scripbox logo
search icon

Best ELSS Funds

Best ELSS Funds - Consider the best performing elss mutual funds to invest in 2025 with Scripbox.com. Find the list of best elss funds in India on the basis of Returns, Latest Nav, Ratings, Performance etc.

Learn how Scripbox Recommends funds
fd-banner Are your tax-saving funds right for you? Review Now

Best ELSS Funds to Invest in 2025

Note: *NA implies that Fund is relatively new. Not enough data available.

build-long-item-wealth-img
Save Taxes, Build Wealth

Invest in these funds with automated best practices like quarterly scans, updates & tax-optimised withdrawals

  • graph-icon
    Inflation beating returns
  • grow-icon
    Grow wealth, retirement, kids education
  • tracking-star
    One click investing & tracking

Top 10 ELSS Funds to invest in 2025

Below are the Best ELSS Funds in india:

1 . SBI Long Term Equity Fund Direct (G)

SBI Long Term Equity Fund Direct (G) is a Equity fund that has delivered a 1 Year return of 10.6% , a 3 Years return of 24.8% and a 5 Years return of 30.3% . The fund has an expense ratio of 1.1% and an AUM of ₹ 27730 crores as of 2025-04-24. The minimum lump sum investment is ₹500.

2 . DSP ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G)

DSP ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G) is a Equity fund that has delivered a 1 Year return of 18.7% , a 3 Years return of 20.6% and a 5 Years return of 28.7% . The fund has an expense ratio of 0.7% and an AUM of ₹ 16218 crores as of 2025-04-24. It was Launched on 2013-01-01. The minimum lump sum investment is ₹500.

3 . HDFC ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G)

HDFC ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G) is a Equity fund that has delivered a 1 Year return of 16.6% , a 3 Years return of 23.4% and a 5 Years return of 29.4% . The fund has an expense ratio of 1.1% and an AUM of ₹ 15556 crores as of 2025-04-24. It was Launched on 2013-01-01. The minimum lump sum investment is ₹500.

4 . Motilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G)

Motilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G) is a Equity fund that has delivered a 1 Year return of 11.1% , a 3 Years return of 25.1% and a 5 Years return of 28.7% . The fund has an expense ratio of 0.7% and an AUM of ₹ 3817 crores as of 2025-04-24. It was Launched on 2015-01-21. The minimum lump sum investment is ₹500.

5 . Franklin India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G)

Franklin India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G) is a Equity fund that has delivered a 1 Year return of 12.2% , a 3 Years return of 20.1% and a 5 Years return of 28.7% . The fund has an expense ratio of 1.1% and an AUM of ₹ 6359 crores as of 2025-04-24. It was Launched on 2013-01-01. The minimum lump sum investment is ₹500.

6 . Bandhan ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G)

Bandhan ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G) is a Equity fund that has delivered a 1 Year return of 6.4% , a 3 Years return of 15.3% and a 5 Years return of 29.9% . The fund has an expense ratio of 0.7% and an AUM of ₹ 6597 crores as of 2025-04-24. The minimum lump sum investment is ₹500.

7 . Bank of India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G)

Bank of India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G) is a Equity fund that has delivered a 1 Year return of 0.2% , a 3 Years return of 17.9% and a 5 Years return of 26.9% . The fund has an expense ratio of 1.0% and an AUM of ₹ 1320 crores as of 2025-04-24. The minimum lump sum investment is ₹500.

8 . Kotak ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G)

Kotak ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G) is a Equity fund that has delivered a 1 Year return of 7.8% , a 3 Years return of 17.2% and a 5 Years return of 25.8% . The fund has an expense ratio of 0.7% and an AUM of ₹ 5863 crores as of 2025-04-24. The minimum lump sum investment is ₹500.

9 . Nippon India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G)

Nippon India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G) is a Equity fund that has delivered a 1 Year return of 10.5% , a 3 Years return of 18.3% and a 5 Years return of 26.9% . The fund has an expense ratio of 1.1% and an AUM of ₹ 14392 crores as of 2025-04-24. The minimum lump sum investment is ₹500.

