Dimensional US Core Equity Market ETF (DFAU) belongs to the Large 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 DFAU. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to DFAU
DFAU charges 0.12% annually. There are 31 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.02%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Equity ETF | 0.02% | 8.89B | Mar 2019 | DFAU vs BBUS | |
| Global X U.S. 500 ETF | 0.02% | 4.50M | Sep 2025 | DFAU vs GXLC | |
| Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF | 0.03% | 2.00B | Jun 2016 | DFAU vs USPX | |
| Schwab 1000 Index ETF | 0.03% | 5.72B | Oct 2017 | DFAU vs SCHK | |
| iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | 0.03% | 94.34B | Jan 2004 | DFAU vs ITOT |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DFAU
DFAU has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 80. There are 45 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF | 96 | 927.09M | Sep 2018 | DFAU vs IUS | |
| Avantis Inflation Focused Equity ETF | 96 | 12.36M | Sep 2022 | DFAU vs AVIE | |
| ARS Focused Opportunities Strategy ETF | 94 | 293.98M | Jun 2025 | DFAU vs AFOS | |
| PIMCO RAFI ESG U.S. ETF | 94 | 160.47M | Dec 2019 | DFAU vs RAFE | |
| Essential 40 Stock ETF | 94 | 180.66M | Jun 2014 | DFAU vs ESN |
Top Performing DFAU Alternatives (YTD)
DFAU is at 12.63% YTD. There are 83 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 35.88%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aztlan North America Nearshoring Stock Selection E... | 35.88% | 33.11M | Nov 2023 | DFAU vs NRSH | |
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 30.52% | — | May 2024 | DFAU vs RSSY | |
| ARS Focused Opportunities Strategy ETF | 30.16% | 293.98M | Jun 2025 | DFAU vs AFOS | |
| Mohr Company Nav ETF | 26.09% | — | Sep 2024 | DFAU vs CNAV | |
| First Trust Bloomberg Inflation Sensitive Equity E... | 23.66% | 5.62M | Mar 2023 | DFAU vs FTIF |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DFAU
DFAU has 12.89% 1-year volatility. There are 84 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 7.38%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azoria 500 Meritocracy ETF | 7.38% | — | Jul 2025 | DFAU vs SPXM | |
| 6 Meridian Mega Cap Equity ETF | 9.02% | 402.23M | May 2020 | DFAU vs SIXA | |
| State Street SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF | 9.22% | 1.53B | Apr 2015 | DFAU vs QUS | |
| Liberty One Spectrum ETF | 9.36% | 65.78M | Sep 2025 | DFAU vs SPCT | |
| ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF | 9.47% | 744.97M | Jul 2009 | DFAU vs EQL |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DFAU
DFAU has a 1-year max drawdown of -8.67%. There are 59 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -4.97%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avantis Inflation Focused Equity ETF | -4.97% | 12.36M | Sep 2022 | DFAU vs AVIE | |
| Azoria 500 Meritocracy ETF | -5.08% | — | Jul 2025 | DFAU vs SPXM | |
| 6 Meridian Mega Cap Equity ETF | -5.59% | 402.23M | May 2020 | DFAU vs SIXA | |
| Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF | -6.15% | 927.09M | Sep 2018 | DFAU vs IUS | |
| ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF | -6.19% | 744.97M | Jul 2009 | DFAU vs EQL |
Other ETFs from Dimensional
The 10 most viewed Dimensional ETFs shown here include DFUS, DFIV, DFAW and span 7 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $48B.
Often Compared With DFAU
Investors most often compare DFAU with AVUS, SPY, VTI. These 20 comparison targets span 14 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare DFAU with Any Fund or Stock
Compare DFAU with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair DFAU with funds that move differently
Dimensional US Core Equity Market ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DFAU.
Explore DFAU Diversifiers