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 121 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% | 1.27B | Jun 2004 | DEF vs ILCB | |
| Vanguard Growth ETF | 0.03% | 378.80B | Jan 2004 | DEF vs VUG | |
| iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF | 0.04% | 32.12B | Jul 2000 | DEF vs IUSG | |
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF | 0.04% | 51.09B | Sep 2000 | DEF vs SPYG | |
| Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF | 0.04% | 59.97B | Dec 2009 | DEF vs SCHG |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DEF
Among 180 ETFs in the Large Cap Growth Equities category with risk / return rank data, the top risk-adjusted alternatives shown here go as high as 92.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 92 | 42.77B | Jun 2014 | DEF vs DGRO | |
| Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF | 92 | 705.83M | Feb 2015 | DEF vs ROUS | |
| Xtrackers Russell 1000 US Quality at a Reasonable ... | 91 | 76.03M | Apr 2018 | DEF vs QARP | |
| RiverFront Dynamic US Dividend Advantage ETF | 91 | 88.05M | Jun 2016 | DEF vs RFDA | |
| PIMCO RAFI Dynamic Multi-Factor U.S. Equity ETF | 90 | 290.05M | Aug 2017 | DEF vs MFUS |
Top Performing DEF Alternatives (YTD)
Among 200 ETFs in the Large Cap Growth Equities category with YTD return data, the top-performing alternatives shown here go as high as 28.36%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mango Growth ETF | 28.36% | 239.95M | Dec 2025 | DEF vs GARY | |
| SMART Earnings Growth ETF | 27.55% | 50.41M | Aug 2025 | DEF vs SGRT | |
| F/m Emerald Special Situations ETF | 26.92% | 29.00M | Aug 2014 | DEF vs SPIT | |
| US Vegan Climate ETF | 24.89% | 186.14M | Sep 2019 | DEF vs VEGN | |
| Grizzle Growth ETF | 24.09% | 33.20M | Dec 2021 | DEF vs DARP |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DEF
Among 212 ETFs in the Large Cap Growth Equities category with 1-year volatility data, the lowest-volatility alternatives shown here go as low as 8.24%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Alternative ETF | 8.24% | 39.10M | May 2017 | DEF vs CCOR | |
| Invesco Dividend Achievers™ ETF | 9.46% | 789.78M | Sep 2005 | DEF vs PFM | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 9.54% | 42.77B | Jun 2014 | DEF vs DGRO | |
| SPDR MSCI World StrategicFactors ETF | 9.70% | 174.18M | Jun 2014 | DEF vs QWLD | |
| OShares U.S. Quality Dividend ETF | 10.25% | 747.95M | Jul 2015 | DEF vs OUSA |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DEF
Among 180 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% | 88.05M | Jun 2016 | DEF vs RFDA | |
| Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF | -5.97% | 705.83M | Feb 2015 | DEF vs ROUS | |
| PIMCO RAFI Dynamic Multi-Factor U.S. Equity ETF | -6.39% | 290.05M | Aug 2017 | DEF vs MFUS | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | -6.47% | 42.77B | Jun 2014 | DEF vs DGRO | |
| Invesco Dividend Achievers™ ETF | -7.09% | 789.78M | Sep 2005 | DEF vs PFM |
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 $453B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco QQQ ETF | Nasdaq-100 | 58 | 14.23% | 452.80B | Mar 1999 | DEF vs QQQ | |
| Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | Momentum, S&P 500 | 51 | 22.35% | 21.05B | Oct 2015 | DEF vs SPMO | |
| Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF | Nasdaq-100 | 59 | 14.26% | 97.11B | Oct 2020 | DEF vs QQQM | |
| Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF | S&P 500, Equal Weight | 79 | 14.26% | 96.96B | Apr 2003 | DEF vs RSP | |
| Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 88 | 61.64% | 2.58B | Jun 2021 | DEF vs SOXQ | |
| Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF | Quality Factor, S&P 500, Large Cap Blend Equities | 65 | 14.14% | 19.45B | Dec 2005 | DEF vs SPHQ | |
| Invesco S&P 500 Top 50 ETF | S&P 500 | 45 | 4.68% | 10.56B | May 2005 | DEF vs XLG | |
| Invesco S&P 500® High Dividend Low Volatility ETF | Dividend, S&P 500, Low Volatility | 55 | 12.76% | 4.04B | Oct 2012 | DEF vs SPHD | |
| Invesco S&P MidCap Momentum ETF | Momentum, Mid Cap Growth Equities | 44 | 13.32% | 7.18B | Mar 2005 | DEF vs XMMO | |
| Invesco S&P International Developed Momentum ETF | Momentum, Foreign Large Cap Equities | 58 | 11.63% | 4.08B | Feb 2012 | DEF vs IDMO |
Often Compared With DEF
Investors most often compare DEF with SCHD, NOC, JHQAX. These 20 comparison targets span 15 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