Axis Ultra Short Term fund vs ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
Axis Ultra Short Term fund is an Ultra Short fund and ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund is a Money Market fund. In the 3 years to 30-10-2026, Axis Ultra Short Term fund (Direct) returned 7.4% a year and ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (Direct) returned 7.3% a year. Axis Ultra Short Term fund charges 0.36% a year and ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund 0.21% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 15.0%: they hold 18 of the same securities.
Axis Ultra Short Term fund
Ultra Short
- 3 year return
- 7.4%
- Expense ratio
- 0.36%
- NAV
- ₹17.03
ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund
Money Market
- 3 year return
- 7.3%
- Expense ratio
- 0.21%
- NAV
- ₹417.79
Which is better, Axis Ultra Short Term fund or ICICI Prudential Money Market? Key differences
It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.
- Axis Ultra Short Term fund returned more over 5 years: 6.8% a year against 6.7%.
- Axis Ultra Short Term fund returned more over 3 years: 7.4% a year against 7.3%.
- ICICI Prudential Money Market costs less: 0.21% a year against 0.36% (Direct plans).
- Axis Ultra Short Term fund swung less over 3 years: a standard deviation of 0.4% a year against 0.4%.
- Axis Ultra Short Term fund fell less in its worst fall since 12-09-2018: −0.8% against −1.2%.
- ICICI Prudential Money Market is the larger fund: ₹31,010 Cr against ₹4,996 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 15.0%: 18 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 Ultra Short Term fund | ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | Axis Mutual Fund | ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund |
| Category | Ultra Short | Money Market |
| AUM | ₹4,996 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹31,010 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹17.03 (Direct) | ₹417.79 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 0.36% | 0.21% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 1.24% | Not available |
| Riskometer | Moderate | Not available |
| Benchmark | NIFTY Ultra Short Duration Debt Index A-I | NIFTY Money Market Index A-I |
| Launch date | 10-09-2018 | 08-03-2006 |
| Minimum investment | ₹100 | ₹500 |
| Lock in | None | None |
| Fund managers | Sachin Jain, Hardik Shah | Manish Banthia, Nikhil Kabra |
| Exit load | Nil | Nil |
Axis Ultra Short Term fund vs ICICI Prudential Money Market: 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 Ultra Short Term fund (Direct) | +0.36% | +1.53% | +3.34% | +6.56% | +7.37% | +6.82% | -- |
| ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (Direct) | +0.33% | +1.50% | +3.30% | +6.33% | +7.29% | +6.73% | +6.68% |
| Ultra Short average | +0.30% | +1.34% | +3.06% | +6.00% | +6.82% | +6.27% | -- |
| Money Market average | +0.33% | +1.49% | +3.29% | +6.35% | +7.24% | +6.68% | +6.60% |
Category average: the average of the 26 Ultra Short funds and the 27 Money Market funds, same plan type.
