Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	BERNSTEIN SANFORD C FUND INC
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Jan. 31, 2014
Sanford C. Bernstein Fund, Inc. | International Portfolio
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	International Portfolio
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE:
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Portfolio’s investment objective is to provide long-term capital growth.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO:
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys or sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These transaction costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Examples, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 72% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	72.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Examples
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The Examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Examples assume that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Examples also assume that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses stay the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs as reflected in the Examples would be:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES:
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities of issuers in countries that make up the Morgan Stanley Capital International (“MSCI”) EAFE Index (Europe, Australasia and the Far East) and Canada. AllianceBernstein L.P., the Portfolio’s investment manager (the “Manager”), diversifies the Portfolio among many foreign countries, but not necessarily in the same proportion that the countries are represented in the MSCI EAFE Index. Under normal circumstances, the Manager will invest in companies in at least three countries (and normally substantially more) other than the United States. The Portfolio also invests in less developed or emerging equity markets. The Manager may diversify the Portfolio across multiple research strategies as well as capitalization ranges. The Manager relies on both fundamental and quantitative research to manage both risk and return for the Portfolio. The Portfolio may own stocks from the Manager’s bottom-up fundamental research in value, growth, stability and other disciplines. Within each investment discipline, the Manager draws on the capabilities of separate investment teams. The research analyses that support buy and sell decisions for the Portfolio are fundamental and bottom-up, based largely on specific company and industry findings and taking into account broad economic forecasts. The Portfolio is managed without regard to tax considerations. The Portfolio may invest in companies of any size. The Portfolio will invest primarily in common stocks but may also invest in preferred stocks, warrants and convertible securities of foreign issuers, including sponsored or unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). The Portfolio may use derivatives, such as options, futures, forwards and swaps. The Portfolio may enter into foreign currency transactions for hedging and non-hedging purposes on a spot (i.e., cash) basis or through the use of derivatives transactions, such as forward currency exchange contracts, currency futures and options thereon, and options on currencies. An appropriate hedge of currency exposure resulting from the Portfolio’s securities positions may not be available or cost effective, or the Manager may determine not to hedge the positions, possibly even under market conditions where doing so could benefit the Portfolio. The Portfolio will generally invest in foreign-currency futures contracts or foreign-currency forward contracts with terms of up to one year. The Portfolio will also purchase foreign currency for immediate settlement in order to purchase foreign securities. In addition, the Portfolio may invest a portion of its uncommitted cash balances in futures contracts to expose that portion of the Portfolio to the equity markets. The Portfolio may use options strategies involving the purchase and/or writing of various combinations of call and/or put options, including on individual securities and stock indexes, futures contracts (including futures contracts on individual securities and stock indexes) or shares of exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). These options transactions may be used, for example, in an effort to earn extra income, to adjust exposure to individual securities or markets, or to protect all or a portion of the Portfolio from a decline in value, sometimes within certain ranges.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	PRINCIPAL RISKS:
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The share price of the Portfolio will fluctuate and you may lose money. There is no guarantee that the Portfolio will achieve its investment objective. Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities Risk: Investments in foreign securities entail significant risks in addition to those customarily associated with investing in U.S. securities. These risks include risks related to adverse market, economic, political and regulatory factors and social instability, all of which could disrupt the financial markets in which the Portfolio invests and adversely affect the value of the Portfolio’s assets. Country Concentration Risk: The Portfolio may not always be diversified among countries or regions and the effect on the share price of the Portfolio of specific risks identified above such as political, regulatory and currency may be magnified due to concentration of the Portfolio’s investments in a particular country or region. Emerging Markets Securities Risk: The risks of investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities are heightened with respect to issuers in emerging-market countries, because the markets are less developed and less liquid and there may be a greater amount of economic, political and social uncertainty. Foreign Currency Risk: This is the risk that changes in foreign (non-U.S.) currency exchange rates may negatively affect the value of the Portfolio’s investments or reduce the returns of the Portfolio. For example, the value of the Portfolio’s investments in foreign securities and foreign currency positions may decrease if the U.S. Dollar is strong (i.e., gaining value relative to other currencies) and other currencies are weak (i.e., losing value relative to the U.S. Dollar). Actions by a Few Major Investors: In certain countries, volatility may be heightened by actions of a few major investors. For example, substantial increases or decreases in cash flows of mutual funds investing in these markets could significantly affect local stock prices and, therefore, share prices of the Portfolio. Market Risk: The Portfolio is subject to market risk, which is the risk that stock prices in general may decline over short or extended periods. The global financial crisis that began in 2008 has caused a significant decline in the value and liquidity of many investments and unprecedented volatility in the markets. Some events that have contributed to ongoing and systematic market risks include the falling values of some sovereign debt and related investments, scarcity of credit, and high public debt. In response to the crisis, the U.S. Government and the Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and their central banks have taken steps to support financial markets, including by keeping interest rates low. The withdrawal of this support, failure of efforts in response to the crisis, or investor perception that such efforts are not succeeding could negatively affect financial markets generally as well as reduce the value and liquidity of certain securities. This environment could make identifying investment risks and opportunities especially difficult, and whether or not the Portfolio invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Portfolio’s investments may be