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 20 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF | 0.03% | 1.95B | Jun 2016 | DFAU vs USPX | |
| SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF | 0.03% | 13.61B | Oct 2000 | DFAU vs SPTM | |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 0.03% | 2.20T | May 2001 | DFAU vs VTI | |
| Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 72.63B | Nov 2009 | DFAU vs SCHX | |
| Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF | 0.03% | 43.31B | Nov 2009 | DFAU vs SCHB |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DFAU
DFAU has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 76. There are 43 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 93.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 93 | — | May 2024 | DFAU vs RSSY | |
| Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF | 92 | 860.84M | Sep 2018 | DFAU vs IUS | |
| Blackrock Large Cap Core ETF | 89 | 6.04B | Oct 2023 | DFAU vs BLCR | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May | 87 | 354.49M | May 2020 | DFAU vs DMAY | |
| Pacer Swan SOS Conservative (December) ETF | 87 | 47.28M | Dec 2020 | DFAU vs PSCX |
Top Performing DFAU Alternatives (YTD)
DFAU is at 12.07% YTD. There are 70 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 47.18%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aztlan North America Nearshoring Stock Selection E... | 47.18% | 20.80M | Nov 2023 | DFAU vs NRSH | |
| Mohr Company Nav ETF | 45.64% | — | Sep 2024 | DFAU vs CNAV | |
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 32.66% | — | May 2024 | DFAU vs RSSY | |
| ARS Focused Opportunities Strategy ETF | 32.42% | 194.17M | Jun 2025 | DFAU vs AFOS | |
| iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF | 30.37% | 26.66B | Apr 2013 | DFAU vs MTUM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DFAU
DFAU has 12.04% 1-year volatility. There are 96 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 2.37%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest Laddered Max Buffer ETF | 2.37% | — | Jun 2025 | DFAU vs BUFH | |
| FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF | 3.99% | — | Jun 2025 | DFAU vs BUFX | |
| Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - June | 4.24% | 78.22M | Jun 2019 | DFAU vs UJUN | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May | 4.71% | 354.49M | May 2020 | DFAU vs DMAY | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - June | 5.04% | 320.45M | Jun 2020 | DFAU vs DJUN |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DFAU
DFAU has a 1-year max drawdown of -8.67%. There are 74 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.84%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - June | -2.84% | 78.22M | Jun 2019 | DFAU vs UJUN | |
| Calvert US Select Equity ETF | -3.08% | 25.16M | Jan 2023 | DFAU vs CVSE | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - June | -3.15% | 320.45M | Jun 2020 | DFAU vs DJUN | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May | -3.36% | 354.49M | May 2020 | DFAU vs DMAY | |
| Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF | -3.44% | 8.98M | Jan 2016 | DFAU vs DFND |
Other ETFs from Dimensional
The 10 most viewed Dimensional ETFs shown here include DFUS, DFIV, DFAI and span 6 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $47B.
Often Compared With DFAU
Investors most often compare DFAU with SPY, AVUS, VOO. 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