Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF (DFSD) belongs to the Short-Term Bond category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with DFSD. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to DFSD
DFSD charges 0.16% annually. There are 26 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 6.12B | Nov 2011 | DFSD vs SPTS | |
| Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.03% | 69.90B | Apr 2007 | DFSD vs BSV | |
| Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 33.80B | Nov 2009 | DFSD vs VGSH | |
| Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF | 0.03% | 848.73M | Oct 2019 | DFSD vs SCHJ | |
| Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 12.86B | Aug 2010 | DFSD vs SCHO |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DFSD
DFSD has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 73. There are 42 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 99.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | 99 | 47.61M | Sep 2024 | DFSD vs MYCF | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF | 98 | 409.03M | Feb 2024 | DFSD vs FLDB | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF | 98 | 1.91B | Jun 2018 | DFSD vs FLDR | |
| State Street My2027 Corporate Bond ETF | 98 | 37.45M | Sep 2024 | DFSD vs MYCG | |
| DoubleLine Commercial Real Estate ETF | 97 | 452.38M | Mar 2023 | DFSD vs DCRE |
Top Performing DFSD Alternatives (YTD)
DFSD is at 0.79% YTD. There are 35 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 2.35%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defined Duration 5 ETF | 2.35% | — | Nov 2025 | DFSD vs DDV | |
| AAM SLC Low Duration Income ETF | 2.32% | 77.26M | Dec 2024 | DFSD vs LODI | |
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | 2.32% | 47.61M | Sep 2024 | DFSD vs MYCF | |
| SanJac Alpha Low Duration ETF | 2.28% | 1.52M | Sep 2024 | DFSD vs SJLD | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF | 2.03% | 409.03M | Feb 2024 | DFSD vs FLDB |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DFSD
DFSD has 1.94% 1-year volatility. There are 44 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.58%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | 0.58% | 47.61M | Sep 2024 | DFSD vs MYCF | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF | 0.81% | 1.91B | Jun 2018 | DFSD vs FLDR | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF | 0.91% | 409.03M | Feb 2024 | DFSD vs FLDB | |
| State Street My2027 Corporate Bond ETF | 0.93% | 37.45M | Sep 2024 | DFSD vs MYCG | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 1.03% | 130.20M | Aug 2025 | DFSD vs TAXS |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DFSD
DFSD has a 1-year max drawdown of -1.47%. There are 46 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.12%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | -0.12% | 47.61M | Sep 2024 | DFSD vs MYCF | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF | -0.17% | 409.03M | Feb 2024 | DFSD vs FLDB | |
| State Street My2027 Corporate Bond ETF | -0.45% | 37.45M | Sep 2024 | DFSD vs MYCG | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF | -0.47% | 1.91B | Jun 2018 | DFSD vs FLDR | |
| DoubleLine Commercial Real Estate ETF | -0.68% | 452.38M | Mar 2023 | DFSD vs DCRE |
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 DFSD
Investors most often compare DFSD with DUSB, DFCF, AVSF. These 20 comparison targets span 13 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare DFSD with Any Fund or Stock
Compare DFSD with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair DFSD with funds that move differently
Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DFSD.
Explore DFSD Diversifiers