Two funds walk into a table. Only the numbers talk.
Sundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund vs Motilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund
Pick two or three funds. We’ll tell you in plain words which grew faster, which was calmer, which costs less and what your money would have become. Figures are for the Direct plan, Growth option, where a fund has one.
- ASundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund
Sundaram Mutual Fund- ELSS (Tax Saver) Fund
- Direct plan
- Very High Risk
NAV ₹541.42 on 13 Nov 2026
- BMotilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund
Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund- ELSS (Tax Saver) Fund
- Direct plan
- Very High Risk
NAV ₹65.81 on 13 Nov 2026
The short version
Who comes out ahead on each measure, over the 3 years all of them have been around.
Grew faster
BMotilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund
Motilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund returned 19.9% a year over 3 years, against 9.8% for Sundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund. ₹1 lakh invested 3 years ago would be about ₹1.72 Lakh today, against ₹1.32 Lakh.
Smoother ride
ASundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund
Sundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund swung the least: about 13.3% a year either way, against 19.6% for Motilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund. Lower means fewer scary days.
Fell less in a crash
No fair winner yet
At its worst, Sundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund fell 16.7% from its peak, against 37.7% for Motilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund. On ₹1 lakh, that's a dip to ₹62,275 at the bottom for Motilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund. Could you have held on?
Not a fair fight: we only have data for Sundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund (from Jan 2022), so it has not been through the 2020 crash the others fell in.
More consistent
No fair winner yet
Pick any day in the past and hold for a year: Sundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund ended up in profit 84% of the time, against 77% for Motilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund.
Not a fair fight: we only have data for Sundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund (from Jan 2022), so it has not been through the 2020 crash the others fell in.
Costs less
BMotilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund
Motilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund charges 0.95% a year, against 1.78% for Sundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund. On ₹1 lakh that's ₹950 a year against ₹1,780, taken quietly from the NAV.
What your money would have become
The same amount, put into each fund on the same day.
The dashed line is the ₹10,000 you put in. Above it is profit, below it is loss.
- ASundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund₹13,041 from ₹10,000(9.3% a year)
- BMotilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund₹17,052 from ₹10,000(19.5% a year)
A one-time ₹10,000 put in 3 years ago, valued at the latest NAV. This is what happened, not what will.
Strengths and watch-outs
Each fund judged against its own category, and against a 5-year SBI FD at 6.05%.
ASundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund
- Strength: Beat a 5-year SBI FD: 9.8% a year over 3 years, against 6.05%
- Watch out: Behind its category: 9.8% a year over 3 years, against a category average of 12.6%
- Watch out: In the bottom quarter of its category over 3 years (#32 of 37)
- Watch out: High cost: 1.78% a year
- Watch out: Money is locked in for 3 years
BMotilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund
- Strength: Ahead of its category: 16.4% a year over 5 years, against a category average of 10.8%
- Strength: In the top quarter of its category over 5 years (#1 of 30)
- Strength: Beat a 5-year SBI FD: 16.4% a year over 5 years, against 6.05%
- Watch out: Swings more than most funds in its category
- Watch out: Fell harder than its category in the worst crash
- Watch out: Money is locked in for 3 years
All the numbers
The stronger figure in each row is marked Best. Under each return is the fund’s rank in its category and the category average.
| Measure | ASundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund | BMotilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund |
|---|---|---|
| ReturnsHow much the fund grew. Beyond a year, this is per year (annualised). | ||
| 1 yearLast 12 months, the most noisy figure | -3.6%#37 of 38 · avg 1.8% | 9.2%Best#2 of 38 · avg 1.8% |
| 3 yearsPer year, over a full market mood swing | 9.8%#32 of 37 · avg 12.6% | 19.9%Best#1 of 37 · avg 12.6% |
| 5 yearsPer year, the fairest single test | – | 16.4%#1 of 30 · avg 10.8% |
| 10 yearsPer year, across bull and bear markets | – | 17.5%#2 of 26 · avg 14.6% |
| RiskHow bumpy the ride was. This is what decides whether you stay invested. | ||
| Ups and downsVolatility: how far it swings in a typical year. Lower is calmer | 13.3%Bestcategory avg 14.5% | 19.6%category avg 14.5% |
| Worst fallThe biggest drop from a peak in 10 years. Lower is better | −16.7%data from 3 Jan 2022 only | −37.7%category avg −33.1% |
| Best 12 monthsIts strongest year | 40.3%data from 3 Jan 2022 only | 84.4% |
| Worst 12 monthsIts weakest year | -12.1%data from 3 Jan 2022 only | -27.3% |
| Odds of a gainShare of all 1-year holding periods that ended in profit | 84%data from 3 Jan 2022 only | 77% |
| Cost and sizeThe fee comes out of your returns every year, whether the fund does well or not. | ||
| Expense ratioYearly fee. Lower keeps more for you | 1.78% | 0.95%Best |
| Fund sizeMoney managed (AUM). Neither better nor worse | ₹1,212 Cr | ₹4,890 Cr |
| Minimum SIPSmallest monthly amount | ₹500 | ₹500 |
| Lock-inTime before you can withdraw | 3 years | 3 years |
“Best” is not a recommendation: a fund that returned more usually took more risk to do it.
Which one fits you?
There is no best fund, only a better fit for what you need the money to do.
ASundaram ELSS Tax Saver Fund
Might suit you if…
- a smoother ride matters more to you than the top return
- you want the section 80C tax deduction and can leave the money for 3 years
BMotilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund
Might suit you if…
- you want the stronger long-run growth and can sit through sharper falls
- you care about keeping costs low, which adds up over decades
- you want the section 80C tax deduction and can leave the money for 3 years