Difference Between Fixed Deposits (FDs) and Recurring Deposits (RDs)

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Investments are essential for our life as they ensure our financial security, especially during our hard times. For investment purposes, you can trust the two accounts, Fixed Deposit and Recurring Deposit. Let’s learn about these two accounts in detail.    

Looking at the unpredictability of the present times, it is important to invest in different funds to secure your future well. Irrespective of the fact how much you are earning currently, getting investments done for the future is a must for everyone.

Fixed Deposits (FDs) and Recurring Deposits (RDs) are two such important and low risk investments which suit investors looking for safe investment options. However, the two plans have certain differences too, which we are discussing in this post.

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What is a Recurring Deposit?

Recurring Deposit (RD) is an investment plan offered by almost all banks, post-offices and other financial institutions in India. An investor can contribute a particular sum of money to their RD account to receive guaranteed returns after a fixed tenure, which is decided by the investor at the time of buying the plan. It can range in between 6 months to 10 years. Also, the interest rate offered under RD varies as per the bank that you are getting your RD account opened.

Features of Recurring Deposits

  • RD supports an investor to invest money regularly and to develop the habit of saving. Also, the corpus accumulated can be used to meet your future goals in life
  • The minimum amount required to open a RD account is INR 500 and it can be any maximum amount as per your income
  • The investor has the flexibility of choosing the tenure of an RD
  • The corpus of RD accounts can also be used as collaterals for loans

Read More: How to Pay Post Office Recurring Deposit (RD) Amount Online?

What is a Fixed Deposit?

A Fixed Deposit (FD) is a type of investment that allows the investor to invest money for a fixed period of time and to earn high returns in exchange. You can open a FD account at a post office, bank, or in a NBFC as per your choice. However, you must check the interest rate offered by a particular financial institution as it may vary depending on the financier. The returns on the account, however, are as per the tenure of the FD and the amount deposited by the investor.

Features of Fixed Deposits

Below are some features of FD;

  • FD account can be opened without any hassle at your nearest post office or bank
  • FD accounts allow a rate of interest which is high as compared to saving accounts
  • FD account can be renewed as per your convenience
  • The maturity amount earned from your FD account cannot be withdrawn before the end of the FD tenure

Know More: Which Bank has the Highest Interest Rate for FDs?

Recurring Deposit (RD) Vs Fixed Deposit (FD)

Let us now take a look at the key differences between Fixed Deposit and Recurring deposit in the table below.

Feature Recurring Deposit Fixed Deposit
Frequency of Investment  It can be any amount of money that can be invested by the investor regularly at intervals In this case, the investor is required to invest an amount as a one-time investment and cannot make any further contributions later on during the term of the investment
Duration of deposit Recurring deposit allow the investor to choose a duration of 6 months to over 10 years In case of fixed deposit, the duration of tenure can range from 7 to 10 years
Interest Earned  The interest earned in recurring deposit is similar or low than that of FD interest The interest earned under fixed deposit is higher than recurring deposit
Withdrawal of Maturity The RD maturity deposit can be withdrawn on a quarterly or regular interval In a fixed deposit, the maturity amount is only provided after the end of the FD tenure
Benefit Offered  With RD, one can inculcates the habit of savings by investing money in the RD deposit regularly/monthly Fixed deposit, on the other hand, is a lump sum amount that is deposited and on which the investor can earn interest
Clause of Payment  In RD, if you do not make a payment for 6 months or more, there are chances of the RD account getting closed On the other hand, in case of FDs where the total payment is made in one go, there is no clause of payment attached with the FD

Which One would you pick – RD or FD?

Now that you know the meaning and the difference between fixed deposit and recurring deposit in India, the question that comes to your mind is which investment plan to choose – RD or FD.

It actually depends on the investor to choose between the two plans. Both these plans are low-risk options and depending on your finances or the ability to pay (lump-sum amount or small regular amount), you can make the choice.

To Conclude 

Once you decide to make an investment of RD or FD, you can visit your nearest post office or bank to get the process done and start the investment. This way, you can create a corpus for your future and stay prepared from the sudden emergencies. Alternatively, you can use the fixed deposit and recurring deposit calculator to calculate the amount online.

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FAQs: Difference Between Fixed Deposits and Recurring Deposits

What is the difference between Fixed Deposit and Recurring Deposit account?

In the Fixed Deposit (FD) account, the investor can deposit an amount for a fixed duration to earn interest on that amount. On the other hand, in Recurring Deposit the customer can deposit amounts at intervals for an extended period. It is generally used to develop the regular habit of saving.

Which is better FD or RD?

In terms of returns, FD is likely to give higher returns because the amount in FD is lump sum and it is deposited at one go. On the other hand, in RD, the account holder pays monthly deposits which earn returns accordingly.

Can I get money out from my Recurring Deposit (RD) account?

A Recurring Deposit is like a Fixed Deposit where once you deposit the money, it cannot be withdrawn until maturity. Generally, RDs do not allow partial withdrawals from the account. 

Do we get interest on recurring deposits?

Yes, you do get interest paid on RDs as well. In fact, the interest rate of Recurring Deposit is similar or slightly lower than the interest offered under FD. Also, the rate of interest in RD is locked-in and so the investor doesn’t have to worry about any interest fluctuations.

What happens if I break my RD?

The RD account comes with a minimum lock-in period of one month. If the investor closes it prematurely within a month, he/she will not be paid any interest. Rather, he will just get the principal amount.

Feb 12, 2023
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PayBima is an Indian insurance aggregator on a mission to make insurance simple for people. PayBima is the Digital arm of the already established and trusted Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd., a reputed name in the insurance broking industry with 17 years of experience. PayBima promises you the easy-to-access online platform to buy insurance policies, and also extend their unrelented assistance with all your policy related queries and services.

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