First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF (AFSM) belongs to the Small Cap Blend Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with AFSM. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to AFSM
AFSM charges 0.77% annually. There are 64 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF | 0.03% | 17.00B | Jul 2013 | AFSM vs SPSM | |
| Vanguard Small-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 188.20B | Jan 2004 | AFSM vs VB | |
| Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 22.23B | Nov 2009 | AFSM vs SCHA | |
| iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 282.21M | Jun 2004 | AFSM vs ISCB | |
| Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF | 0.06% | 18.60B | Sep 2010 | AFSM vs VTWO |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to AFSM
AFSM has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 82. There are 23 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 96 | — | Jun 2025 | AFSM vs RB | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 94 | 1.37B | May 2007 | AFSM vs FYX | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 93 | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | AFSM vs SFLO | |
| Hartford Multifactor Small Cap ETF | 93 | 61.48M | Mar 2015 | AFSM vs ROSC | |
| Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF | 93 | 3.05B | Jan 2022 | AFSM vs AVSC |
Top Performing AFSM Alternatives (YTD)
AFSM is at 26.32% YTD. There are 11 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 64.90%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares | 64.90% | 1.35B | Nov 2008 | AFSM vs TNA | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 32.52% | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | AFSM vs SFLO | |
| Inspire Small/Mid Cap Impact ETF | 32.28% | 334.88M | Feb 2017 | AFSM vs ISMD | |
| Allspring SMID Core ETF | 31.38% | 78.82M | Jul 2025 | AFSM vs ASCE | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 30.26% | 1.37B | May 2007 | AFSM vs FYX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to AFSM
AFSM has 18.32% 1-year volatility. There are 51 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 6.57%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 6.57% | — | Jun 2025 | AFSM vs RB | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | 9.74% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | AFSM vs SMMV | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | 10.57% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | AFSM vs RYLD | |
| First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid E... | 10.72% | 35.21M | Apr 2020 | AFSM vs HSMV | |
| CresAlta Small & Mid-Cap ETF | 11.81% | 88.99M | May 2026 | AFSM vs CVSM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to AFSM
AFSM has a 1-year max drawdown of -9.56%. There are 41 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.09%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | -2.09% | — | Jun 2025 | AFSM vs RB | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | -6.29% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | AFSM vs RYLD | |
| iShares Russell 2000 BuyWrite ETF | -6.94% | 57.60M | Mar 2024 | AFSM vs IWMW | |
| Hypatia Women CEO ETF | -6.96% | 5.55M | Jan 2023 | AFSM vs WCEO | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | -7.02% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | AFSM vs SMMV |
Other ETFs from First Trust
The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, AIRR and span 16 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $25B.
Often Compared With AFSM
Investors most often compare AFSM with IWC, AVUV, SMIN. These 19 comparison targets span 17 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare AFSM with Any Fund or Stock
Compare AFSM with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair AFSM with funds that move differently
First Trust Active Factor Small Cap ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to AFSM.
Explore AFSM Diversifiers