Two funds walk into a table. Only the numbers talk.
Franklin India Retirement Fund vs ICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan
Pick two or three funds. We’ll tell you in plain words which grew faster, which was calmer, which costs less and what your money would have become. Figures are for the Direct plan, Growth option, where a fund has one.
- AFranklin India Retirement Fund
Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund- Retirement Fund
- Direct plan
- Moderately High Risk
NAV ₹243.76 on 13 Nov 2026
- BICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan
ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund- Retirement Fund
- Direct plan
- Very High Risk
NAV ₹39.42 on 13 Nov 2026
The short version
Who comes out ahead on each measure, over the 5 years all of them have been around.
Grew faster
BICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan
ICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan returned 16.2% a year over 5 years, against 7.1% for Franklin India Retirement Fund. ₹1 lakh invested 5 years ago would be about ₹2.12 Lakh today, against ₹1.41 Lakh.
Smoother ride
AFranklin India Retirement Fund
Franklin India Retirement Fund swung the least: about 5.5% a year either way, against 16.3% for ICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan. Lower means fewer scary days.
Fell less in a crash
AFranklin India Retirement Fund
At its worst, Franklin India Retirement Fund fell 13.8% from its peak, against 37.2% for ICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan. On ₹1 lakh, that's a dip to ₹62,829 at the bottom for ICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan. Could you have held on?
More consistent
AFranklin India Retirement Fund
Pick any day in the past and hold for a year: Franklin India Retirement Fund ended up in profit 95% of the time, against 89% for ICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan.
Costs less
BICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan
ICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan charges 0.89% a year, against 1.51% for Franklin India Retirement Fund. On ₹1 lakh that's ₹890 a year against ₹1,510, taken quietly from the NAV.
What your money would have become
The same amount, put into each fund on the same day.
The dashed line is the ₹10,000 you put in. Above it is profit, below it is loss.
- AFranklin India Retirement Fund₹14,200 from ₹10,000(7.3% a year)
- BICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan₹21,851 from ₹10,000(17% a year)
A one-time ₹10,000 put in 5 years ago, valued at the latest NAV. This is what happened, not what will.
Strengths and watch-outs
Each fund judged against its own category, and against a 5-year SBI FD at 6.05%.
AFranklin India Retirement Fund
- Strength: Beat a 5-year SBI FD: 7.1% a year over 5 years, against 6.05%
- Strength: Swings less than most funds in its category
- Strength: Fell less than its category in the worst crash
- Watch out: Behind its category: 7.1% a year over 5 years, against a category average of 8.9%
- Watch out: High cost: 1.51% a year
- Watch out: Small fund (₹479 Cr), often newer or less tested
- Watch out: Money is locked in for 5 years
BICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan
- Strength: Ahead of its category: 16.2% a year over 5 years, against a category average of 8.9%
- Strength: In the top quarter of its category over 5 years (#1 of 25)
- Strength: Beat a 5-year SBI FD: 16.2% a year over 5 years, against 6.05%
- Watch out: Swings more than most funds in its category
- Watch out: Fell harder than its category in the worst crash
- Watch out: Money is locked in for 5 years
All the numbers
The stronger figure in each row is marked Best. Under each return is the fund’s rank in its category and the category average.
| Measure | AFranklin India Retirement Fund | BICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan |
|---|---|---|
| ReturnsHow much the fund grew. Beyond a year, this is per year (annualised). | ||
| 1 yearLast 12 months, the most noisy figure | 0%#26 of 29 · avg 3% | 4.1%Best#9 of 29 · avg 3% |
| 3 yearsPer year, over a full market mood swing | 8%#20 of 27 · avg 10.6% | 20.3%Best#1 of 27 · avg 10.6% |
| 5 yearsPer year, the fairest single test | 7.1%#18 of 25 · avg 8.9% | 16.2%Best#1 of 25 · avg 8.9% |
| 10 yearsPer year, across bull and bear markets | 8%#9 of 10 · avg 11% | – |
| RiskHow bumpy the ride was. This is what decides whether you stay invested. | ||
| Ups and downsVolatility: how far it swings in a typical year. Lower is calmer | 5.5%Bestcategory avg 9.2% | 16.3%category avg 9.2% |
| Worst fallThe biggest drop from a peak in 10 years. Lower is better | −13.8%Bestcategory avg −18.4% | −37.2%category avg −18.4% |
| Best 12 monthsIts strongest year | 27.3% | 91.2%Best |
| Worst 12 monthsIts weakest year | -5.8%Best | -32.6% |
| Odds of a gainShare of all 1-year holding periods that ended in profit | 95%Best | 89% |
| Cost and sizeThe fee comes out of your returns every year, whether the fund does well or not. | ||
| Expense ratioYearly fee. Lower keeps more for you | 1.51% | 0.89%Best |
| Fund sizeMoney managed (AUM). Neither better nor worse | ₹479 Cr | ₹2,106 Cr |
| Minimum SIPSmallest monthly amount | – | ₹100 |
| Lock-inTime before you can withdraw | 5 years | 5 years |
| What it holdsWhere the money sits. Equity is shares, debt is bonds, cash is waiting to be invested. | ||
| In sharesEquity | – | 93.8% |
| In cashNot yet invested | – | 6.2% |
| HoldingsNumber of investments | – | 93 |
“Best” is not a recommendation: a fund that returned more usually took more risk to do it.
Top 10 holdings
Marked Both where another fund here holds it too.
AFranklin India Retirement Fund
Holdings are not available for this fund yet.
BICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan
- HDFC Bank Ltd5.3%
- Reliance Industries Ltd4.4%
- Hindustan Unilever Ltd3.8%
- Multi Commodity Exchange Of India Ltd2.9%
- Bharti Airtel Ltd2.7%
- ICICI Bank Ltd2.5%
- Britannia Industries Ltd2.4%
- Avenue Supermarts Ltd2.3%
- Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd2.3%
- United Spirits Ltd2%
As on 31 Jul 2026
Which one fits you?
There is no best fund, only a better fit for what you need the money to do.
AFranklin India Retirement Fund
Might suit you if…
- a smoother ride matters more to you than the top return
- you may need the money at short notice and want better odds of being in profit
- you want the section 80C tax deduction and can leave the money for 5 years
BICICI Prudential Retirement Fund Pure Equity Plan
Might suit you if…
- you want the stronger long-run growth and can sit through sharper falls
- you care about keeping costs low, which adds up over decades
- you want the section 80C tax deduction and can leave the money for 5 years