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 | 79 | Strong Buy | 12.2% | 19.2% | — | 0.63 | 0.85 | 20.2 | 1.0 | 1.04 | — | — | 0.34% | ₹790 Cr | 4.5y | |
| Kotak Nifty Small Cap 50 Index Kotak | 75 | Buy | 11.9% | 19.4% | — | 0.63 | 0.85 | 20.4 | 1.9 | 1.04 | — | — | 0.35% | ₹250 Cr | 3.4y | |
| Edelweiss Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Edelweiss | 65 | Buy | 4.9% | 14.6% | — | 0.43 | 0.56 | 19.0 | -1.8 | 1.00 | — | 21.2 | 0.26% | ₹285 Cr | 3.8y | |
| Motilal Oswal Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Dir Motilal Oswal | 60 | Hold | 4.8% | 14.5% | 14.7% | 0.42 | 0.56 | 19.1 | -2.5 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.40% | ₹1.3k Cr | 7.1y | |
| Motilal Oswal Nifty MicroCap 250 Index Motilal Oswal | 59 | Hold | 8.5% | 17.1% | — | 0.49 | 0.67 | 21.6 | -0.8 | 1.09 | — | 31.0 | 0.58% | ₹2.5k Cr | 3.2y | |
| ABSL Nifty Small Cap 50 Index Aditya Birla Sun Life | 53 | Hold | 12.0% | 19.1% | 13.1% | 0.62 | 0.84 | 20.4 | 1.7 | 1.04 | — | — | 0.58% | ₹367 Cr | 5.5y | |
| JioBlackRock Nifty Small Cap 250 Index JioBlackRock | 50 | Hold | 4.9% | — | — | 0.03 | 0.04 | 16.9 | -1.7 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.35% | ₹404 Cr | 1.1y | |
| HDFC Nifty Small Cap 250 Index HDFC | 46 | Hold | 4.7% | 14.3% | — | 0.41 | 0.54 | 19.1 | -2.7 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.34% | ₹775 Cr | 3.4y | |
| Kotak Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Kotak | 46 | Hold | 4.8% | — | — | 0.22 | 0.31 | 18.2 | -2.3 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.34% | ₹85 Cr | 1.6y | |
| SBI Nifty Small Cap 250 Index SBI | 44 | Avoid | 4.7% | 14.3% | — | 0.41 | 0.54 | 18.9 | -2.9 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.45% | ₹1.8k Cr | 4.0y | |
| ICICI Pru Nifty Small Cap 250 Index ICICI Pru | 40 | Avoid | 4.7% | 14.3% | — | 0.41 | 0.54 | 19.1 | -2.8 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.39% | ₹789 Cr | 4.9y | |
| Bandhan Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Bandhan | 39 | Avoid | 4.8% | — | — | 0.23 | 0.30 | 19.2 | -2.7 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.29% | ₹99 Cr | 2.7y | |
| Nippon India Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Nippon India | 37 | Avoid | 4.7% | 14.1% | 14.4% | 0.40 | 0.53 | 19.1 | -2.9 | 1.00 | 5★ | — | 0.42% | ₹3.5k Cr | 5.9y | |
| DSP Nifty Small Cap 250 Quality 50 Index DSP | 31 | Avoid | -8.3% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.46% | ₹316 Cr | 2.8y | |
| Groww Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Groww | 25 | Avoid | 4.8% | — | — | 0.07 | 0.09 | 19.6 | -2.6 | 1.00 | — | — | 0.59% | ₹139 Cr | 2.6y | |
| DSP Nifty Small Cap 250 Index DSP | 18 | Avoid | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.57% | ₹18 Cr | 0.8y | |
| Navi Nifty Small Cap 250 Momentum Quality Index Navi | 8 | Avoid | 4.4% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.92% | ₹42 Cr | 1.5y | |
| Groww Nifty Smallcap 250 Momentum Quality 100 Index Groww | 3 | Avoid | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ₹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 79/100 (Strong Buy). It returned 19.2% over 3 years at a 0.34% expense ratio (direct plan). Rankings are recomputed from data updated 20 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 0.85 (Sharpe 0.63) — 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 ₹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