Two funds walk into a table. Only the numbers talk.
HDFC Gilt Fund vs Bandhan Gilt Fund
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.
- AHDFC Gilt Fund
HDFC Mutual Fund- Gilt Fund
- Direct plan
- Moderate Risk
NAV ₹60.14 on 13 Nov 2026
- BBandhan Gilt Fund
Bandhan Mutual Fund- Gilt Fund
- Direct plan
- Moderate Risk
NAV ₹41.09 on 13 Nov 2026
The short version
Who comes out ahead on each measure, over the 10 years all of them have been around.
Grew faster
BBandhan Gilt Fund
Bandhan Gilt Fund returned 7.6% a year over 10 years, against 5.8% for HDFC Gilt Fund. ₹1 lakh invested 10 years ago would be about ₹2.08 Lakh today, against ₹1.75 Lakh.
Smoother ride
AHDFC Gilt Fund
HDFC Gilt Fund swung the least: about 2.7% a year either way, against 3.5% for Bandhan Gilt Fund. Lower means fewer scary days.
Fell less in a crash
BBandhan Gilt Fund
At its worst, Bandhan Gilt Fund fell 4.3% from its peak, against 6.2% for HDFC Gilt Fund. On ₹1 lakh, that's a dip to ₹93,794 at the bottom for HDFC Gilt Fund. Could you have held on?
Costs less
AHDFC Gilt Fund
HDFC Gilt Fund charges 0.46% a year, against 0.55% for Bandhan Gilt Fund. On ₹1 lakh that's ₹460 a year against ₹550, 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.
- AHDFC Gilt Fund₹12,909 from ₹10,000(5.3% a year)
- BBandhan Gilt Fund₹13,639 from ₹10,000(6.4% 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%.
AHDFC Gilt Fund
- Strength: Swings less than most funds in its category
- Strength: Low cost: 0.46% a year
- Watch out: In the bottom quarter of its category over 5 years (#15 of 18)
- Watch out: Earned less than a 5-year SBI FD: 5.3% a year over 5 years, against 6.05%
- Watch out: Fell harder than its category in the worst crash
BBandhan Gilt Fund
- Strength: In the top quarter of its category over 5 years (#1 of 18)
- Watch out: Swings more than most funds in its category
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 | AHDFC Gilt Fund | BBandhan Gilt Fund |
|---|---|---|
| ReturnsHow much the fund grew. Beyond a year, this is per year (annualised). | ||
| 1 yearLast 12 months, the most noisy figure | 2.4%#15 of 23 · avg 3% | 7.2%Best#1 of 23 · avg 3% |
| 3 yearsPer year, over a full market mood swing | 6.1%#12 of 21 · avg 6.2% | 8.1%Best#1 of 21 · avg 6.2% |
| 5 yearsPer year, the fairest single test | 5.3%#15 of 18 · avg 5.6% | 6.4%Best#1 of 18 · avg 5.6% |
| 10 yearsPer year, across bull and bear markets | 5.8%#16 of 17 · avg 6.6% | 7.6%Best#1 of 17 · avg 6.6% |
| 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 | 2.7%Bestcategory avg 3.1% | 3.5%category avg 3.1% |
| Worst fallThe biggest drop from a peak in 10 years. Lower is better | −6.2%category avg −4.7% | −4.3%Bestcategory avg −4.7% |
| Best 12 monthsIts strongest year | 12.9% | 19.8%Best |
| Worst 12 monthsIts weakest year | -0.9%Best | -1.4% |
| Odds of a gainShare of all 1-year holding periods that ended in profit | 97% | 97%Best |
| 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 | 0.46%Best | 0.55% |
| Fund sizeMoney managed (AUM). Neither better nor worse | ₹1,885 Cr | ₹1,686 Cr |
| Minimum SIPSmallest monthly amount | ₹100 | ₹100 |
| Lock-inTime before you can withdraw | None | None |
“Best” is not a recommendation: a fund that returned more usually took more risk to do it.
Which one fits you?
There is no best fund, only a better fit for what you need the money to do.
AHDFC Gilt Fund
Might suit you if…
- a smoother ride matters more to you than the top return
- you care about keeping costs low, which adds up over decades
BBandhan Gilt Fund
Might suit you if…
- you want the stronger long-run growth and can sit through sharper falls
- a smoother ride matters more to you than the top return