Axis Liquid Fund vs ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
Axis Liquid Fund and ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund are both Liquid funds. In the 3 years to 30-10-2026, Axis Liquid Fund (Direct) returned 7.0% a year and ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct) returned 6.9% a year. Axis Liquid Fund charges 0.13% a year and ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund 0.20% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 18.6%: they hold 33 of the same securities.
ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund
Liquid
- 3 year return
- 6.9%
- Expense ratio
- 0.20%
- NAV
- ₹423.38
Which is better, Axis Liquid or ICICI Prudential Liquid? Key differences
It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.
- Axis Liquid returned more over 5 years: 6.5% a year against 6.4%.
- Axis Liquid returned more over 3 years: 7.0% a year against 6.9%.
- Axis Liquid costs less: 0.13% a year against 0.20% (Direct plans).
- ICICI Prudential Liquid swung less over 3 years: a standard deviation of 0.1% a year against 0.1%.
- ICICI Prudential Liquid fell less in its worst fall since 01-01-2013: −0.2% against −0.2%.
- ICICI Prudential Liquid is the larger fund: ₹55,340 Cr against ₹53,470 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 18.6%: 33 of the same holdings.
Past returns do not promise future returns. This page is information, not investment advice.
Key facts
From each fund's scheme summary document and AMFI
| Fact | Axis Liquid Fund | ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | Axis Mutual Fund | ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund |
| Category | Liquid | Liquid |
| AUM | ₹53,470 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹55,340 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹3,184.74 (Direct) | ₹423.38 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 0.13% | 0.20% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 0.23% | 0.30% |
| Riskometer | Low to Moderate | Not available |
| Benchmark | NIFTY Liquid Index A-I | CRISIL Liquid Debt A-I Index |
| Launch date | 09-10-2009 | 17-11-2005 |
| Minimum investment | ₹100 | ₹99 |
| Lock in | None | None |
| Fund managers | Devang Shah, Aditya Pagaria, Sachin Jain | Rohan Maru, Darshil Dedhia, Nikhil Kabra |
| Exit load | Exit load of 0.0070% if redeemed within 1 day, 0.0065% if redeemed within 2 days, 0.0060% if redeemed within 3 days, 0.0055% if redeemed within 4 days, 0.0050% if redeemed within 5 days, 0.0045% if redeemed within 6 days. | Exit load of 0.0070% if redeemed within 1 day, 0.0065% if redeemed within 2 days, 0.0060% if redeemed within 3 days, 0.0055% if redeemed within 4 days, 0.0050% if redeemed within 5 days, 0.0045% if redeemed within 6 days. |
Axis Liquid vs ICICI Prudential Liquid: Returns Comparison
Returns as on 30-10-2026. Up to one year they are absolute returns. Longer periods are a rate per year.
| Fund | 1M | 3M | 6M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis Liquid Fund (Direct) | +0.46% | +1.52% | +3.22% | +6.54% | +6.96% | +6.46% | +6.15% |
| ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct) | +0.45% | +1.50% | +3.17% | +6.43% | +6.89% | +6.39% | +6.10% |
| Liquid average | +0.44% | +1.46% | +3.06% | +6.23% | +6.66% | +6.18% | +5.85% |
Category average: the average of the 44 Liquid funds, same plan type.
Axis Liquid vs ICICI Prudential Liquid: Year-wise Returns
| Year | AxisAxis Liquid | ICICI PrudentialICICI Prudential Liquid |
|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | +5.47% | +5.37% |
| 2025 | +6.66% | +6.58% |
| 2024 | +7.47% | +7.45% |
| 2023 | +7.13% | +7.08% |
| 2022 | +4.95% | +4.85% |
| 2021 | +3.36% | +3.35% |
Axis Liquid vs ICICI Prudential Liquid: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds
Rolling returns
Every 3-year holding period, 3,951 of them, one for each trading day from 01-01-2016 to 30-10-2026: the yearly return (CAGR) of each, plotted on the day it ended. One lucky or unlucky start day cannot flatter or hide a fund.
