Aptus Deferred Income ETF (DEFR) belongs to the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with DEFR. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to DEFR
DEFR charges 0.79% annually. There are 53 ETFs in the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.05%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Core-Plus Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 117.00M | Dec 2025 | DEFR vs BNDP | |
| iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF | 0.06% | 42.71B | Jun 2014 | DEFR vs IUSB | |
| iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF | 0.06% | 276.82M | Nov 2016 | DEFR vs IMTB | |
| iShares ESG Advanced Total USD Bond Market ETF | 0.12% | 714.90M | Jun 2020 | DEFR vs EUSB | |
| iShares Yield Optimized Bond ETF | 0.17% | 450.15M | Apr 2014 | DEFR vs BYLD |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DEFR
DEFR has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 25. There are 49 ETFs in the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 92.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/m Opportunistic Income ETF | 92 | 46.19M | Sep 2023 | DEFR vs ZHOG | |
| Infrastructure Capital Bond Income ETF | 89 | 17.73M | Jan 2025 | DEFR vs BNDS | |
| Angel Oak Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 76 | 154.00M | Jun 2021 | DEFR vs MBS | |
| Cambria Fixed Income Trend ETF | 59 | — | Mar 2025 | DEFR vs CFIT | |
| SanJac Alpha Core Plus Bond ETF | 57 | 2.28M | Sep 2024 | DEFR vs SJCP |
Top Performing DEFR Alternatives (YTD)
DEFR is at -0.33% YTD. There are 51 ETFs in the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 4.89%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure Capital Bond Income ETF | 4.89% | 17.73M | Jan 2025 | DEFR vs BNDS | |
| Cambria Fixed Income Trend ETF | 4.39% | — | Mar 2025 | DEFR vs CFIT | |
| Neos Enhanced Income Aggregate Bond ETF | 1.26% | 186.26M | Aug 2022 | DEFR vs BNDI | |
| iShares Yield Optimized Bond ETF | 1.14% | 450.15M | Apr 2014 | DEFR vs BYLD | |
| F/m Opportunistic Income ETF | 1.14% | 46.19M | Sep 2023 | DEFR vs ZHOG |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DEFR
DEFR has 5.13% 1-year volatility. There are 54 ETFs in the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.58%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/m Opportunistic Income ETF | 1.58% | 46.19M | Sep 2023 | DEFR vs ZHOG | |
| SanJac Alpha Core Plus Bond ETF | 2.53% | 2.28M | Sep 2024 | DEFR vs SJCP | |
| Angel Oak Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 2.76% | 154.00M | Jun 2021 | DEFR vs MBS | |
| First Trust Commercial Mortgage Opportunities ETF | 3.08% | 35.44M | Feb 2024 | DEFR vs CAAA | |
| DoubleLine Opportunistic Bond ETF | 3.23% | 733.52M | Mar 2022 | DEFR vs DBND |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DEFR
DEFR has a 1-year max drawdown of -3.90%. There are 50 ETFs in the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -1.31%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/m Opportunistic Income ETF | -1.31% | 46.19M | Sep 2023 | DEFR vs ZHOG | |
| Kingsbarn Tactical Bond ETF | -1.77% | 1.18M | Dec 2021 | DEFR vs KDRN | |
| SanJac Alpha Core Plus Bond ETF | -2.01% | 2.28M | Sep 2024 | DEFR vs SJCP | |
| First Trust Commercial Mortgage Opportunities ETF | -2.08% | 35.44M | Feb 2024 | DEFR vs CAAA | |
| Angel Oak Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | -2.20% | 154.00M | Jun 2021 | DEFR vs MBS |
Other ETFs from Aptus
The 4 most viewed Aptus ETFs shown here include JUCY, IDUB, DUBS and span 6 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $372M.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aptus Enhanced Yield ETF | Intermediate Core Bond | 88 | 3.17% | 217.59M | Oct 2022 | DEFR vs JUCY | |
| Aptus International Enhanced Yield ETF | Long-Short | 60 | 15.55% | 372.15M | Jul 2021 | DEFR vs IDUB | |
| Aptus Large Cap Enhanced Yield ETF | Derivative Income | 77 | 12.60% | 258.86M | Jun 2023 | DEFR vs DUBS | |
| Aptus Large Cap Upside ETF | Actively Managed, Tactical Allocation, Large Cap Blend Equities | 42 | 8.71% | — | Nov 2024 | DEFR vs UPSD |
Often Compared With DEFR
Investors most often compare DEFR with FAAR, MAMB, BPH. These 20 comparison targets span 8 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare DEFR with Any Fund or Stock
Compare DEFR with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair DEFR with funds that move differently
Aptus Deferred Income ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DEFR.
Explore DEFR Diversifiers