negatively affected. In addition, policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are affecting many aspects of financial regulation. The impact of these changes, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time. Capitalization Risk: Investments in small- and mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile than investments in large-capitalization companies. Investments in small-capitalization companies may have additional risks because these companies have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Allocation Risk: The allocation of investments among investment disciplines may have a significant effect on the Portfolio’s performance when the investment disciplines in which the Portfolio has greater exposure perform worse than the investment disciplines with less exposure. Derivatives Risk: The Portfolio may use derivatives as direct investments to earn income, enhance return and broaden portfolio diversification, which entail greater risk than if used solely for hedging purposes. In addition to other risks such as the credit risk of the counterparty, derivatives involve the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate with relevant assets, rates or indices. Derivatives may be illiquid and difficult to price or unwind, and small changes may produce disproportionate losses for the Portfolio. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. Assets required to be set aside or posted to cover or secure derivatives positions may themselves go down in value, and these collateral and other requirements may limit investment flexibility. Some derivatives involve leverage, which can make the Portfolio more volatile and can compound other risks. The U.S. Government is in the process of adopting and implementing regulations governing derivatives markets, including mandatory clearing of certain derivatives, margin, reporting and registration requirements. The ultimate impact of the regulations remains unclear. Additional regulation may make derivatives more costly, may limit their availability, may disrupt markets or may otherwise adversely affect their value or performance. Management Risk: The Portfolio is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Manager will apply its investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Portfolio, but its decisions may not produce the desired results. In some cases, derivative and other investment techniques may be unavailable or the Manager may determine not to use them, possibly even under market conditions where their use could benefit the Portfolio.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	The share price of the Portfolio will fluctuate and you may lose money.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	BAR CHART AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION:
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The bar chart and performance information provide an indication of the historical risk of an investment in the Portfolio by showing: how the Portfolio’s performance changed from year to year over ten years; and how the Portfolio’s average annual returns for one, five and ten years compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. You may obtain updated performance information for the Portfolio at www.bernstein.com (click on “Investments,” then “Stocks,” then “Mutual Fund Performance at a Glance”). The Portfolio’s past performance before and after taxes, of course, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. As with all investments, you may lose money by investing in the Portfolio.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	how the Portfolio’s performance changed from year to year over ten years; and how the Portfolio’s average annual returns for one, five and ten years compare to those of a broad-based securities market index.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.bernstein.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	The Portfolio’s past performance before and after taxes, of course, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Bar Chart
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block]	rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock	The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Portfolio’s International Class shares.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Calendar Year End (%) During the period shown in the bar chart, the Portfolio’s: Best Quarter was up 22.17%, 2nd quarter, 2009; and Worst Quarter was down -24.89%, 3rd quarter, 2008.
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Performance Table Average Annual Total Returns (For the periods ended December 31, 2013)
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are an estimate, which is based on the highest historical individual federal marginal income-tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes;
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	are not relevant to investors who hold Portfolio shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are an estimate, which is based on the highest historical individual federal marginal income-tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes; actual after-tax returns depend on an individual investor’s tax situation and are likely to differ from those shown, and are not relevant to investors who hold Portfolio shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Sanford C. Bernstein Fund, Inc. | International Portfolio | International Class
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	none
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed)	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Exchange Fee	rr_ExchangeFee	none
Maximum Account Fee	rr_MaximumAccountFeeOverAssets	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.90%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.05%
Other Expenses: Shareholder Servicing	rr_Component3OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%
Total Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.30%
Total Portfolio Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.20%
After 1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	122
After 3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	381
After 5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	660
After 10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	$ 1,456
2004	rr_AnnualReturn2004	18.48%
2005	rr_AnnualReturn2005	14.67%
2006	rr_AnnualReturn2006	24.21%
2007	rr_AnnualReturn2007	9.15%
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(48.98%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	26.25%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	5.04%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(18.86%)
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	14.25%
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	19.52%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	22.17%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(24.89%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	19.52%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	8.00%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	3.28%
Sanford C. Bernstein Fund, Inc. | International Portfolio | Return After Taxes on Distributions | International Class
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	19.19%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.88%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	2.75%
Sanford C. Bernstein Fund, Inc. | International Portfolio | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Portfolio Shares | International Class
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	11.58%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	6.60%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	3.14%
Sanford C. Bernstein Fund, Inc. | International Portfolio | MSCI EAFE Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	22.78%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	12.44%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	6.91%