Axis Ultra Short Term fund vs ICICI Prudential Money Market: Year-wise Returns
| Year | Axis Ultra Short Term fundAxis Ultra Short Term fund | ICICI Prudential Money MarketICICI Prudential Money Market |
|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | +5.47% | +5.25% |
| 2025 | +7.48% | +7.56% |
| 2024 | +7.91% | +7.84% |
| 2023 | +7.46% | +7.47% |
| 2022 | +5.08% | +4.85% |
| 2021 | +4.09% | +3.82% |
Axis Ultra Short Term fund vs ICICI Prudential Money Market: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds
Rolling returns
Every 3-year holding period, 1,251 of them, one for each trading day from 13-09-2021 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 Ultra Short Term fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (Direct)
to
Feb 2022Dec 2019
to
Dec 2022Nov 2020
to
Nov 2023Sept 2021
to
Sept 2024Aug 2022
to
Aug 2025Jun 2023
to
Jun 2026
How the periods spread
| Fund | Below 0% | 0-5% | 5-10% | 10-15% | 15-20% | 20-25% | Above 25% | Mean | Median | Lowest | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis Ultra Short Term fund | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.4% | 6.3% | 5.1% | 7.7% |
| ICICI Prudential Money Market | 0.0 | 9.2 | 90.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.2% | 6.1% | 4.9% | 7.7% |
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 12-09-2018. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Axis Ultra Short Term fund vs ICICI Prudential Money Market: 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 12-09-2018 to 30-10-2026: 98 instalments, ₹9,80,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis Ultra Short Term fundAxis Ultra Short Term fund (Direct) | ₹9,80,000 | ₹12,96,684 | ₹3,16,684 | 6.7% |
| ICICI Prudential Money MarketICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (Direct) | ₹9,80,000 | ₹12,90,786 | ₹3,10,786 | 6.6% |
Axis Ultra Short Term fundAxis Ultra Short Term fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Money MarketICICI Prudential Money Market 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 Ultra Short Term fund vs ICICI Prudential Money Market: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | Axis Ultra Short Term fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +6.56% | +6.33% |
| Standard deviation | 0.45% | 0.53% |
| Sharpe ratio | 2.91 | 2.06 |
| Sortino ratio | 4.92 | 3.28 |
| Maximum drawdown | −0.1% (21-05-2026) | −0.2% (22-05-2026) |
| 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 Ultra Short Term fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +7.37% | +7.29% |
| Standard deviation | 0.38% | 0.43% |
| Sharpe ratio | 3.53 | 2.94 |
| Sortino ratio | 7.07 | 5.48 |
| Maximum drawdown | −0.1% (21-05-2026) | −0.2% (22-05-2026) |
| 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 Ultra Short Term fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +6.82% | +6.73% |
| Standard deviation | 0.37% | 0.40% |
| Sharpe ratio | 2.77 | 2.31 |
| Sortino ratio | 5.12 | 4.12 |
| Maximum drawdown | −0.2% (06-05-2022) | −0.2% (06-05-2022) |
| Beta | -- | -- |
| Alpha | -- | -- |
From daily NAVs, 29-10-2021 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 Ultra Short Term fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +6.75% | +7.24% |
| Standard deviation | 0.51% | 0.49% |
| Sharpe ratio | 2.92 | 2.41 |
| Sortino ratio | 6.08 | 4.98 |
| Maximum drawdown | −0.8% (24-03-2020) | −1.2% (24-03-2020) |
| Beta | -- | -- |
| Alpha | -- | -- |
From daily NAVs, 12-09-2018 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 Ultra Short Term fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (Direct)
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis Ultra Short Term fund (Direct) | −0.8% | 11-03-2020 | 24-03-2020 | 27-03-2020 | 3 days | 0.0% |
| ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (Direct) | −1.2% | 11-03-2020 | 24-03-2020 | 27-03-2020 | 3 days | 0.0% |
From daily values since 12-09-2018, 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 Ultra Short Term fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Money Market 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 Ultra Short Term fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Money Market 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 Ultra Short Term fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (Direct)
Axis Ultra Short Term fund vs ICICI Prudential Money Market: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: Axis Ultra Short Term fund, September 2026; ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 15.0%
- Held by both
- 18
- Only in Axis Ultra Short Term fund
- 58
- Only in ICICI Prudential Money Market
- 110
| Security | % of Axis Ultra Short Term fund | % of ICICI Prudential Money Market |
|---|---|---|
| 182 Days Tbill (MD 17/12/2026) | 2.18% | 3.98% |
| Small Industries Dev Bank of India (28/01/2027) | 5.87% | 1.66% |
| Canara Bank (28/01/2027) | 4.41% | 1.59% |
