SBI Balanced Advantage Fund vs SBI Contra Fund
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
SBI Balanced Advantage Fund is a Balanced Advantage fund and SBI Contra Fund is a Value and Contra fund. In the 3 years to 30-10-2026, SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct) returned 9.3% a year and SBI Contra Fund (Direct) returned 10.4% a year. SBI Balanced Advantage Fund charges 0.86% a year and SBI Contra Fund 0.87% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 47.2%: they hold 46 of the same securities.
SBI Balanced Advantage Fund
Balanced Advantage
- 3 year return
- 9.3%
- Expense ratio
- 0.86%
- NAV
- ₹16.00
Which is better, SBI Balanced Advantage or SBI Contra? Key differences
It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.
- SBI Contra returned more over 5 years: 13.5% a year against 9.4%.
- SBI Contra returned more over 3 years: 10.4% a year against 9.3%.
- SBI Balanced Advantage costs less: 0.86% a year against 0.87% (Direct plans).
- SBI Balanced Advantage swung less over 3 years: a standard deviation of 6.8% a year against 12.5%.
- SBI Balanced Advantage fell less in its worst fall since 07-09-2021: −7.4% against −15.8%.
- SBI Contra holds 2.4% of the fund in foreign stocks; SBI Balanced Advantage 0.0%.
- SBI Contra is the larger fund: ₹45,068 Cr against ₹40,545 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 47.2%: 46 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 | SBI Balanced Advantage Fund | SBI Contra Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | SBI Mutual Fund | SBI Mutual Fund |
| Category | Balanced Advantage | Value and Contra |
| AUM | ₹40,545 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹45,068 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹16.00 (Direct) | ₹393.34 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 0.86% | 0.87% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 1.67% | 1.62% |
| Riskometer | High | Very High |
| Benchmark | NIFTY 50 Hybrid Composite Debt 50:50 Index | BSE 500 TRI |
| Launch date | 31-08-2021 | 05-07-1999 |
| Minimum investment | ₹5,000 | ₹5,000 |
| Lock in | None | None |
| Fund managers | Dinesh Balachandran, Anup Upadhyay | Dinesh Balachandran |
| Exit load | For units in excess of 10% of the investment,1% will be charged for redemption within 1 year. | Exit load of 0.25% if redeemed within 30 days and 0.10% if redeemed after 30 days but on or before 90 days. |
SBI Balanced Advantage vs SBI Contra: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct) | −0.92% | −4.44% | −2.94% | −3.13% | +9.33% | +9.41% | -- |
| SBI Contra Fund (Direct) | −1.16% | −5.77% | −4.40% | −9.28% | +10.39% | +13.53% | +14.70% |
| Balanced Advantage average | −0.55% | −2.88% | +0.08% | −2.08% | +9.14% | +8.35% | -- |
| Value and Contra average | −2.09% | −5.76% | −3.23% | −5.72% | +11.83% | +11.08% | +12.63% |
Category average: the average of the 38 Balanced Advantage funds and the 30 Value and Contra funds, same plan type.
SBI Balanced Advantage vs SBI Contra: Year-wise Returns
| Year | Balanced AdvantageSBI Balanced Advantage | ContraSBI Contra |
|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | −4.89% | −10.04% |
| 2025 | +10.93% | +7.02% |
| 2024 | +14.50% | +19.94% |
| 2023 | +21.49% | +39.53% |
| 2022 | +6.20% | +13.63% |
| 2021 | -- | +50.98% |
SBI Balanced Advantage vs SBI Contra: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds, against BSE 500 TRI, the benchmark of SBI Contra Fund
Rolling returns
Every 3-year holding period, 535 of them, one for each trading day from 09-09-2024 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.
SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct)
SBI Contra Fund (Direct)
BSE 500 TRI
to
Nov 2024Mar 2022
to
Mar 2025Aug 2022
to
Aug 2025Dec 2022
to
Dec 2025Apr 2023
to
Apr 2026Aug 2023
to
Aug 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBI Balanced Advantage | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.2 | 67.9 | 26.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13.8% | 14.2% | 8.8% | 17.4% | 9% |
| SBI Contra | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.4 | 13.2 | 16.0 | 47.4 | 20.0 | 20.5% | 21.4% | 9.0% | 29.1% | 100% |
| BSE 500 TRI | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 38.5 | 52.0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 15.1% | 15.3% | 8.4% | 22.0% | -- |
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 BSE 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 07-09-2021. Past returns do not promise future returns.
SBI Balanced Advantage vs SBI Contra: 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 07-09-2021 to 30-10-2026: 62 instalments, ₹6,20,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBI Balanced AdvantageSBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct) | ₹6,20,000 | ₹7,62,772 | ₹1,42,772 | 8.0% |
| SBI ContraSBI Contra Fund (Direct) | ₹6,20,000 | ₹7,97,276 | ₹1,77,276 | 9.7% |
SBI Balanced AdvantageSBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct)
SBI ContraSBI Contra Fund (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.
