FlexShares STOXX US ESG Select Index Fund (ESG) 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 ESG. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to ESG
ESG charges 0.32% annually. There are 109 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 | ESG vs BBUS | |
| Global X U.S. 500 ETF | 0.02% | 4.50M | Sep 2025 | ESG vs GXLC | |
| Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF | 0.03% | 2.00B | Jun 2016 | ESG vs USPX | |
| Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 71.82B | Nov 2009 | ESG vs SCHX | |
| SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF | 0.03% | 13.48B | Oct 2000 | ESG vs SPTM |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to ESG
ESG has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 74. There are 49 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avantis Inflation Focused Equity ETF | 96 | 12.36M | Sep 2022 | ESG vs AVIE | |
| Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF | 96 | 927.09M | Sep 2018 | ESG vs IUS | |
| ARS Focused Opportunities Strategy ETF | 94 | 293.98M | Jun 2025 | ESG vs AFOS | |
| PIMCO RAFI ESG U.S. ETF | 93 | 160.47M | Dec 2019 | ESG vs RAFE | |
| Essential 40 Stock ETF | 93 | 180.66M | Jun 2014 | ESG vs ESN |
Top Performing ESG Alternatives (YTD)
ESG is at 11.91% YTD. There are 70 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 33.68%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aztlan North America Nearshoring Stock Selection E... | 33.68% | 33.11M | Nov 2023 | ESG vs NRSH | |
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 29.79% | — | May 2024 | ESG vs RSSY | |
| ARS Focused Opportunities Strategy ETF | 27.82% | 293.98M | Jun 2025 | ESG vs AFOS | |
| Mohr Company Nav ETF | 24.51% | — | Sep 2024 | ESG vs CNAV | |
| First Trust Bloomberg Inflation Sensitive Equity E... | 24.04% | 5.62M | Mar 2023 | ESG vs FTIF |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to ESG
ESG has 11.82% 1-year volatility. There are 30 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 7.57%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azoria 500 Meritocracy ETF | 7.57% | — | Jul 2025 | ESG vs SPXM | |
| 6 Meridian Mega Cap Equity ETF | 9.05% | 402.23M | May 2020 | ESG vs SIXA | |
| Liberty One Spectrum ETF | 9.38% | 65.78M | Sep 2025 | ESG vs SPCT | |
| ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF | 9.50% | 744.97M | Jul 2009 | ESG vs EQL | |
| T. Rowe Price Dividend Growth ETF | 9.74% | 1.42B | Aug 2020 | ESG vs TDVG |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to ESG
ESG has a 1-year max drawdown of -8.68%. There are 60 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 | ESG vs AVIE | |
| Azoria 500 Meritocracy ETF | -5.08% | — | Jul 2025 | ESG vs SPXM | |
| 6 Meridian Mega Cap Equity ETF | -5.59% | 402.23M | May 2020 | ESG vs SIXA | |
| Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF | -6.15% | 927.09M | Sep 2018 | ESG vs IUS | |
| ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF | -6.19% | 744.97M | Jul 2009 | ESG vs EQL |
Other ETFs from Northern Trust
The 10 most viewed Northern Trust ETFs shown here include GUNR, HYGV, QLC and span 10 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $7B.
Often Compared With ESG
Investors most often compare ESG with SPY, QQQ, VOO. These 20 comparison targets span 14 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare ESG with Any Fund or Stock
Compare ESG with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair ESG with funds that move differently
FlexShares STOXX US ESG Select Index Fund alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to ESG.
Explore ESG Diversifiers