Invesco Defensive Equity ETF (DEF) belongs to the Large Cap Growth Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with DEF. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to DEF
DEF charges 0.53% annually. There are 123 ETFs in the Large Cap Growth Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Morningstar U.S. Equity ETF | 0.03% | 1.26B | Jun 2004 | DEF vs ILCB | |
| Vanguard Growth ETF | 0.03% | 393.80B | Jan 2004 | DEF vs VUG | |
| iShares Morningstar Growth ETF | 0.04% | 3.21B | Jun 2004 | DEF vs ILCG | |
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF | 0.04% | 52.13B | Sep 2000 | DEF vs SPYG | |
| iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF | 0.04% | 32.19B | Jul 2000 | DEF vs IUSG |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DEF
Among 187 ETFs in the Large Cap Growth Equities category with risk / return rank data, the top risk-adjusted alternatives shown here go as high as 85.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grizzle Growth ETF | 85 | 33.20M | Dec 2021 | DEF vs DARP | |
| Impact Shares NAACP Minority Empowerment ETF | 84 | 59.00M | Jul 2018 | DEF vs NACP | |
| PIMCO RAFI Dynamic Multi-Factor U.S. Equity ETF | 84 | 267.72M | Aug 2017 | DEF vs MFUS | |
| Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF | 82 | 656.33M | Feb 2015 | DEF vs ROUS | |
| Inspire 100 ETF | 82 | 495.57M | Oct 2017 | DEF vs BIBL |
Top Performing DEF Alternatives (YTD)
Among 209 ETFs in the Large Cap Growth Equities category with YTD return data, the top-performing alternatives shown here go as high as 57.26%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roundhill Meme Stock ETF | 57.26% | 26.18M | Oct 2025 | DEF vs MEME | |
| SMART Earnings Growth 30 ETF | 45.10% | 50.41M | Aug 2025 | DEF vs SGRT | |
| Franklin Intelligent Machines ETF | 35.15% | 117.69M | Feb 2020 | DEF vs IQM | |
| MarketDesk Focused U.S. Momentum ETF | 30.53% | 170.29M | Mar 2025 | DEF vs FMTM | |
| Invesco S&P 500 Pure Growth ETF | 30.31% | 2.27B | Mar 2006 | DEF vs RPG |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DEF
DEF has 66.96% 1-year volatility. There are 214 ETFs in the Large Cap Growth Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 7.56%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Alternative ETF | 7.56% | 39.10M | May 2017 | DEF vs CCOR | |
| SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF | 9.24% | 1.50B | Apr 2015 | DEF vs QUS | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 9.53% | 41.89B | Jun 2014 | DEF vs DGRO | |
| Invesco Dividend Achievers™ ETF | 9.53% | 774.52M | Sep 2005 | DEF vs PFM | |
| T. Rowe Price Dividend Growth ETF | 9.79% | 1.36B | Aug 2020 | DEF vs TDVG |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DEF
Among 187 ETFs in the Large Cap Growth Equities category with 1-year drawdown data, the lowest-drawdown alternatives shown here go as shallow as -5.45%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RiverFront Dynamic US Dividend Advantage ETF | -5.45% | 85.26M | Jun 2016 | DEF vs RFDA | |
| Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF | -5.97% | 656.33M | Feb 2015 | DEF vs ROUS | |
| PIMCO RAFI Dynamic Multi-Factor U.S. Equity ETF | -6.39% | 267.72M | Aug 2017 | DEF vs MFUS | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | -6.47% | 41.89B | Jun 2014 | DEF vs DGRO | |
| SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF | -6.85% | 1.50B | Apr 2015 | DEF vs QUS |
Other ETFs from Invesco
The 10 most viewed Invesco ETFs shown here include QQQ, SPMO, QQQM and span 12 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $493B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco QQQ ETF | Nasdaq-100 | 59 | 16.45% | 493.17B | Mar 1999 | DEF vs QQQ | |
| Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | Momentum, S&P 500 | 68 | 29.91% | 21.99B | Oct 2015 | DEF vs SPMO | |
| Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF | Nasdaq-100 | 60 | 16.48% | 101.29B | Oct 2020 | DEF vs QQQM | |
| Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF | S&P 500, Equal Weight | 49 | 9.94% | 92.57B | Apr 2003 | DEF vs RSP | |
| Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 94 | 90.62% | 3.22B | Jun 2021 | DEF vs SOXQ | |
| Invesco S&P 500 Top 50 ETF | S&P 500 | 39 | 1.60% | 10.60B | May 2005 | DEF vs XLG | |
| Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF | S&P 500, Large Cap Blend Equities | 61 | 16.54% | 21.05B | Dec 2005 | DEF vs SPHQ | |
| Invesco S&P 500® High Dividend Low Volatility ETF | Dividend, S&P 500, Large Cap Value Equities | 30 | 8.20% | 3.27B | Oct 2012 | DEF vs SPHD | |
| Invesco S&P MidCap Momentum ETF | Momentum, Mid Cap Growth Equities | 66 | 22.90% | 8.18B | Mar 2005 | DEF vs XMMO | |
| Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF | Aerospace & Defense, Industrials Equities | 38 | 9.76% | 8.26B | Oct 2005 | DEF vs PPA |
Often Compared With DEF
Investors most often compare DEF with SCHD, NOC, JHQAX. These 20 comparison targets span 13 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare DEF with Any Fund or Stock
Compare DEF with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair DEF with funds that move differently
Invesco Defensive Equity ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DEF.
Explore DEF Diversifiers