10 . Parag Parikh ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G)

Parag Parikh ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct (G) is a Equity fund that has delivered a 1 Year return of 16.3% , a 3 Years return of 19.6% and a 5 Years return of 29.8% . The fund has an expense ratio of 0.6% and an AUM of ₹ 4906 crores as of 2025-04-24. It was Launched on 2019-07-24. The minimum lump sum investment is ₹500.

Although the benefits of investing in an ELSS mutual fund are attractive to any investor there are a few parameters that you must consider before investing. The most important parameter for any investor is to match his/ her investment goal with the selected mutual funds. The selected mutual funds must fulfill your goal for a successful investment. To make a well-informed decision you must consider factors like the fund’s historical performance, returns, latest NAV,  exit load, and fund manager’s portfolio performance.

10 Top Performing ELSS Funds (Direct Plan) to Invest in 2025

Fund Name3 Year Returns5 Year Returns
SBI Long Term Equity Fund Direct Growth21.9%24.7%
HDFC ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth20.6%21.6%
Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth18%32.3%
DSP ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth17.3%22.4%
Bank of India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth17.2%25.8%
Franklin India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth17.1%21.4%
Kotak ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth16.3%21.4%
Nippon India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth15.8%18.8%
Bandhan ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth14.6%23.5%
Mirae Asset ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth12.9%21.1%

10 Top Performing ELSS Funds (Regular Plan) to Invest in 2025

Fund Name3 Year Returns5 Year Returns
Mirae Asset ELSS Tax Saver Fund Regular Growth13.7%21.2%
DSP ELSS Tax Saver Fund Regular Growth18.2%22.3%
SBI Long Term Equity Fund Regular Growth23.8%25.4%
Nippon India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Regular Growth17.0%19.5%
Nippon India Tax Saver ELSS Fund Regular Growth20.80%4.70%
HDFC ELSS Tax Saver Fund Regular Growth22.0%22.0%
Bandhan ELSS Tax Saver Fund Regular Growth15.6%23.2%
Franklin India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Regular Growth17.9%21.2%
Bank of India ELSS Tax Saver Fund Regular Fund17.7%25.5%
Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund Regular Fund20.1%32.3%

What are ELSS Funds?

Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS) is a kind of mutual fund scheme that invests in equity and equity-related instruments. ELSS comes with a lock-in of 3 years and provides a tax benefit up to 1.5 lakhs in a year under section 80C of the Income Tax Act.

Investments in ELSS can be made through lump-sum payments or SIP. If payments are made through SIP, the lock-in period of 3 years is taken for each SIP.

What is a mutual fund NAV?

Net asset value NAV is the market price of the fund. It is important because it represents the worth of each share of the fund. One can say just like shares have a share price, mutual funds have a NAV to represent it’s worth.

Features of ELSS Mutual Funds

  1. Lowest Lock-in period: Equity linked savings schemes have the lowest lock-in period when it comes to tax-saving investments. It has a lock-in period of 3 years post which the investments can be updated. ELSS funds offer the possibility of a higher return as compared to traditional tax-saving fixed deposits, public provident fund, national pension scheme, and others
  2. Save Tax: Investments in ELSS funds provide a tax benefit of 1.5 lakh as per section 80C of the Act. It helps you to save tax and get better returns. It helps you in planning your taxable income by claiming tax deductions
  3. Mode of investment: Investments in ELSS can be made either through the lumpsum method or SIP. If invested through SIP mode, it offers the benefit of rupee cost averaging and saves the trouble of investing a lumpsum amount at one go.
    Thus investment through SIP mode also does not feels heavy on the pocket.
  4. Management of the invested amount: ELSS are managed by professionals who are well-versed with the market conditions and are aware of the ups and downs in the market. The money invested by anyone through ELSS is managed by these fund managers.

Who should Invest in ELSS funds?

