HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund is an ELSS fund and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund is an Index fund. In the year to 30-10-2026, HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund (Direct) returned −9.6% and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) returned −10.3%. HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund charges 1.20% a year and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund 0.28% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 53.7%: they hold 25 of the same securities.
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund
ELSS
- 1 year return
- −9.6%
- Expense ratio
- 1.20%
- NAV
- ₹1,434.92
Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund
Index
- 1 year return
- −10.3%
- Expense ratio
- 0.28%
- NAV
- ₹9.24
Which is better, HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver or Zerodha Nifty 50 Index? Key differences
It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.
- HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver returned more over 1 year: −9.6% against −10.3%.
- Zerodha Nifty 50 Index costs less: 0.28% a year against 1.20% (Direct plans).
- HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver fell less in its worst fall since 17-10-2025: −14.8% against −15.2%.
- Zerodha Nifty 50 Index holds more in large companies: 99.2% of the fund in large caps against 78.4%.
- HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver is the larger fund: ₹14,949 Cr against ₹75 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 53.7%: 25 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 | HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | HDFC Mutual Fund | Zerodha Mutual Fund |
| Category | ELSS | Index |
| AUM | ₹14,949 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹75 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹1,434.92 (Direct) | ₹9.24 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 1.20% | 0.28% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 1.76% | Not available |
| Riskometer | Very High | Very High |
| Benchmark | Nifty 500 TRI | Nifty 50 TRI |
| Launch date | 31-03-1996 | 14-10-2025 |
| Minimum investment | ₹500 | ₹100 |
| Lock in | 3 years | None |
| Fund managers | Amar Kalkundrikar, Gopal Agrawal | Kedarnath Mirajkar |
| Exit load | NIL | Nil |
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | +1.27% | −4.75% | −0.92% | −9.55% | +12.73% | +12.97% | +12.64% |
| Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) | +1.95% | −5.00% | −3.12% | −10.25% | -- | -- | -- |
| ELSS average | −2.34% | −5.61% | −1.63% | −5.75% | +10.92% | +10.29% | +13.05% |
Category average: the average of the 50 ELSS funds, same plan type.
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: Year-wise Returns
| Year | HDFC ELSS - Tax SaverHDFC ELSS - Tax Saver | Zerodha Nifty 50 IndexZerodha Nifty 50 Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | −9.15% | −11.01% |
| 2025 | +10.94% | -- |
| 2024 | +22.07% | -- |
| 2023 | +34.02% | -- |
| 2022 | +11.14% | -- |
| 2021 | +36.05% | -- |
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds, against Nifty 500 TRI, the benchmark of HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: 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 01-10-2025 to 30-10-2026: 13 instalments, ₹1,30,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC ELSS - Tax SaverHDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | ₹1,30,000 | ₹1,24,522 | −₹5,478 | −7.2% |
| Zerodha Nifty 50 IndexZerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) | ₹1,30,000 | ₹1,23,091 | −₹6,909 | −9.1% |
HDFC ELSS - Tax SaverHDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund (Direct)
Zerodha Nifty 50 IndexZerodha Nifty 50 Index 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.
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | −9.55% | −10.25% |
| Standard deviation | 13.16% | 13.60% |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.12 | -1.14 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.48 | -1.52 |
| Maximum drawdown | −14.7% (31-03-2026) | −15.2% (30-03-2026) |
| Beta | 0.88 | 1.00 |
| Alpha | −3.71% | −0.28% |
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 | HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +13.59% | −9.31% |
| Standard deviation | 15.87% | 13.43% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.48 | -1.08 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.65 | -1.45 |
| Maximum drawdown | −44.1% (23-03-2020) | −15.2% (30-03-2026) |
| Beta | 0.96 | 1.00 |
| Alpha | +1.04% | −0.29% |
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.
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund (Direct)
Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct)
Nifty 500 TRI
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | −14.8% | 29-10-2025 | 31-03-2026 | Not yet | -- | −10.0% |
| Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) | −15.2% | 02-01-2026 | 30-03-2026 | Not yet | -- | −11.7% |
| Nifty 500 TRI | −14.7% | 02-01-2026 | 30-03-2026 | Not yet | -- | −8.4% |
From daily values since 17-10-2025, 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.
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund (Direct)
Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct)
Nifty 500 TRI
Against Nifty 500 TRI
| Fund | Up capture | Down capture | Tracking error |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | 79% | 96% | 5.02% |
| Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) | 73% | 95% | 4.89% |
From month-end values since 17-10-2025. Up capture: a fund's average month when the benchmark rose, as % of the benchmark's; above 100% it gained more. Down capture: the same for months the benchmark fell; below 100% it fell less. Tracking error: how far the monthly returns strayed from the benchmark's, a year; an index fund aims near 0.
