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 | 73 | Buy | 9.2% | 16.1% | — | 0.47 | 0.64 | 20.3 | 0.7 | 1.04 | — | — | 0.34% | ₹779 Cr | 4.6y | |
| Kotak Nifty Small Cap 50 Index Kotak | 71 | Buy | 8.7% | 16.1% | — | 0.47 | 0.64 | 20.5 | 1.5 | 1.04 | — | — | 0.34% | ₹260 Cr | 3.5y | |
| Edelweiss Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Edelweiss | 65 | Buy | 2.5% | 12.0% | — | 0.29 | 0.38 | 19.1 | -1.7 | 1.00 | — | 21.8 | 0.25% | ₹277 Cr | 3.9y | |
| ABSL Nifty Small Cap 50 Index Aditya Birla Sun Life | 61 | Hold | 9.1% | 16.3% | 10.9% | 0.48 | 0.64 | 20.4 | 1.6 | 1.04 | — | — | 0.57% | ₹364 Cr | 5.6y | |
| Motilal Oswal Nifty MicroCap 250 Index Motilal Oswal | 59 | Hold | 7.4% | 13.7% | — | 0.33 | 0.44 | 21.6 | -1.4 | 1.09 | — | 24.1 | 0.57% | ₹2.4k Cr | 3.3y | |
| Motilal Oswal Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Motilal Oswal | 59 | Hold | 2.2% | 11.9% | 12.3% | 0.28 | 0.37 | 19.2 | -2.4 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.39% | ₹1.2k Cr | 7.1y | |
| JioBlackRock Nifty Small Cap 250 Index JioBlackRock | 48 | Hold | 2.2% | — | — | -0.27 | -0.37 | 16.8 | -1.6 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.34% | ₹393 Cr | 1.2y | |
| SBI Nifty Small Cap 250 Index SBI | 46 | Hold | 2.0% | 11.7% | — | 0.27 | 0.36 | 19.0 | -2.8 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.44% | ₹1.8k Cr | 4.0y | |
| HDFC Nifty Small Cap 250 Index HDFC | 44 | Avoid | 2.0% | 11.6% | — | 0.27 | 0.35 | 19.1 | -2.7 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.33% | ₹754 Cr | 3.5y | |
| Bandhan Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Bandhan | 43 | Avoid | 2.1% | — | — | 0.11 | 0.14 | 19.1 | -2.5 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.29% | ₹106 Cr | 2.8y | |
| Kotak Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Kotak | 42 | Avoid | 2.1% | — | — | 0.02 | 0.02 | 18.1 | -2.2 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.39% | ₹86 Cr | 1.7y | |
| ICICI Pru Nifty Small Cap 250 Index ICICI Pru | 38 | Avoid | 2.0% | 11.6% | — | 0.27 | 0.35 | 19.1 | -2.7 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.37% | ₹785 Cr | 5.0y | |
| Nippon India Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Nippon India | 38 | Avoid | 2.2% | 11.5% | 12.1% | 0.26 | 0.34 | 19.1 | -2.8 | 1.00 | 5★ | — | 0.41% | ₹3.5k Cr | 6.0y | |
| DSP Nifty Small Cap 250 Quality 50 Index DSP | 37 | Avoid | -7.6% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.40% | ₹302 Cr | 2.9y | |
| Groww Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Groww | 26 | Avoid | 2.4% | — | — | -0.04 | -0.05 | 19.5 | -2.4 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.58% | ₹136 Cr | 2.6y | |
| Navi Nifty Smallcap 250 Momentum Quality 100 Index Navi | 25 | Avoid | 4.3% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.85% | ₹42 Cr | 1.6y | |
| DSP Nifty Small Cap 250 Index DSP | 20 | Avoid | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.54% | ₹18 Cr | 0.9y | |
| Groww Nifty Smallcap 250 Momentum Quality 100 Index Groww | 3 | Avoid | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1.77% | ₹9 Cr | 0.3y |
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 73/100 (Buy). It returned 16.1% over 3 years at a 0.34% expense ratio (direct plan). Rankings are recomputed from data updated 20 Oct 2026.
›Which Index — Small Cap fund has the best risk-adjusted returns?
ABSL Nifty Small Cap 50 Index leads the category on the Sortino ratio at 0.64 (Sharpe 0.48) — 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 0.25% 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 ₹9 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