There are 26 different routes in India. They are not the same thing with different names. What changes is what you actually end up holding, how much you need to start, and how easily you can get your money back.
People usually compare these on returns. That is the wrong first question, because the returns depend on the underlying companies, which are often the same across several routes. The useful question is what lands in your name, what it costs to get in, and what happens when you want out. That is how this page is organised.
Not returns. How much you have, and when you will need it back. A route with a five year lock-in is wrong for money you need next year, however good it looks. A route with a fifty lakh minimum is not a choice at all for most people, and that is fine.
If you are starting out, the pooled routes exist because they solve the two hard problems: you can begin with a few hundred rupees, and someone else handles the paperwork.
Minimum amounts are the regulatory floors or common provider minimums as we understand them, and they change. Check the current figure and the product's own disclosure document before you act. This page describes what exists. It does not recommend any of it.
