Best Index — Small Cap Funds
Smallcap 250 trackers — the full small-cap ride without manager risk.
Data updated · 18 direct-growth funds ranked by a transparent 0–100 Smart Score
| ⚖ VS | Fund | Score ↓ | Verdict | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | Sharpe | Sortino | Std Dev | Alpha | Beta | VR★ | P/E | Expense | AUM | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis Nifty Small Cap 50 Index Axis | 77 | Buy | 5.5% | 22.8% | — | 0.80 | 1.08 | 20.3 | 0.7 | 1.04 | — | — | 0.31% | ₹669 Cr | 4.4y | |
| Kotak Nifty Small Cap 50 Index Kotak | 75 | Buy | 5.2% | 22.8% | — | 0.80 | 1.08 | 20.5 | 1.6 | 1.04 | — | — | 0.33% | ₹220 Cr | 3.3y | |
| Edelweiss Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Edelweiss | 66 | Buy | 1.5% | 18.0% | — | 0.60 | 0.80 | 19.1 | -2.0 | 1.00 | — | 21.2 | 0.27% | ₹249 Cr | 3.6y | |
| Motilal Oswal Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Dir Motilal Oswal | 62 | Buy | 1.4% | 17.9% | 15.4% | 0.60 | 0.79 | 19.1 | -2.8 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.33% | ₹1.2k Cr | 6.9y | |
| Motilal Oswal Nifty MicroCap 250 Index Motilal Oswal | 60 | Hold | 2.3% | 20.9% | — | 0.66 | 0.89 | 21.7 | -1.1 | 1.10 | — | 30.6 | 0.52% | ₹2.5k Cr | 3.0y | |
| JioBlackRock Nifty Small Cap 250 Index JioBlackRock | 58 | Hold | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.35% | ₹368 Cr | 1.0y | |
| DSP Nifty Small Cap 250 Quality 50 Index DSP | 53 | Hold | -9.9% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.29% | ₹311 Cr | 2.6y | |
| ABSL Nifty Small Cap 50 Index Aditya Birla Sun Life | 52 | Hold | 5.3% | 22.8% | 13.1% | 0.79 | 1.07 | 20.5 | 1.5 | 1.05 | — | — | 0.62% | ₹318 Cr | 5.3y | |
| SBI Nifty Small Cap 250 Index SBI | 46 | Hold | 1.3% | 17.6% | — | 0.59 | 0.77 | 19.0 | -3.2 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.43% | ₹1.7k Cr | 3.8y | |
| HDFC Nifty Small Cap 250 Index HDFC | 45 | Hold | 1.3% | 17.6% | — | 0.58 | 0.77 | 19.1 | -3.0 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.32% | ₹702 Cr | 3.3y | |
| Kotak Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Kotak | 42 | Avoid | 1.4% | — | — | 0.23 | 0.32 | 18.8 | -2.5 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.40% | ₹62 Cr | 1.5y | |
| ICICI Pru Nifty Small Cap 250 Index ICICI Pru | 39 | Avoid | 1.3% | 17.6% | — | 0.58 | 0.77 | 19.1 | -3.0 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.40% | ₹729 Cr | 4.7y | |
| Nippon India Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Nippon India | 39 | Avoid | 1.4% | 17.4% | 15.2% | 0.57 | 0.76 | 19.1 | -3.2 | 1.00 | 5★ | — | 0.40% | ₹3.3k Cr | 5.8y | |
| Bandhan Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Bandhan | 37 | Avoid | 1.4% | — | — | 0.23 | 0.31 | 19.6 | -2.8 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.27% | ₹91 Cr | 2.6y | |
| Navi Nifty Small Cap 250 Momentum Quality Index Navi | 28 | Avoid | -1.0% | — | — | 0.46 | 0.65 | 18.8 | -8.8 | 1.01 | — | — | 0.64% | ₹34 Cr | 1.4y | |
| Groww Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Groww | 25 | Avoid | 1.4% | — | — | 0.07 | 0.10 | 20.1 | -2.7 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.57% | ₹133 Cr | 2.4y | |
| Groww Nifty Smallcap 250 Momentum Quality 100 Index Groww | 17 | Avoid | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.47% | ₹7 Cr | 0.1y | |
| DSP Nifty Small Cap 250 Index DSP | 14 | Avoid | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.56% | ₹14 Cr | 0.7y |
Index — Small Cap funds — quick answers
›Which is the best Index — Small Cap mutual fund right now?
Axis Nifty Small Cap 50 Index currently ranks #1 of 18 Index — Small Cap funds with a FundLens Smart Score of 77/100 (Buy). It returned 22.8% over 3 years at a 0.31% expense ratio (direct plan). Rankings are recomputed from data updated 22 Jul 2026.
›Which Index — Small Cap fund has the best risk-adjusted returns?
Kotak Nifty Small Cap 50 Index leads the category on the Sortino ratio at 1.08 (Sharpe 0.80) — meaning it has delivered the most return per unit of downside risk among Index — Small Cap funds.
›Which Index — Small Cap fund has the lowest expense ratio?
Edelweiss Nifty Small Cap 250 Index charges 0.27% a year (direct plan) — the lowest in the category. Lower fees compound in your favour over long holding periods.
›Which is the smallest Index — Small Cap fund by AUM?
Groww Nifty Smallcap 250 Momentum Quality 100 Index manages ₹7 Cr, the smallest in the category. Smaller funds can be nimbler, but check track record and costs before treating size alone as an edge.
›How long should I stay invested in a Index — Small Cap fund?
Index — Small Cap funds carry very high risk, so a horizon of 7+ years is generally sensible. Smallcap 250 trackers — the full small-cap ride without manager risk. This is research, not investment advice.
Want these answers conversationally? Ask FundLens · New to the ratios? Sharpe vs Sortino, explained