HDFC Equity Savings Fund vs ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
HDFC Equity Savings Fund and ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund are both Equity Savings funds. In the 3 years to 30-10-2026, HDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct) returned 8.3% a year and ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (Direct) returned 6.9% a year. HDFC Equity Savings Fund charges 1.30% a year and ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund 1.12% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 41.9%: they hold 44 of the same securities.
HDFC Equity Savings Fund
Equity Savings
- 3 year return
- 8.3%
- Expense ratio
- 1.30%
- NAV
- ₹75.88
ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund
Equity Savings
- 3 year return
- 6.9%
- Expense ratio
- 1.12%
- NAV
- ₹25.22
Which is better, HDFC Equity Savings or ICICI Prudential Equity Savings? Key differences
It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.
- HDFC Equity Savings returned more over 5 years: 7.8% a year against 7.4%.
- HDFC Equity Savings returned more over 3 years: 8.3% a year against 6.9%.
- ICICI Prudential Equity Savings costs less: 1.12% a year against 1.30% (Direct plans).
- ICICI Prudential Equity Savings swung less over 3 years: a standard deviation of 2.5% a year against 4.7%.
- HDFC Equity Savings fell less in its worst fall since 08-12-2014: −16.9% against −19.2%.
- ICICI Prudential Equity Savings holds more in large companies: 69.1% of the fund in large caps against 58.4%.
- ICICI Prudential Equity Savings is the larger fund: ₹14,905 Cr against ₹5,533 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 41.9%: 44 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 Equity Savings Fund | ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | HDFC Mutual Fund | ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund |
| Category | Equity Savings | Equity Savings |
| AUM | ₹5,533 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹14,905 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹75.88 (Direct) | ₹25.22 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 1.30% | 1.12% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 2.20% | 1.59% |
| Riskometer | Moderately High | Not available |
| Benchmark | Nifty Equity Savings Index | Nifty Equity Savings TRI |
| Launch date | 17-09-2004 | 05-12-2014 |
| Minimum investment | ₹100 | ₹5,000 |
| Lock in | None | None |
| Fund managers | Anand Laddha, Anil Bamboli, Nandita Menezes, Arun Agarwal, Gopal Agrawal, Bhagyesh Kagalkar | Dharmesh Kakkad, Archana Nair, Manish Banthia, Ritesh Lunawat, Sri Sharma, Ajaykumar Solanki |
| Exit load | Exit load For units in excess of 15% of the investment,1% will be charged for redemption within 1 month. | Exit load for units in excess of 10% of the investment,0.25% will be charged for redemption within 7 days |
HDFC Equity Savings vs ICICI Prudential Equity Savings: 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 Equity Savings Fund (Direct) | +0.47% | −1.25% | +0.85% | +0.39% | +8.28% | +7.85% | +9.27% |
| ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (Direct) | +0.76% | +0.28% | +2.02% | +1.98% | +6.93% | +7.37% | +7.85% |
| Equity Savings average | −0.02% | −0.68% | +1.71% | +2.12% | +8.55% | +7.55% | +8.43% |
Category average: the average of the 23 Equity Savings funds, same plan type.
HDFC Equity Savings vs ICICI Prudential Equity Savings: Year-wise Returns
| Year | HDFCHDFC Equity Savings | ICICI PrudentialICICI Prudential Equity Savings |
|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | −0.54% | +0.44% |
| 2025 | +7.84% | +8.89% |
| 2024 | +11.33% | +8.98% |
| 2023 | +14.83% | +10.44% |
| 2022 | +6.98% | +7.70% |
| 2021 | +17.74% | +10.22% |
HDFC Equity Savings vs ICICI Prudential Equity Savings: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds
Rolling returns
Every 3-year holding period, 2,189 of them, one for each trading day from 08-12-2017 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.
HDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (Direct)
to
Aug 2018Feb 2017
to
Feb 2020Sept 2018
to
Sept 2021Mar 2020
to
Mar 2023Sept 2021
to
Sept 2024Feb 2023
to
Feb 2026
How the periods spread
| Fund | Below 0% | 0-5% | 5-10% | 10-15% | 15-20% | 20-25% | Above 25% | Mean | Median | Lowest | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Equity Savings | 0.0 | 8.0 | 21.4 | 67.1 | 3.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10.6% | 11.3% | 0.6% | 17.6% |
| ICICI Prudential Equity Savings | 0.0 | 3.9 | 83.3 | 12.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.7% | 8.8% | 0.8% | 15.2% |
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 08-12-2014. Past returns do not promise future returns.
