0.37 |
| Maximum drawdown | −12.4% (03-03-2025) | −16.1% (03-03-2025) |
| Beta | -- | 0.84 |
| Alpha | -- | −0.22% |
From daily NAVs, 30-10-2023 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
| Measure | HDFC Children's Fund (Direct) | HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +9.25% | +11.19% |
| Standard deviation | 9.66% | 12.38% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.36 | 0.44 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.48 | 0.59 |
| Maximum drawdown | −12.4% (03-03-2025) | −16.1% (03-03-2025) |
| Beta | -- | 0.84 |
| Alpha | -- | +2.87% |
From daily NAVs, 29-10-2021 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
| Measure | HDFC Children's Fund (Direct) | HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +14.00% | +17.04% |
| Standard deviation | 10.71% | 13.80% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.74 | 0.84 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.00 | 1.13 |
| Maximum drawdown | −28.9% (23-03-2020) | −34.9% (23-03-2020) |
| Beta | -- | 0.84 |
| Alpha | -- | +4.02% |
From daily NAVs, 01-01-2013 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
Drawdowns
How far below its previous high each one was on every day: the falls an investor had to sit through. 0% means it was at a new high.
HDFC Children's Fund (Direct)
HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct)
Nifty 500 TRI
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Children's Fund (Direct) | −28.9% | 24-01-2020 | 23-03-2020 | 26-08-2020 | 5 months | −6.5% |
| HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct) | −34.9% | 17-01-2020 | 23-03-2020 | 06-11-2020 | 7 months | −10.0% |
| Nifty 500 TRI | −38.1% | 17-01-2020 | 23-03-2020 | 06-11-2020 | 7 months | −8.8% |
From daily values since 26-02-2016, the first day every fund has.
Rolling standard deviation
Whether the swings have grown or calmed over time: the standard deviation of daily changes over every 1-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.
HDFC Children's Fund (Direct)
HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct)
Nifty 500 TRI
Whether the swings have grown or calmed over time: the standard deviation of daily changes over every 3-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.
HDFC Children's Fund (Direct)
HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct)
Nifty 500 TRI
Whether the swings have grown or calmed over time: the standard deviation of daily changes over every 5-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.
HDFC Children's Fund (Direct)
HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct)
Nifty 500 TRI
Against Nifty 500 TRI
| Fund | Up capture | Down capture | Tracking error |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Children's Fund (Direct) | 78% | 62% | 5.77% |
| HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (Direct) | 97% | 79% | 4.38% |
From month-end values since 26-02-2016. Up capture: a fund's average month when the benchmark rose, as % of the benchmark's; above 100% it gained more. Down capture: the same for months the benchmark fell; below 100% it fell less. Tracking error: how far the monthly returns strayed from the benchmark's, a year; an index fund aims near 0.
HDFC Children's vs HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: HDFC Children's Fund, September 2026; HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 39.6%
- Held by both
- 24
- Only in HDFC Children's
- 84
- Only in HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan
- 49
| Security | % of HDFC Children's | % of HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan |
|---|---|---|
| ICICI Bank Ltd. | 6.62% | 7.36% |
| HDFC Bank Ltd. | 6.19% | 6.93% |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited | 3.00% | 4.39% |
| State Bank of India | 3.25% | 2.89% |
| Reliance Industries Ltd. | 2.85% | 4.64% |
| Larsen and Toubro Ltd. | 3.58% | 2.26% |
| Axis Bank Ltd. | 1.81% | 4.43% |
| Bharti Airtel Ltd. | 1.67% | 2.64% |
| Infosys Limited | 1.63% | 2.24% |
| Eternal Limited | 1.70% | 1.44% |
| United Spirits Limited | 1.57% | 1.22% |
| ITC LIMITED | 0.99% | 1.30% |
| Transport Corporation of India Ltd. | 0.90% | 0.89% |
| Voltamp Transformers Ltd. | 1.77% | 0.79% |
| JSW Dulux Limited | 1.38% | 0.72% |
| Hyundai Motor India Limited | 0.72% | 0.92% |
| Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. | 1.15% | 0.70% |
| Lupin Ltd. | 0.74% | 0.69% |
| PVR LIMITED | 0.65% | 0.92% |
| Zensar Technologies Ltd. | 0.53% | 0.51% |
| Chalet Hotels Ltd. | 0.51% | 1.02% |
| Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd | 0.42% | 0.41% |
| The Anup Engineering Limited | 0.24% | 0.38% |
| PNC Infratech Ltd. | 0.17% | 0.16% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 39.6% means 39.6% of each fund's money sits in positions the other also holds. Matched by ISIN. Cash and hedged positions are left out.