SBI Balanced Advantage vs SBI Contra: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct) | SBI Contra Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | −3.13% | −9.28% |
| Standard deviation | 7.65% | 12.23% |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.09 | -1.19 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.44 | -1.53 |
| Maximum drawdown | −7.4% (30-03-2026) | −13.4% (31-03-2026) |
| Beta | -- | 0.84 |
| Alpha | -- | −3.54% |
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 | SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct) | SBI Contra Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +9.33% | +10.39% |
| Standard deviation | 6.81% | 12.51% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.48 | 0.35 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.66 | 0.46 |
| Maximum drawdown | −7.4% (30-03-2026) | −15.8% (03-03-2025) |
| Beta | -- | 0.86 |
| Alpha | -- | +0.83% |
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 | SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct) | SBI Contra Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +9.41% | +13.53% |
| Standard deviation | 6.40% | 12.57% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.56 | 0.62 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.78 | 0.82 |
| Maximum drawdown | −7.4% (30-03-2026) | −15.8% (03-03-2025) |
| Beta | -- | 0.85 |
| Alpha | -- | +5.27% |
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 | SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct) | SBI Contra Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +9.45% | +14.64% |
| Standard deviation | 6.34% | 14.70% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.59 | 0.58 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.81 | 0.78 |
| Maximum drawdown | −7.4% (30-03-2026) | −44.7% (23-03-2020) |
| Beta | -- | 0.88 |
| Alpha | -- | +2.58% |
From daily NAVs, 07-09-2021 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.
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.
SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct)
SBI Contra Fund (Direct)
BSE 500 TRI
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct) | −7.4% | 02-01-2026 | 30-03-2026 | 03-08-2026 | 4 months | −5.4% |
| SBI Contra Fund (Direct) | −15.8% | 27-09-2024 | 03-03-2025 | Not yet | -- | −10.7% |
| BSE 500 TRI | −18.7% | 26-09-2024 | 28-02-2025 | Not yet | -- | −9.4% |
From daily values since 07-09-2021, 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.
SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct)
SBI Contra Fund (Direct)
BSE 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.
SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct)
SBI Contra Fund (Direct)
BSE 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.
SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct)
SBI Contra Fund (Direct)
BSE 500 TRI
Against BSE 500 TRI
| Fund | Up capture | Down capture | Tracking error |
|---|---|---|---|
| SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (Direct) | 61% | 38% | 7.94% |
| SBI Contra Fund (Direct) | 99% | 70% | 4.05% |
From month-end values since 07-09-2021. 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.
SBI Balanced Advantage vs SBI Contra: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: SBI Balanced Advantage Fund, September 2026; SBI Contra Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 47.2%
- Held by both
- 46
- Only in SBI Balanced Advantage
- 78
- Only in SBI Contra
- 45
| Security | % of SBI Balanced Advantage | % of SBI Contra |
|---|---|---|
| Reliance Industries Ltd. | 4.24% | 4.67% |
| HDFC Bank Ltd. | 3.68% | 4.79% |
| ICICI Bank Ltd. | 3.58% | 4.36% |
| GAIL (India) Ltd. | 2.54% | 2.33% |
| Indus Towers Ltd. | 1.93% | 2.66% |
| Punjab National Bank | 1.86% | 2.91% |
| Tata Steel Ltd. | 1.84% | 2.13% |
| Tech Mahindra Ltd. | 2.06% | 1.79% |
| Bandhan Bank Ltd. | 1.47% | 1.46% |
| Axis Bank Ltd. | 1.80% | 1.33% |
| ITC Ltd. | 1.28% | 1.81% |
| Torrent Power Ltd. | 1.26% | 2.48% |
| Bharti Airtel Ltd. | 1.36% | 1.23% |
| Biocon Ltd. | 1.19% | 3.29% |
| Tata Motors Ltd. | 1.10% | 1.16% |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. | 1.10% | 3.15% |
| Delhivery Ltd. | 1.09% | 1.26% |
| Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd. | 1.05% | 1.95% |
| NHPC Ltd. | 1.04% | 1.08% |
| Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. | 1.58% | 1.03% |
| Swiggy Ltd. | 0.93% | 1.00% |
| Embassy Office Parks Reit | 0.89% | 1.01% |
| Larsen & Toubro Ltd. | 2.44% | 0.84% |
| Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. | 0.79% | 1.04% |
| United Spirits Ltd. | 0.75% | 0.88% |
| State Bank of India | 0.74% | 1.60% |
| Cipla Ltd. | 0.71% | 1.15% |
| CESC Ltd. | 1.22% | 0.65% |
| Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. | 0.64% | 1.20% |
| ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd. | 0.62% | 1.08% |
| Dabur India Ltd. | 0.55% | 1.59% |
| Carborundum Universal Ltd. | 0.49% | 0.50% |
| Life Insurance Corporation of India | 0.47% | 0.54% |
