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 | 78 | Strong Buy | 18.4% | 19.9% | — | 0.66 | 0.89 | 20.3 | 0.8 | 1.04 | — | — | 0.32% | ₹726 Cr | 4.5y | |
| Kotak Nifty Small Cap 50 Index Kotak | 76 | Buy | 18.1% | 19.9% | — | 0.66 | 0.89 | 20.5 | 1.6 | 1.04 | — | — | 0.33% | ₹225 Cr | 3.4y | |
| Edelweiss Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Edelweiss | 65 | Buy | 9.9% | 15.3% | — | 0.46 | 0.61 | 19.1 | -1.9 | 1.00 | — | 21.6 | 0.26% | ₹262 Cr | 3.8y | |
| Motilal Oswal Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Dir Motilal Oswal | 60 | Hold | 9.8% | 15.3% | 15.6% | 0.46 | 0.60 | 19.1 | -2.5 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.39% | ₹1.3k Cr | 7.0y | |
| Motilal Oswal Nifty MicroCap 250 Index Motilal Oswal | 59 | Hold | 11.6% | 17.1% | — | 0.49 | 0.65 | 21.7 | -1.8 | 1.09 | — | 29.7 | 0.58% | ₹2.4k Cr | 3.2y | |
| ABSL Nifty Small Cap 50 Index Aditya Birla Sun Life | 53 | Hold | 18.2% | 19.8% | 14.0% | 0.65 | 0.88 | 20.5 | 1.5 | 1.04 | — | — | 0.59% | ₹348 Cr | 5.4y | |
| JioBlackRock Nifty Small Cap 250 Index JioBlackRock | 53 | Hold | 9.8% | — | — | 0.11 | 0.15 | 16.9 | -1.8 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.36% | ₹391 Cr | 1.1y | |
| SBI Nifty Small Cap 250 Index SBI | 47 | Hold | 9.6% | 15.0% | — | 0.45 | 0.59 | 19.0 | -3.0 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.44% | ₹1.7k Cr | 3.9y | |
| Kotak Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Kotak | 46 | Hold | 9.7% | — | — | 0.27 | 0.38 | 18.2 | -2.3 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.36% | ₹65 Cr | 1.6y | |
| HDFC Nifty Small Cap 250 Index HDFC | 42 | Avoid | 9.7% | 15.0% | — | 0.44 | 0.59 | 19.1 | -2.8 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.33% | ₹728 Cr | 3.4y | |
| ICICI Pru Nifty Small Cap 250 Index ICICI Pru | 40 | Avoid | 9.7% | 15.0% | — | 0.44 | 0.59 | 19.1 | -2.8 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.39% | ₹754 Cr | 4.8y | |
| Nippon India Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Nippon India | 38 | Avoid | 9.7% | 14.8% | 15.4% | 0.44 | 0.57 | 19.1 | -3.0 | 1.00 | 5★ | — | 0.41% | ₹3.4k Cr | 5.9y | |
| Bandhan Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Bandhan | 38 | Avoid | 9.8% | — | — | 0.26 | 0.34 | 19.2 | -2.7 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.28% | ₹97 Cr | 2.7y | |
| DSP Nifty Small Cap 250 Quality 50 Index DSP | 31 | Avoid | -4.3% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.49% | ₹316 Cr | 2.8y | |
| Groww Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Groww | 23 | Avoid | 9.8% | — | — | 0.10 | 0.13 | 19.7 | -2.6 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.59% | ₹135 Cr | 2.5y | |
| DSP Nifty Small Cap 250 Index DSP | 18 | Avoid | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.57% | ₹15 Cr | 0.8y | |
| Navi Nifty Small Cap 250 Momentum Quality Index Navi | 8 | Avoid | 9.0% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.99% | ₹40 Cr | 1.5y | |
| Groww Nifty Smallcap 250 Momentum Quality 100 Index Groww | 3 | Avoid | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ₹7 Cr | 0.2y |
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 78/100 (Strong Buy). It returned 19.9% over 3 years at a 0.32% expense ratio (direct plan). Rankings are recomputed from data updated 05 Sept 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 0.89 (Sharpe 0.66) — 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 0.26% 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