  1. Any individual or HUF can make investments in ELSS through SIP or lumpsum method. ELSS is considered better if you have a long term investment horizon, preferably more than 3 years.
  2. ELSS comprises mostly equity instruments that can offer exceptional returns but also demands a good understanding of equity asset class risk from the investor.
  3. Furthermore, by investing in ELSS funds, one can claim to benefit up to 1.5 lakhs under section 80 C of the income tax act.

Tax Benefits of ELSS Mutual Funds

Investing in ELSS mutual funds offers tax benefits under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961. As per Section 80C, investments up to INR 1,50,000 in a financial year in ELSS mutual funds qualify for tax exemption. Thus, investing in ELSS mutual funds helps you save on taxes. You will be able to save up to INR 46,800 in a year on taxes by investing in ELSS mutual funds. Also, it is important to note that additional investments (over and above INR 1,50,000 per year) do not qualify for a tax deduction.

What are the Options for Investing in the Best ELSS Funds?

  1. Growth Option: Under the growth option, the profits made by the fund is not paid off as dividend. Instead, they are reinvested in the scheme. The profits are distributed to the investors at the time of redemption. This is also dependent on the NAV of the fund as if the profits go up so will the NAV and vice-versa
  2. Dividend Option: As the name suggests, the profits made in the schemes are not re-invested but distributed as dividends to the investors on a half-yearly, quarterly, or annual basis. The dividend declaration and payment is not fixed. It happens only when the scheme generates profits.

How to Evaluate the Best ELSS mutual funds?

Evaluating top mutual funds to invest can be a tricky task. One can check the below parameters in order to evaluate the funds:

  1. Fund house history: Ideally, fund houses that have performed consistently over a long term horizon, say above 5 years, should be considered for the purpose of investment. If the fund outperforms its benchmark, it is considered that the fund has delivered higher returns. Keep in mind, the performance of the fund depends on the quality and performance of the stock it has in its portfolio before concluding on top mutual funds.
  2. Returns: Comparing just the respective fund’s return with the benchmark is not enough. One also needs to compare the performance of the funds with its competitors. The investments should be made after carefully evaluating the returns over a longer period of time.
  3. Expense Ratio: Equity linked savings schemes are managed by professionals who invest their own time and resources to provide a better return on your investment. Their knowledge of the markets and deep understanding of the field helps them in evaluating which stocks should form part of the fund.
    The expense ratio shows how much money goes towards managing the fund. If the fund has a lower expense ratio that means your take-home returns will be higher and vice versa.
  4. Portfolio Turnover: Portfolio turnover simply means how quickly stocks in the funds are bought & sold by the fund manager.
    As the funds are eventually handled by the fund manager, he gets to decide when to enter or exit the market. A low portfolio turnover indicates that he is neither entering nor quitting the markets.
    On the other hand, a high turnover indicates that too frequent movements have been made in the portfolio.

ELSS Funds vs Tax-saving Investment Schemes

When it comes to financial planning, managing tax-saving investment schemes, and picking the best-suited investment scheme is crucial. It depends on the investor, his investment objectives, knowledge of the investment plans and other factors

To help you decide on ELSS vs other tax saving schemes, we have listed a comparison below:

Investment PlansReturnsLock-in PeriodTax Implications
ELSS Funds15% to 18%3 yearsInvestment- Tax Deduction
Income- Partially Taxable
Tax Saving Fixed Deposits6% to 7% differs from bank to bank5 yearsInvestment- Tax Deduction
Income- Taxable, if interest > Rs 10,000
Added to taxable income
Public Provident Fund (PPF)7% to 8%15 yearsInvestment- Tax Deduction
Income- Non-Taxable
National Pension System (NPS)8% to 10%Till RetirementInvestment- Tax Deduction
Income- Partially Taxable
National Savings Certificate7% to 8%5 yearsInvestment- Tax Deduction
Income- Taxable

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the lock-in period in the case of ELSS?

Lock-in period is the time period for which investments are required to be made to avail of the tax benefits. In the case of ELSS, it is 3 years.

How is ELSS SIP different from normal SIP?