HDFC Equity Savings vs ICICI Prudential Equity Savings: 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 01-12-2014 to 30-10-2026: 143 instalments, ₹14,30,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Equity SavingsHDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct) | ₹14,30,000 | ₹25,55,730 | ₹11,25,730 | 9.3% |
| ICICI Prudential Equity SavingsICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (Direct) | ₹14,30,000 | ₹23,35,272 | ₹9,05,272 | 7.9% |
HDFC Equity SavingsHDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Equity SavingsICICI Prudential Equity Savings 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 Equity Savings vs ICICI Prudential Equity Savings: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | HDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +0.39% | +1.98% |
| Standard deviation | 5.01% | 3.01% |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.97 | -1.08 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.28 | -1.43 |
| Maximum drawdown | −4.8% (30-03-2026) | −3.1% (30-03-2026) |
| 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 | HDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +8.28% | +6.93% |
| Standard deviation | 4.70% | 2.47% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.48 | 0.37 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.65 | 0.51 |
| Maximum drawdown | −4.8% (30-03-2026) | −3.1% (30-03-2026) |
| 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 | HDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +7.85% | +7.37% |
| Standard deviation | 4.90% | 2.38% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.42 | 0.66 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.57 | 0.94 |
| Maximum drawdown | −5.3% (20-06-2022) | −3.1% (30-03-2026) |
| 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 | HDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +9.72% | +8.11% |
| Standard deviation | 5.75% | 5.18% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.64 | 0.47 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.87 | 0.62 |
| Maximum drawdown | −16.9% (23-03-2020) | −19.2% (23-03-2020) |
| 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.
HDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (Direct)
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct) | −16.9% | 14-01-2020 | 23-03-2020 | 06-11-2020 | 7 months | −2.2% |
| ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (Direct) | −19.2% | 07-02-2020 | 23-03-2020 | 20-11-2020 | 8 months | −0.5% |
From daily values since 08-12-2014, 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 Equity Savings Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Equity Savings 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.
HDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Equity Savings 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.
HDFC Equity Savings Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (Direct)
HDFC Equity Savings vs ICICI Prudential Equity Savings: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: HDFC Equity Savings Fund, September 2026; ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 41.9%
- Held by both
- 44
- Only in HDFC Equity Savings
- 82
- Only in ICICI Prudential Equity Savings
- 80
| Security | % of HDFC Equity Savings | % of ICICI Prudential Equity Savings |
|---|---|---|
| HDFC Bank Ltd. | 6.96% | 8.63% |
| Reliance Industries Ltd. | 5.23% | 4.94% |
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. | 2.89% | 5.48% |
| Bharti Airtel Ltd. | 2.38% | 2.41% |
| NTPC Limited | 3.55% | 2.30% |
| Bajaj Finance Ltd. | 2.00% | 2.65% |
| ICICI Bank Ltd. | 2.87% | 1.90% |
| Larsen and Toubro Ltd. | 2.97% | 1.78% |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited | 1.74% | 4.16% |
| Axis Bank Ltd. | 1.61% | 1.75% |
| Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. | 1.12% | 3.39% |
| Infosys Limited | 1.08% | 1.20% |
| Hindustan Unilever Ltd. | 0.93% | 2.13% |
| Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. | 0.93% | 1.58% |
| Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone | 0.80% | 3.02% |
| Maruti Suzuki India Limited | 2.05% | 0.79% |
| HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited | 0.67% | 1.76% |
| Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. | 0.69% | 0.56% |
| ITC LIMITED | 0.54% | 2.75% |
| Cipla Ltd. | 0.49% | 0.49% |
| UltraTech Cement Limited | 0.44% | 1.03% |
| Tata Steel Ltd. | 0.43% | 1.64% |
| Ambuja Cements Ltd. | 0.42% | 1.43% |
| Divis Laboratories Ltd. | 1.03% | 0.36% |
| Hindalco Industries Ltd. | 0.34% | 0.50% |
| SBI Life Insurance Company Ltd. | 0.61% | 0.34% |
| Eternal Limited | 0.62% | 0.33% |
| State Bank of India | 1.56% | 0.33% |
| Bajaj Finserv Ltd. | 0.31% | 1.29% |
| Eicher Motors Ltd. | 0.65% | 0.30% |
| Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. | 0.80% | 0.30% |
| Titan Company Ltd. | 3.20% | 0.28% |
| Hindustan Aeronautics Limited | 0.25% | 0.25% |
| One 97 Communications Limited | 0.52% | 0.22% |
| Cube Highways Trust | 0.21% | 0.34% |