| National Bank For Agriculture and Rural Development (17/03/2027) | 1.45% | 1.25% |
| National Bank For Agriculture and Rural Development (14/01/2027) | 3.93% | 1.11% |
| IDBI Bank Limited (11/03/2027) | 2.91% | 1.09% |
| HDFC Bank Limited (12/03/2027) | 1.94% | 1.02% |
| IndusInd Bank Limited (09/03/2027) | 2.43% | 1.02% |
| Punjab National Bank (05/02/2027) | 0.98% | 1.73% |
| Small Industries Dev Bank of India (14/01/2027) | 0.49% | 2.69% |
| Canara Bank (29/01/2027) | 0.49% | 0.79% |
| Small Industries Dev Bank of India (04/02/2027) | 1.47% | 0.47% |
| LIC Housing Finance Limited (11/02/2027) | 2.05% | 0.39% |
| National Bank For Agriculture and Rural Development (28/01/2027) | 0.69% | 0.32% |
| Punjab & Sind Bank (12/03/2027) | 0.49% | 0.31% |
| SBI - Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF) - Class A2 | 0.36% | 0.30% |
| Canara Bank (02/02/2027) | 1.47% | 0.16% |
| Punjab National Bank (04/03/2027) | 1.46% | 0.16% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 15.0% means 15.0% 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 Ultra Short Term fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| HDFC Bank Limited (15/01/2027) | 5.40% |
| Punjab National Bank (09/02/2027) | 5.37% |
| 8.03% Mindspace Business Parks REIT (10/12/2026) | 4.01% |
| National Bank For Agriculture and Rural Development (02/03/2027) | 2.92% |
| JTPM Metal Traders Limited (29/09/2028) (ZCB) | 2.40% |
Largest holdings only in ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Axis Bank Ltd. | 3.96% |
| HDFC Bank Ltd. | 3.08% |
| Bank Of Baroda | 3.00% |
| Panatone Finvest Ltd. | 2.53% |
| IndusInd Bank Ltd. | 2.36% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | Axis Ultra Short Term fund | ICICI Prudential Money Market |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Debt | 98.4% | 105.9% |
| Cash and others | 1.6% | -5.9% |
Axis Ultra Short Term fund vs ICICI Prudential Money Market: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | Axis Ultra Short Term fund | ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 0.36% | 0.21% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.30% | 0.18% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 1.24% | Not available |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 1.06% | 0.28% |
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 Ultra Short Term fund with
Compare ICICI Prudential Money Market with
Axis Ultra Short Term fund vs ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Axis Ultra Short Term fund and ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund?
Axis Ultra Short Term fund is an Ultra Short fund, ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund is a Money Market fund, run by Axis Mutual Fund and ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 15.0%. Axis Ultra Short Term fund charges 0.36% a year and ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund 0.21%.
Which has given higher returns, Axis Ultra Short Term fund or ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund?
Over 1 year: Axis Ultra Short Term fund +6.56%, ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund +6.33%. Over 3 years: Axis Ultra Short Term fund +7.37% a year, ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund +7.29% a year. Over 5 years: Axis Ultra Short Term fund +6.82% a year, ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund +6.73% a year. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, Axis Ultra Short Term fund or ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund?
ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund charges less: 0.21% a year against 0.36%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do Axis Ultra Short Term fund and ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund overlap?
15.0%. They hold 18 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being 182 Days Tbill (MD 17/12/2026), Small Industries Dev Bank of India (28/01/2027), Canara Bank (28/01/2027). From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is better for SIP, Axis Ultra Short Term fund or ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund?
Over the last 5 years, a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from 01-10-2021 to 30-10-2026 grew to ₹7,32,546 in Axis Ultra Short Term fund (XIRR 7.1% a year) and ₹7,30,979 in ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund (XIRR 7.1% a year). Both received 61 instalments. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Can I invest in both Axis Ultra Short Term fund and ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund?
Yes. 15.0% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so some of the two investments would move together.
Who manages Axis Ultra Short Term fund and ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund?
Axis Ultra Short Term fund: Sachin Jain, Hardik Shah. ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund: Manish Banthia, 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.