Axis Liquid Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct)
to
Nov 2016Sept 2015
to
Sept 2018Jul 2017
to
Jul 2020May 2019
to
May 2022Mar 2021
to
Mar 2024Dec 2022
to
Dec 2025
How the periods spread
| Fund | Below 0% | 0-5% | 5-10% | 10-15% | 15-20% | 20-25% | Above 25% | Mean | Median | Lowest | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis Liquid | 0.0 | 19.1 | 80.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.6% | 7.0% | 4.1% | 9.0% |
| ICICI Prudential Liquid | 0.0 | 19.7 | 80.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.5% | 6.9% | 4.1% | 9.0% |
The table shows the % of periods in each return band; a darker cell holds more of them. Lumpsum: the yearly rate (CAGR) from a period's first NAV to its last. SIP: the XIRR of the monthly instalments. Every fund is measured over the days all of them have, from 01-01-2013. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Axis Liquid vs ICICI Prudential Liquid: SIP and Lumpsum Returns
What the same monthly or one-time investment would be worth in each fund today, from their own NAV history
Growth of an investment
₹10,000 on the first trading day of every month, from 01-01-2013 to 30-10-2026: 166 instalments, ₹16,60,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis LiquidAxis Liquid Fund (Direct) | ₹16,60,000 | ₹26,28,034 | ₹9,68,034 | 6.4% |
| ICICI Prudential LiquidICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct) | ₹16,60,000 | ₹26,19,260 | ₹9,59,260 | 6.3% |
Axis LiquidAxis Liquid Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential LiquidICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct)
Amount invested
From each plan's published NAV (Growth option), over the same days. Return a year: XIRR for a SIP, CAGR for a lumpsum, shown for a year or more. It does not include exit load, stamp duty or tax. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Axis Liquid vs ICICI Prudential Liquid: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | Axis Liquid Fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +6.54% | +6.43% |
| Standard deviation | 0.19% | 0.19% |
| Sharpe ratio | 6.73 | 6.31 |
| Sortino ratio | 21.30 | 18.99 |
| Maximum drawdown | −0.0% (22-10-2026) | −0.0% (22-10-2026) |
| Beta | -- | -- |
| Alpha | -- | -- |
From daily NAVs, 30-10-2025 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
| Measure | Axis Liquid Fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +6.96% | +6.89% |
| Standard deviation | 0.15% | 0.15% |
| Sharpe ratio | 6.39 | 5.99 |
| Sortino ratio | 19.90 | 17.99 |
| Maximum drawdown | −0.0% (22-10-2026) | −0.0% (22-10-2026) |
| Beta | -- | -- |
| Alpha | -- | -- |
From daily NAVs, 30-10-2023 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
| Measure | Axis Liquid Fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +6.46% | +6.39% |
| Standard deviation | 0.14% | 0.14% |
| Sharpe ratio | 4.84 | 4.26 |
| Sortino ratio | 11.11 | 9.24 |
| Maximum drawdown | −0.0% (05-05-2022) | −0.0% (05-05-2022) |
| Beta | -- | -- |
| Alpha | -- | -- |
From daily NAVs, 30-10-2021 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
| Measure | Axis Liquid Fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +6.86% | +6.83% |
| Standard deviation | 0.16% | 0.21% |
| Sharpe ratio | 4.91 | 3.67 |
| Sortino ratio | 8.61 | 7.97 |
| Maximum drawdown | −0.2% (16-07-2013) | −0.2% (16-07-2013) |
| Beta | -- | -- |
| Alpha | -- | -- |
From daily NAVs, 01-01-2013 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
Drawdowns
How far below its previous high each one was on every day: the falls an investor had to sit through. 0% means it was at a new high.
Axis Liquid Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct)
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis Liquid Fund (Direct) | −0.2% | 15-07-2013 | 16-07-2013 | 22-07-2013 | 6 days | 0.0% |
| ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct) | −0.2% | 15-07-2013 | 16-07-2013 | 22-07-2013 | 6 days | 0.0% |
From daily values since 01-01-2013, the first day every fund has.
Rolling standard deviation
Whether the swings have grown or calmed over time: the standard deviation of daily changes over every 1-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.
Axis Liquid Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct)
Whether the swings have grown or calmed over time: the standard deviation of daily changes over every 3-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.
Axis Liquid Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct)
Whether the swings have grown or calmed over time: the standard deviation of daily changes over every 5-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.