Largest holdings only in HDFC Children's Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| 7.18% GOI MAT 140833 | 3.74% |
| 7.1% GOI MAT 080434 | 2.99% |
| eClerx Services Limited | 2.55% |
| Aster DM Quality Care Limited | 2.53% |
| Finolex Cables Ltd. | 2.24% |
Largest holdings only in HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Maruti Suzuki India Limited | 2.85% |
| Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. | 2.16% |
| Dr. Lal Path Labs Ltd | 2.09% |
| InterGlobe Aviation Ltd. | 1.88% |
| HCL Technologies Ltd. | 1.85% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | HDFC Children's | HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 70.5% | 93.3% |
| Debt | 26.4% | 0.0% |
| Cash and others | 3.2% | 6.7% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | HDFC Children's | HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 36.7% | 62.6% |
| Mid Cap | 6.5% | 9.9% |
| Small Cap | 25.6% | 20.3% |
| Not on AMFI's list | 1.6% | 0.6% |
Share of the whole fund. Groups follow AMFI's latest list: Large Cap is the 100 largest companies, Mid Cap the next 150, Small Cap the rest.
Largest sectors
| Sector | HDFC Children's | HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Banks | 21.3% | 26.4% |
| IT - Software | 2.9% | 6.8% |
| Automobiles | 0.9% | 6.4% |
| Industrial Products | 5.8% | 1.4% |
| Transport Services | 0.9% | 5.8% |
| Petroleum Products | 3.4% | 5.5% |
| Insurance | 0.0% | 4.7% |
| Construction | 3.8% | 3.3% |
| Retailing | 3.5% | 1.4% |
| Auto Components | 3.4% | 1.4% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
HDFC Children's vs HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | HDFC Children's Fund | HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 1.03% | 0.92% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.84% | 0.74% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 1.81% | 1.87% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 1.50% | 1.55% |
The expense ratio comes out of the fund's assets every day, so every return on this page is already after it. Base expense ratio: the fund house's own fee. The total adds brokerage, transaction costs, and levies with GST.
HDFC Children's Fund vs HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between HDFC Children's Fund and HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan?
HDFC Children's Fund is a Solution fund, HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan is a Solution fund, run by HDFC Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 39.6%. HDFC Children's Fund charges 1.03% a year and HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan 0.92%.
Which has given higher returns, HDFC Children's Fund or HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan?
Over 1 year: HDFC Children's Fund −6.09%, HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan −9.12%. Over 3 years: HDFC Children's Fund +7.95% a year, HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan +9.31% a year. Over 5 years: HDFC Children's Fund +9.25% a year, HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan +11.19% a year. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, HDFC Children's Fund or HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan?
HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan charges less: 0.92% a year against 1.03%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do HDFC Children's Fund and HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan overlap?
39.6%. They hold 24 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being ICICIBANK, HDFCBANK, KOTAKBANK. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is riskier, HDFC Children's Fund or HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan?
On SEBI's riskometer, HDFC Children's Fund is rated Very High and HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan Very High. Over 3 years, the standard deviation of daily returns was 9.57% and 12.19% a year.
Which is better for SIP, HDFC Children's Fund or HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan?
Over the last 5 years, a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from 01-10-2021 to 30-10-2026 grew to ₹7,31,165 in HDFC Children's Fund (XIRR 7.1% a year) and ₹7,55,806 in HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan (XIRR 8.4% a year). Both received 61 instalments. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Can I invest in both HDFC Children's Fund and HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan?
Yes. 39.6% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so some of the two investments would move together.
Who manages HDFC Children's Fund and HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan?
HDFC Children's Fund: Chirag Setalvad, Gopal Agrawal, Anil Bamboli. HDFC Retirement Fund - Equity Plan: Anupam Joshi, Arun Agarwal, Nandita Menezes, Chirag Setalvad, Gopal Agrawal.
Sources: NAV and expense ratio from AMFI. Holdings from each fund house's monthly portfolio statement. Fund facts from each scheme summary document.
This page is information, not investment advice. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks; read all scheme related documents carefully. Past returns do not promise future returns. Figures come from AMFI, NSE, BSE and each fund house's own documents.