Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF (DFCF) belongs to the Intermediate Core Bond category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with DFCF. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to DFCF
DFCF charges 0.17% annually. There are 20 ETFs in the Intermediate Core Bond category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.03% | 1.03B | Dec 2018 | DFCF vs BBAG | |
| Vanguard Total Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 122.30M | Jul 2025 | DFCF vs VTG | |
| Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF | 0.03% | 52.20B | Apr 2007 | DFCF vs BIV | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2032 Term Treasury ETF | 0.07% | 549.87M | Jul 2022 | DFCF vs IBTM | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2033 Term Treasury ETF | 0.07% | 469.02M | Jun 2023 | DFCF vs IBTO |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DFCF
DFCF has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 31. There are 35 ETFs in the Intermediate Core Bond category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 95.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGI Enhanced Core ETF | 95 | 364.51M | Feb 2024 | DFCF vs USDX | |
| Aptus Enhanced Yield ETF | 77 | 217.59M | Oct 2022 | DFCF vs JUCY | |
| State Street My2029 Corporate Bond ETF | 61 | 34.53M | Sep 2024 | DFCF vs MYCI | |
| 3EDGE Dynamic Fixed Income ETF | 58 | 236.02M | Oct 2024 | DFCF vs EDGF | |
| Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF | 51 | 33.20M | Sep 2019 | DFCF vs OVB |
Top Performing DFCF Alternatives (YTD)
DFCF is at 0.13% YTD. There are 45 ETFs in the Intermediate Core Bond category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 2.71%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aptus Enhanced Yield ETF | 2.71% | 217.59M | Oct 2022 | DFCF vs JUCY | |
| SGI Enhanced Core ETF | 2.55% | 364.51M | Feb 2024 | DFCF vs USDX | |
| Defined Duration 5 ETF | 2.43% | — | Nov 2025 | DFCF vs DDV | |
| Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF | 2.12% | 33.20M | Sep 2019 | DFCF vs OVB | |
| Hartford Schroders Tax-Aware Bond ETF | 1.70% | 297.30M | Apr 2018 | DFCF vs HTAB |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DFCF
DFCF has 3.97% 1-year volatility. There are 40 ETFs in the Intermediate Core Bond category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.89%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3EDGE Dynamic Fixed Income ETF | 1.89% | 236.02M | Oct 2024 | DFCF vs EDGF | |
| SGI Enhanced Core ETF | 2.07% | 364.51M | Feb 2024 | DFCF vs USDX | |
| State Street My2029 Corporate Bond ETF | 2.18% | 34.53M | Sep 2024 | DFCF vs MYCI | |
| Frontier Asset Core Bond ETF | 2.34% | 43.77M | Dec 2024 | DFCF vs FCBD | |
| ClearShares Piton Intermediate Fixed Income ETF | 2.62% | 98.88M | Oct 2020 | DFCF vs PIFI |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DFCF
DFCF has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.79%. There are 17 ETFs in the Intermediate Core Bond category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.64%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3EDGE Dynamic Fixed Income ETF | -0.64% | 236.02M | Oct 2024 | DFCF vs EDGF | |
| Aptus Enhanced Yield ETF | -0.94% | 217.59M | Oct 2022 | DFCF vs JUCY | |
| SGI Enhanced Core ETF | -0.94% | 364.51M | Feb 2024 | DFCF vs USDX | |
| Build Bond Innovation ETF | -0.99% | 10.78M | Feb 2022 | DFCF vs BFIX | |
| State Street My2029 Corporate Bond ETF | -1.56% | 34.53M | Sep 2024 | DFCF vs MYCI |
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 $47B.
Often Compared With DFCF
Investors most often compare DFCF with BND, DFSD, AVIG. These 20 comparison targets span 13 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare DFCF with Any Fund or Stock
Compare DFCF with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair DFCF with funds that move differently
Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DFCF.
Explore DFCF Diversifiers