When we make a SIP, a fixed amount is deducted monthly towards the investment. In an ELSS, each SIP made is locked in for a period of 3 years if the investor wants to avail of the tax benefits.
It is very convenient and easy nowadays to invest through SIP, you only need to link your saving account to the fund manager. Then provide an instruction to deduct investment amount every month from your saving account.
You can use Scripbox’s SIP calculator to estimate the wealth gained and maturity of the investments made through SIP to help you in investment planning

What is the maximum tax benefit that can be availed by investing in ELSS?

The maximum tax advantage that can be availed by investing in ELSS funds is 1.5 lakhs under section 80C of the income tax act. Any amount invested above 1.5 lakh would not qualify as an eligible investment for the purpose of claiming a tax deduction.

How risky are ELSS funds?

Like all other market-linked funds, ELSS funds are also subject to market risk as it invests in equity and equity-related instruments.

I have already exhausted my 1.5 lakh limit investment, should I still invest in ELSS?

This would not be a good option as this will lock your investment for 3 years without giving any tax advantage. Your taxable income would remain the same due to no further deductions. One can instead invest in other mutual funds that provide better returns like equity funds, hybrid fund.

Who should invest in ELSS funds?

Individuals who are looking for inflation-beating returns in the long run and which provides tax benefit should invest in ELSS.

How does Scripbox rate funds?

Proprietary system to rate mutual funds

We use a proprietary system to rate mutual funds and based on the outcome of the rating, we classify funds into 4 categories namely "Recommended", "Top Ranked", "Neutral" and "Not Recommended".

fd-banner

Top Ranked

These funds are the top performers within a category of mutual funds considering a combination of criteria. The best amongst these funds are also labelled as Scripbox Recommended.

fd-banner

Neutral

Scripbox recommends other funds, which are more suitable for your investment objectives, within this asset and sub asset class.

Things we consider to provide ratings for a mutual fund.

up-down-arrow
dimension-icon

Outperformance Consistency

We look at the consistency of the outperformance that the fund has displayed. A fund with high consistency is preferred

dimension-icon

Rolling Returns (1 Year Holding Period)

We consider average 1 year return that the fund has delivered over an extended period of time

dimension-icon

Rolling Returns (3 Year Holding Period)

We consider average 3 year return that the fund has delivered over an extended period of time

dimension-icon

Volatility of Outperformance

We consider how volatile the out-performance over the benchmark has been. A lower volatility is preferred

dimension-icon

Downside Protection Measure

We look at how resilient the fund is to market down trends. A fund that has shown a higher resilience is preferred

dimension-icon

Upside Participation Measure

We consider how well the fund has been able to participate in upmoves in the market. A fund that participates well is preferred

dimension-icon

Fund Size

We look at the size of the fund with respect to other funds in the category. Larger funds are preferred.

How to invest in best mutual funds?

Investing through Scripbox is made easy and paperless. All you need to do is follow the below steps and start investing.

grow money
0 1
Choose a plan

Choose a plan to invest to start investing

0 2
Create an Account

Create an account with Scripbox through a paperless process, to invest in best mutual funds.

0 3
Invest online & transfer

Invest via netbanking, UPI or through an SIP (eNACH mandate).

0 4
Track your investments

Track, invest more and withdraw your investments through the Scripbox dashboard

TRUST
  1. 18500+ Crores
  2. 2500+ Cities
  3. 10000+ Customers are millionaires
We thrive on trust.

We match your objectives to the right portfolio. World-class wealth management using science, data, and technology, leveraged by our experience, and human touch. Get started with your wealth creation without worry.

orange border
Elroy Joseph Nazareth
Dr. Shraddha Bahirwani
Joel Andriyas
With Scripbox, I have my investments at my fingertips. It changed my life
Elroy Joseph NazarethCloud Specialist, Amdocs India Pvt Ltd
Are your tax-saving funds right for you?
mobile-app

Corporate Office : Indiqube @ The Leela Galleria 3rd Floor, No. 23, Old Airport Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560008

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks. Please read all scheme related documents carefully before investing. Past performance is not an indicator of future returns.

© Scripbox Advisors Private Limited 2025

Financial Products and Services are provided by Scripbox Group Companies and third party service partners listed here