ELSS Tax Saving Mutual Funds
All 41 elss tax saving funds, Direct Growth plans, compared on returns, risk and cost. NAV as of 6 Oct 2026.
Category average
+10.5%
3 years, a year
Category average
+10.3%
5 years, a year
Category average
15.6%
Volatility, 3 years
Category average
1.10%
Expense ratio
Against the NIFTY 500 Index: 26 of 34 funds with at least 5 calendar years of history returned more than the index in at least half of the years from 2017 to 2026. The 2026 figure is year to date.
ELSS Tax Saving funds compared
| Fund | 1Y | 3Y a year | 5Y a year | Volatility 3Y | Worst fall 5Y | Years ahead of index | Expense | Fund size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +7.4% | +20.6% | +17.0% | 21.7% | -27.7% | 6 of 10 | 0.96% | ₹5,134 Cr | |
| +9.8% | +14.8% | +14.8% | 18.1% | -25.8% | 6 of 10 | 1.21% | ₹13,458 Cr | |
| -5.3% | +12.7% | +14.0% | 15.5% | -16.7% | 5 of 10 | 1.26% | ₹31,735 Cr | |
| +4.8% | +15.6% | +13.4% | 16.9% | -20.9% | 7 of 10 | 1.34% | ₹248 Cr | |
| -8.1% | +11.9% | +13.1% | 14.0% | -14.8% | 6 of 10 | 1.19% | ₹15,992 Cr | |
| +2.1% | +15.4% | +12.5% | 16.7% | -22.0% | 4 of 10 | 1.20% | ₹4,229 Cr | |
| +2.1% | +15.4% | +12.4% | 20.0% | -22.8% | 4 of 7 | 0.90% | ₹463 Cr | |
| +2.5% | +11.8% | +11.5% | 15.9% | -18.5% | 6 of 10 | 0.89% | ₹4,747 Cr | |
| -0.9% | +10.6% | +11.4% | 15.4% | -19.6% | 5 of 10 | 0.80% | ₹6,384 Cr | |
| -1.0% | +11.6% | +11.2% | 15.0% | -20.1% | 6 of 10 | 1.11% | ₹14,718 Cr | |
| +1.4% | +12.7% | +11.1% | 15.8% | -18.5% | 6 of 10 | 0.92% | ₹462 Cr | |
| -4.6% | +12.1% | +11.1% | 15.9% | -17.1% | 7 of 10 | 0.93% | ₹16,666 Cr | |
| +1.8% | +14.2% | +11.0% | 15.8% | -19.6% | 6 of 10 | 1.31% | ₹930 Cr | |
| +2.5% | +11.8% | +10.8% | 17.5% | -23.9% | 7 of 10 | 1.06% | ₹1,414 Cr | |
| -6.8% | +9.5% | +10.5% | 14.6% | -18.2% | 5 of 10 | 1.17% | ₹6,223 Cr | |
| -1.1% | +9.0% | +10.5% | 13.9% | -18.4% | 6 of 10 | 0.96% | ₹6,965 Cr | |
| -1.3% | +10.5% | +10.3% | 14.4% | -16.7% | 6 of 10 | 2.05% | ₹72 Cr | |
| -10.4% | +8.1% | +10.1% | 11.5% | -14.7% | 5 of 7 | 0.65% | ₹5,613 Cr | |
| -2.0% | +11.2% | +10.0% | 15.8% | -17.9% | 8 of 10 | 1.02% | ₹26,428 Cr | |
| -2.0% | +9.9% | +9.7% | 14.7% | -18.3% | 6 of 10 | 1.73% | ₹872 Cr | |
| -1.8% | +10.8% | +9.5% | 14.8% | -18.6% | 5 of 10 | 0.70% | ₹8,725 Cr | |
| -1.6% | +11.5% | +9.4% | 16.7% | -22.5% | 8 of 10 | 1.18% | ₹2,764 Cr | |
| -2.0% | +8.7% | +9.4% | 15.0% | -17.0% | 7 of 10 | 1.15% | ₹722 Cr | |
| -4.7% | +10.3% | +9.1% | 14.2% | -17.6% | 5 of 10 | 1.21% | ₹14,286 Cr | |
| -9.2% | +8.7% | +8.9% | 13.8% | -15.7% | 4 of 10 | 0.95% | ₹210 Cr | |
| -7.0% | +7.2% | +8.5% | 14.4% | -17.6% | 3 of 10 | 1.10% | ₹895 Cr | |
| -4.8% | +9.2% | +8.5% | 15.1% | -18.1% | 5 of 10 | 1.28% | ₹1,021 Cr | |
| -7.1% | +7.5% | +8.5% | 14.3% | -16.7% | 6 of 10 | 1.76% | ₹1,285 Cr | |
| -7.8% | +8.1% | +7.9% | 15.7% | -20.8% | 4 of 9 | 1.38% | ₹52 Cr | |
| -3.3% | +9.9% | +7.3% | 14.8% | -18.3% | 3 of 10 | 1.08% | ₹14,543 Cr | |