| 6.94% GOI MAT 110536 | 0.18% | 0.75% |
| Hero MotoCorp Ltd. | 0.70% | 0.13% |
| TVS Motor Company Ltd. | 0.07% | 0.17% |
| GAIL (India) Ltd. | 0.06% | 0.23% |
| Avenue Supermarts Ltd. | 0.19% | 0.05% |
| Coal India Ltd. | 0.38% | 0.04% |
| Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. | 0.25% | 0.04% |
| Biocon Ltd. | 0.03% | 0.96% |
| United Spirits Limited | 0.38% | 0.03% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 41.9% means 41.9% 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 Equity Savings Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| 7.18% GOI MAT 140833 | 2.38% |
| 7.1% GOI MAT 180429 | 2.01% |
| Muthoot Finance Ltd. | 1.35% |
| State Bank of India (Tier 2 - Basel III) | 1.22% |
| Hyundai Motor India Limited | 1.10% |
Largest holdings only in ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| ICICI Prudential Money Market Fund - Direct Plan - Growth | 9.19% |
| Bajaj Finance Ltd. | 0.99% |
| Vodafone Idea Ltd. | 0.93% |
| Government Securities | 0.90% |
| Nestle India Ltd. | 0.76% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | HDFC Equity Savings | ICICI Prudential Equity Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 65.6% | 73.1% |
| Debt | 26.5% | 11.9% |
| Cash and others | 7.9% | 15.0% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | HDFC Equity Savings | ICICI Prudential Equity Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 58.4% | 69.1% |
| Mid Cap | 3.2% | 2.7% |
| Small Cap | 3.9% | 1.4% |
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 Equity Savings | ICICI Prudential Equity Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Banks | 14.8% | 18.3% |
| Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| Automobiles | 6.5% | 4.8% |
| Petroleum Products | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| Diversified Fmcg | 0.0% | 4.9% |
| Finance | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| Power | 4.2% | 3.0% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
HDFC Equity Savings vs ICICI Prudential Equity Savings: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | HDFC Equity Savings Fund | ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 1.30% | 1.12% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.83% | 0.43% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 2.20% | 1.59% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 1.59% | 0.83% |
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 HDFC Equity Savings with
Compare ICICI Prudential Equity Savings with
HDFC Equity Savings Fund vs ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between HDFC Equity Savings Fund and ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund?
Both are Equity Savings funds, run by HDFC Mutual Fund and ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 41.9%. HDFC Equity Savings Fund charges 1.30% a year and ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund 1.12%.
Which has given higher returns, HDFC Equity Savings Fund or ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund?
Over 1 year: HDFC Equity Savings Fund +0.39%, ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund +1.98%. Over 3 years: HDFC Equity Savings Fund +8.28% a year, ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund +6.93% a year. Over 5 years: HDFC Equity Savings Fund +7.85% a year, ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund +7.37% a year. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, HDFC Equity Savings Fund or ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund?
ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund charges less: 1.12% a year against 1.30%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do HDFC Equity Savings Fund and ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund overlap?
41.9%. They hold 44 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being HDFCBANK, RELIANCE, SUNPHARMA. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is better for SIP, HDFC Equity Savings Fund or ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund?
Over the last 5 years, a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from 01-10-2021 to 30-10-2026 grew to ₹7,32,972 in HDFC Equity Savings Fund (XIRR 7.2% a year) and ₹7,23,835 in ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund (XIRR 6.7% a year). Both received 61 instalments. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Can I invest in both HDFC Equity Savings Fund and ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund?
Yes. 41.9% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so a large part of the two investments would move together.
Who manages HDFC Equity Savings Fund and ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund?
HDFC Equity Savings Fund: Anand Laddha, Anil Bamboli, Nandita Menezes, Arun Agarwal, Gopal Agrawal, Bhagyesh Kagalkar. ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund: Dharmesh Kakkad, Archana Nair, Manish Banthia, Ritesh Lunawat, Sri Sharma, Ajaykumar Solanki.
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.