Dimensional U.S. Small Cap ETF (DFAS) 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 DFAS. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to DFAS
DFAS charges 0.26% annually. There are 18 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% | 16.85B | Jul 2013 | DFAS vs SPSM | |
| Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 23.26B | Nov 2009 | DFAS vs SCHA | |
| iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 282.90M | Jun 2004 | DFAS vs ISCB | |
| Vanguard Small-Cap ETF | 0.05% | 182.70B | Jan 2004 | DFAS vs VB | |
| Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF | 0.06% | 17.50B | Sep 2010 | DFAS vs VTWO |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DFAS
DFAS has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 59. There are 43 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 | DFAS vs RB | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 90 | 1.36B | May 2007 | DFAS vs FYX | |
| Fidelity Enhanced Small Cap Core ETF | 88 | 5.78B | Dec 2007 | DFAS vs FESM | |
| Hartford Multifactor Small Cap ETF | 87 | 61.26M | Mar 2015 | DFAS vs ROSC | |
| Invesco NASDAQ Future Gen 200 ETF | 85 | 21.99M | Oct 2022 | DFAS vs QQQS |
Top Performing DFAS Alternatives (YTD)
DFAS is at 16.47% YTD. There are 44 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 53.33%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares | 53.33% | 1.43B | Nov 2008 | DFAS vs TNA | |
| Invesco NASDAQ Future Gen 200 ETF | 28.18% | 21.99M | Oct 2022 | DFAS vs QQQS | |
| Inspire Small/Mid Cap Impact ETF | 27.99% | 329.18M | Feb 2017 | DFAS vs ISMD | |
| Allspring SMID Core ETF | 27.10% | 78.82M | Jul 2025 | DFAS vs ASCE | |
| JPMorgan Fundamental Data Science Small Core ETF | 26.41% | 9.08M | Aug 2024 | DFAS vs SCDS |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DFAS
DFAS has 16.86% 1-year volatility. There are 27 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 | DFAS vs RB | |
| First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid E... | 10.55% | 34.63M | Apr 2020 | DFAS vs HSMV | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | 10.68% | 1.36B | Apr 2019 | DFAS vs RYLD | |
| CresAlta Small & Mid-Cap ETF | 11.34% | 88.99M | May 2026 | DFAS vs CVSM | |
| OShares U.S. Small-Cap Quality Dividend ETF | 13.08% | 873.92M | Dec 2016 | DFAS vs OUSM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DFAS
DFAS has a 1-year max drawdown of -9.36%. There are 32 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 | DFAS vs RB | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | -6.29% | 1.36B | Apr 2019 | DFAS vs RYLD | |
| Hypatia Women CEO ETF | -6.96% | 5.55M | Jan 2023 | DFAS vs WCEO | |
| 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF | -7.16% | 106.31M | May 2020 | DFAS vs SIXS | |
| VictoryShares US Small Cap High Dividend Volatilit... | -7.18% | 264.62M | Jul 2015 | DFAS vs CSB |
Other ETFs from Dimensional
The 10 most viewed Dimensional ETFs shown here include DFUS, DFIV, DFAW and span 6 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $48B.
Often Compared With DFAS
Investors most often compare DFAS with AVUV, AVSC, DFSTX. These 19 comparison targets span 7 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare DFAS with Any Fund or Stock
Compare DFAS with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair DFAS with funds that move differently
Dimensional U.S. Small Cap ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DFAS.
Explore DFAS Diversifiers