Axis Liquid Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (Direct)
Axis Liquid vs ICICI Prudential Liquid: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: Axis Liquid Fund, September 2026; ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 18.6%
- Held by both
- 33
- Only in Axis Liquid
- 99
- Only in ICICI Prudential Liquid
- 107
| Security | % of Axis Liquid | % of ICICI Prudential Liquid |
|---|---|---|
| HDFC Bank Limited (16/10/2026) | 3.73% | 1.80% |
| Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (06/11/2026) | 1.81% | 1.80% |
| National Bank For Agriculture and Rural Development (30/11/2026) | 2.78% | 1.79% |
| 91 Days Tbill (MD 22/10/2026) | 0.93% | 2.41% |
| Small Industries Dev Bank of India (17/12/2026) | 0.92% | 1.34% |
| 91 Days Tbill (MD 15/10/2026) | 2.75% | 0.92% |
| NTPC Limited (06/11/2026) | 1.86% | 0.90% |
| Bank of Baroda (11/11/2026) | 0.93% | 0.90% |
| Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (13/11/2026) | 0.93% | 0.90% |
| National Bank For Agriculture and Rural Development (02/12/2026) | 0.93% | 0.89% |
| Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (02/12/2026) | 1.39% | 0.89% |
| Canara Bank (23/11/2026) | 1.85% | 0.81% |
| 91 Days Tbill (MD 19/11/2026) | 1.87% | 0.77% |
| LIC Housing Finance Limited (11/11/2026) | 2.18% | 0.72% |
| Tata Capital Limited (23/11/2026) | 0.93% | 0.45% |
| HDFC Securities Limited (23/11/2026) | 0.37% | 0.54% |
| Bajaj Financial Securities Limited (18/11/2026) | 0.37% | 0.36% |
| Canara Bank (25/11/2026) | 1.85% | 0.36% |
| Angel One Limited (26/11/2026) | 0.28% | 0.36% |
| Bajaj Financial Securities Limited (17/11/2026) | 0.37% | 0.27% |
| SBI - Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF) - Class A2 | 0.24% | 0.28% |
| HDFC Bank Limited (02/11/2026) | 0.19% | 1.80% |
| HDFC Bank Limited (15/12/2026) | 0.18% | 0.80% |
| JIO Credit Limited (09/11/2026) | 0.93% | 0.18% |
| TVS Credit Services Limited (12/11/2026) | 0.19% | 0.18% |
| Aditya Birla Housing Finance Limited (23/11/2026) | 0.23% | 0.18% |
| Bank of Baroda (07/12/2026) | 0.37% | 0.18% |
| HDFC Securities Limited (26/11/2026) | 0.09% | 0.27% |
| HDFC Bank Limited (06/11/2026) | 0.05% | 1.35% |
| Kotak Mahindra Prime Limited (16/10/2026) | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Indian Bank (04/12/2026) | 0.18% | 0.04% |
| HDFC Bank Limited (04/11/2026) | 0.04% | 0.90% |
| Small Industries Dev Bank of India (04/12/2026) | 0.26% | 0.03% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 18.6% means 18.6% of each fund's money sits in positions the other also holds. Matched by ISIN. Cash and hedged positions are left out.
Largest holdings only in Axis Liquid Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| 91 Days Tbill (MD 31/12/2026) | 4.15% |
| Small Industries Dev Bank of India (02/12/2026) | 3.05% |
| HDFC Bank Limited (14/12/2026) | 2.17% |
| Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (02/12/2026) | 1.85% |
| HDFC Bank Limited (27/10/2026) | 1.77% |
Largest holdings only in ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| 91 Days Treasury Bills | 6.77% |
| 91 Days Treasury Bills | 4.14% |
| NABARD | 3.57% |
| HDFC Bank Ltd. | 2.68% |
| Small Industries Development Bank Of India. | 2.25% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | Axis Liquid | ICICI Prudential Liquid |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Debt | 96.6% | 106.5% |
| Cash and others | 3.4% | -6.5% |
Axis Liquid vs ICICI Prudential Liquid: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | Axis Liquid Fund | ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 0.13% | 0.20% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.11% | 0.17% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 0.23% | 0.30% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 0.20% | 0.25% |
The expense ratio comes out of the fund's assets every day, so every return on this page is already after it. Base expense ratio: the fund house's own fee. The total adds brokerage, transaction costs, and levies with GST.
More comparisons
Each fund against the others of its category
Compare Axis Liquid with
Axis Liquid Fund vs ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Axis Liquid Fund and ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund?
Both are Liquid funds, run by Axis Mutual Fund and ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 18.6%. Axis Liquid Fund charges 0.13% a year and ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund 0.20%.
Which has given higher returns, Axis Liquid Fund or ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund?
Over 1 year: Axis Liquid Fund +6.54%, ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund +6.43%. Over 3 years: Axis Liquid Fund +6.96% a year, ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund +6.89% a year. Over 5 years: Axis Liquid Fund +6.46% a year, ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund +6.39% a year. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, Axis Liquid Fund or ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund?
Axis Liquid Fund charges less: 0.13% a year against 0.20%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do Axis Liquid Fund and ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund overlap?
18.6%. They hold 33 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being HDFC Bank Limited (16/10/2026), Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (06/11/2026), National Bank For Agriculture and Rural Development (30/11/2026). From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is better for SIP, Axis Liquid Fund or ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund?
Over the last 5 years, a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from 01-10-2021 to 30-10-2026 grew to ₹7,25,816 in Axis Liquid Fund (XIRR 6.8% a year) and ₹7,24,436 in ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund (XIRR 6.7% a year). Both received 61 instalments. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Can I invest in both Axis Liquid Fund and ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund?
Yes. 18.6% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so some of the two investments would move together.
Who manages Axis Liquid Fund and ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund?
Axis Liquid Fund: Devang Shah, Aditya Pagaria, Sachin Jain. ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund: Rohan Maru, Darshil Dedhia, Nikhil Kabra.
Sources: NAV and expense ratio from AMFI. Holdings from each fund house's monthly portfolio statement. Fund facts from each scheme summary document.
This page is information, not investment advice. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks; read all scheme related documents carefully. Past returns do not promise future returns. Figures come from AMFI, NSE, BSE and each fund house's own documents.