| -7.7% | +5.9% | +7.1% | 14.4% | -16.3% | 3 of 10 | 1.76% | ₹1,284 Cr | |
| -6.2% | +7.3% | +6.8% | 15.2% | -21.3% | 3 of 10 | 1.02% | ₹3,482 Cr | |
| -4.2% | +6.5% | +6.4% | 16.9% | -23.5% | 2 of 7 | 0.93% | ₹48 Cr | |
| -2.2% | +9.4% | +5.0% | 14.9% | -28.0% | 5 of 10 | 1.05% | ₹32,667 Cr | |
| +2.1% | +15.3% | N/A | 15.2% | N/A | 3 of 4 | 0.86% | ₹507 Cr | |
| -3.8% | +8.9% | N/A | 16.2% | N/A | 1 of 3 | 0.81% | ₹349 Cr | |
| -8.4% | +6.0% | N/A | 13.9% | N/A | 1 of 3 | 0.24% | ₹154 Cr | |
| -8.4% | +6.0% | N/A | 13.8% | N/A | 1 of 4 | 0.37% | ₹69 Cr | |
| +2.0% | +4.1% | N/A | 19.3% | N/A | 2 of 4 | 1.94% | ₹109 Cr | |
| +2.0% | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 of 1 | 1.30% | ₹92 Cr | |
| -1.5% | N/A | N/A | 15.9% | N/A | 2 of 3 | 0.34% | ₹295 Cr |
Ordered by 5-year annualised return, highest first; funds younger than 5 years follow by 3-year, then 1-year return.Years ahead of index counts the calendar years from 2017 to 2026 in which the fund returned more than the NIFTY 500 Index. Returns over 3 years and longer are compounded annual returns. Volatility is the annualised standard deviation of monthly returns. Worst fall is the largest drop from a peak in the last 5 years. N/A means the fund is too young for that period.
What a elss tax saving fund is
Equity linked savings schemes keep at least 80% in shares, and each investment is locked in for 3 years.
Source: SEBI categorisation of mutual fund schemes, 6 October 2017, as amended.
Investing from the UAE
NRIs living in the UAE can generally invest once KYC is complete, paying from an NRE or NRO bank account. Some fund houses do not accept residents of the United States or Canada, or accept them only offline. The UAE does not levy personal income tax, and the India UAE tax treaty may affect how gains are treated, so confirm your own position with a tax adviser.
Questions
How are these elss tax saving funds ordered?
By 5-year annualised return, highest first. Funds younger than 5 years follow, ordered by 3-year return and then 1-year return. Every figure is worked out from each fund's own Direct Growth NAV, the same way for every fund. We do not label any fund as the best.
Can NRIs living in the UAE invest in elss tax saving funds?
Generally yes, once KYC is complete, paying from an NRE or NRO bank account. Some fund houses do not accept investments from residents of the United States or Canada, or accept them only offline, so check the fund house's current policy if that applies to you.
How are gains taxed for NRIs?
For equity funds, India taxes gains on units held for 12 months or less at 20%, and gains on units held longer at 12.5% on the amount above ₹1.25 lakh in a financial year, plus cess and any surcharge. For NRIs the fund house deducts this tax when you redeem. The outcome depends on your tax residence and facts, so confirm your position with a tax adviser.
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