Simple Interest Calculator

Calculate simple interest on any principal, and compare it against compounding.

Simple interest
₹50,000
total value ₹1,50,000
Principal₹1,00,000
Interest earned₹50,000
Total amount₹1,50,000
Same money compounded annually₹1,61,051
Difference₹11,051

About the Simple Interest Calculator

Simple interest is charged only on the original principal, never on accumulated interest. It appears in short-term lending, some vehicle finance and most informal borrowing, and it is what "flat rate" loans are built on.

As a borrower, simple interest on a loan you are repaying in instalments is bad news — you keep paying interest on money you have already returned. As an investor, it is simply a lower return than compounding.

The formula

SI = (P × R × N) ÷ 100
PPrincipal
RAnnual rate
NYears

The total amount repayable is P + SI.

Things worth knowing

1
Any loan quoted on a simple or flat basis should be converted to a reducing rate before you compare it.
2
Over one year simple and compound are almost identical; over ten they are not remotely comparable.

Frequently asked questions

SI = (P × R × N) ÷ 100, where P is the principal, R the annual rate and N the number of years. The amount repayable is the principal plus this interest.

Short-term personal lending, some vehicle and consumer durable loans quoted on a flat basis, and most informal borrowing. Bank deposits and mainstream loans use compounding or reducing balance instead.

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