| UPL Ltd. | 0.37% | 1.05% |
| Petronet LNG Ltd. | 0.34% | 0.60% |
| Wipro Ltd. | 0.33% | 0.53% |
| Grasim Industries Ltd. | 0.29% | 0.76% |
| Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. | 0.26% | 1.08% |
| Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. | 0.22% | 0.42% |
| HCL Technologies Ltd. | 1.31% | 0.21% |
| Hindalco Industries Ltd. | 0.21% | 1.18% |
| Lupin Ltd. | 0.12% | 0.45% |
| Gateway Distriparks Ltd. | 0.27% | 0.11% |
| Infosys Ltd. | 0.10% | 0.61% |
| ACC Ltd. | 0.10% | 0.39% |
| Syngene International Ltd. | 0.06% | 0.23% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 47.2% means 47.2% 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 SBI Balanced Advantage Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| 364 DAY T-BILL 04.03.27 | 2.05% |
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. | 1.67% |
| Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Co. Ltd.Perpetual | 1.57% |
| Eternal Ltd. | 1.46% |
| Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Co. Ltd. | 1.45% |
Largest holdings only in SBI Contra Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| JSW Infrastructure Ltd. | 1.58% |
| FSN E-Commerce Ventures Ltd. | 1.58% |
| Aster DM Quality Care Ltd. | 1.42% |
| Bajaj Auto Ltd. | 1.35% |
| Samvardhana Motherson International Ltd. | 1.21% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | SBI Balanced Advantage | SBI Contra |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 67.4% | 90.9% |
| Debt | 23.2% | 2.2% |
| Cash and others | 9.4% | 6.8% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | SBI Balanced Advantage | SBI Contra |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 49.6% | 50.2% |
| Mid Cap | 10.5% | 24.5% |
| Small Cap | 7.3% | 13.8% |
| Foreign stocks | 0.0% | 2.4% |
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 | SBI Balanced Advantage | SBI Contra |
|---|---|---|
| Banks | 15.9% | 20.2% |
| Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology | 4.3% | 6.7% |
| Petroleum Products | 4.5% | 5.8% |
| Power | 4.9% | 5.0% |
| IT - Software | 4.0% | 3.6% |
| Automobiles | 3.6% | 3.9% |
| Telecom - Services | 3.3% | 3.9% |
| Retailing | 3.8% | 2.6% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
SBI Balanced Advantage vs SBI Contra: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | SBI Balanced Advantage Fund | SBI Contra Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 0.86% | 0.87% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.60% | 0.63% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 1.67% | 1.62% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 1.29% | 1.27% |
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.
More comparisons
Each fund against the others of its category
Compare SBI Balanced Advantage with
SBI Balanced Advantage Fund vs SBI Contra Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between SBI Balanced Advantage Fund and SBI Contra Fund?
SBI Balanced Advantage Fund is a Balanced Advantage fund, SBI Contra Fund is a Value and Contra fund, run by SBI Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 47.2%. SBI Balanced Advantage Fund charges 0.86% a year and SBI Contra Fund 0.87%.
Which has given higher returns, SBI Balanced Advantage Fund or SBI Contra Fund?
Over 1 year: SBI Balanced Advantage Fund −3.13%, SBI Contra Fund −9.28%. Over 3 years: SBI Balanced Advantage Fund +9.33% a year, SBI Contra Fund +10.39% a year. Over 5 years: SBI Balanced Advantage Fund +9.41% a year, SBI Contra Fund +13.53% a year. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, SBI Balanced Advantage Fund or SBI Contra Fund?
SBI Balanced Advantage Fund charges less: 0.86% a year against 0.87%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do SBI Balanced Advantage Fund and SBI Contra Fund overlap?
47.2%. They hold 46 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being RELIANCE, HDFCBANK, ICICIBANK. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is riskier, SBI Balanced Advantage Fund or SBI Contra Fund?
On SEBI's riskometer, SBI Balanced Advantage Fund is rated High and SBI Contra Fund Very High. Over 3 years, the standard deviation of daily returns was 6.81% and 12.51% a year.
Which is better for SIP, SBI Balanced Advantage Fund or SBI Contra Fund?
Over the last 5 years, a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from 01-10-2021 to 30-10-2026 grew to ₹7,46,857 in SBI Balanced Advantage Fund (XIRR 7.9% a year) and ₹7,77,119 in SBI Contra Fund (XIRR 9.5% a year). Both received 61 instalments. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Can I invest in both SBI Balanced Advantage Fund and SBI Contra Fund?
Yes. 47.2% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so a large part of the two investments would move together.
Who manages SBI Balanced Advantage Fund and SBI Contra Fund?
SBI Balanced Advantage Fund: Dinesh Balachandran, Anup Upadhyay. SBI Contra Fund: Dinesh Balachandran.
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.