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund, September 2026; Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 53.7%
- Held by both
- 25
- Only in HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver
- 37
- Only in Zerodha Nifty 50 Index
- 25
| Security | % of HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver | % of Zerodha Nifty 50 Index |
|---|---|---|
| ICICI Bank Ltd. | 9.06% | 9.10% |
| HDFC Bank Ltd. | 7.87% | 10.44% |
| Bharti Airtel Ltd. | 4.45% | 5.13% |
| State Bank of India | 4.49% | 3.81% |
| Axis Bank Ltd. | 6.56% | 3.39% |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited | 4.88% | 2.95% |
| Reliance Industries Ltd. | 2.64% | 7.63% |
| Eternal Limited | 2.41% | 2.23% |
| Larsen and Toubro Ltd. | 1.59% | 4.23% |
| Maruti Suzuki India Limited | 4.40% | 1.49% |
| Tata Steel Ltd. | 1.85% | 1.47% |
| HCL Technologies Ltd. | 2.94% | 1.25% |
| JSW Steel Ltd. | 1.55% | 1.16% |
| Bajaj Auto Limited | 1.88% | 1.14% |
| Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. | 1.09% | 1.13% |
| InterGlobe Aviation Ltd. | 1.37% | 1.08% |
| Infosys Limited | 0.96% | 3.37% |
| Tech Mahindra Ltd. | 1.02% | 0.93% |
| Eicher Motors Ltd. | 0.86% | 0.95% |
| Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. | 1.50% | 0.81% |
| Hindustan Unilever Ltd. | 0.75% | 1.60% |
| SBI Life Insurance Company Ltd. | 3.21% | 0.73% |
| Cipla Ltd. | 1.11% | 0.73% |
| Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. | 0.69% | 2.53% |
| Bharat Electronics Ltd. | 0.56% | 1.34% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 53.7% means 53.7% 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 HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Motor India Limited | 2.72% |
| Britannia Industries Ltd. | 1.69% |
| Dr. Lal Path Labs Ltd | 1.52% |
| Bosch Limited | 1.42% |
| Karur Vysya Bank Ltd. | 1.30% |
Largest holdings only in Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Bajaj Finance Limited | 2.52% |
| ITC Limited | 2.43% |
| Tata Consultancy Services Limited | 2.01% |
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited | 1.85% |
| Titan Company Limited | 1.82% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 99.2% | 100.6% |
| Debt | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Cash and others | 0.4% | -0.6% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 78.4% | 99.2% |
| Mid Cap | 10.1% | 1.4% |
| Small Cap | 10.6% | 0.0% |
| Not on AMFI's list | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Share of the whole fund. Groups follow AMFI's latest list: Large Cap is the 100 largest companies, Mid Cap the next 150, Small Cap the rest.
Largest sectors
| Sector | HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index |
|---|---|---|
| Banks | 34.2% | 29.7% |
| Automobiles | 10.9% | 6.7% |
| Petroleum Products | 2.6% | 7.6% |
| IT - Software | 5.9% | 7.6% |
| Insurance | 5.9% | 1.3% |
| Finance | 0.0% | 5.5% |
| Telecom - Services | 4.5% | 5.1% |
| Healthcare Services | 4.2% | 1.5% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 1.20% | 0.28% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.97% | 0.10% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 1.76% | Not available |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 1.45% | 0.00% |
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
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund?
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund is an ELSS fund, Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund is an Index fund, run by HDFC Mutual Fund and Zerodha Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 53.7%. HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund charges 1.20% a year and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund 0.28%.
Which has given higher returns, HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund or Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund?
Over 1 year: HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund −9.55%, Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund −10.25%. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund or Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund?
Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund charges less: 0.28% a year against 1.20%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund overlap?
53.7%. They hold 25 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being ICICIBANK, HDFCBANK, BHARTIARTL. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is riskier, HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund or Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund?
On SEBI's riskometer, HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund is rated Very High and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund Very High. Over 1 years, the standard deviation of daily returns was 13.16% and 13.60% a year.
Can I invest in both HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund?
Yes. 53.7% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so a large part of the two investments would move together.
Who manages HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund?
HDFC ELSS - Tax Saver Fund: Amar Kalkundrikar, Gopal Agrawal. Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund: Kedarnath Mirajkar.
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.