iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) 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 ESGU. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to ESGU
ESGU charges 0.15% annually. There are 33 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% | 8.54B | Mar 2019 | ESGU vs BBUS | |
| Global X U.S. 500 ETF | 0.02% | 4.51M | Sep 2025 | ESGU vs GXLC | |
| Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF | 0.03% | 1.98B | Jun 2016 | ESGU vs USPX | |
| Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 72.05B | Nov 2009 | ESGU vs SCHX | |
| Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF | 0.03% | 43.10B | Nov 2009 | ESGU vs SCHB |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to ESGU
ESGU has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 58. There are 101 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 90.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF | 90 | 1.04B | Sep 2018 | ESGU vs IUS | |
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 90 | — | May 2024 | ESGU vs RSSY | |
| Mohr Company Nav ETF | 84 | — | Sep 2024 | ESGU vs CNAV | |
| Longview Advantage ETF | 84 | 562.31M | Feb 2025 | ESGU vs EBI | |
| Pacer Swan SOS Conservative (December) ETF | 84 | 46.99M | Dec 2020 | ESGU vs PSCX |
Top Performing ESGU Alternatives (YTD)
ESGU is at 8.38% YTD. There are 114 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 46.16%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohr Company Nav ETF | 46.16% | — | Sep 2024 | ESGU vs CNAV | |
| Aztlan North America Nearshoring Stock Selection E... | 43.75% | 33.11M | Nov 2023 | ESGU vs NRSH | |
| iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF | 32.00% | 28.16B | Apr 2013 | ESGU vs MTUM | |
| ARS Focused Opportunities Strategy ETF | 31.60% | 293.98M | Jun 2025 | ESGU vs AFOS | |
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 29.90% | — | May 2024 | ESGU vs RSSY |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to ESGU
ESGU has 12.81% 1-year volatility. There are 122 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 2.38%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest Laddered Max Buffer ETF | 2.38% | — | Jun 2025 | ESGU vs BUFH | |
| FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF | 4.05% | — | Jun 2025 | ESGU vs BUFX | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - June | 4.51% | 457.76M | Jun 2020 | ESGU vs DJUN | |
| Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - June | 4.60% | 171.95M | Jun 2019 | ESGU vs UJUN | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May | 5.09% | 369.81M | May 2020 | ESGU vs DMAY |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to ESGU
ESGU has a 1-year max drawdown of -9.26%. There are 121 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% | 171.95M | Jun 2019 | ESGU vs UJUN | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - June | -3.15% | 457.76M | Jun 2020 | ESGU vs DJUN | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May | -3.36% | 369.81M | May 2020 | ESGU vs DMAY | |
| Bridges Capital Tactical ETF | -4.03% | 42.09M | May 2023 | ESGU vs BDGS | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - June | -4.13% | 1.89B | Jun 2020 | ESGU vs FJUN |
Other ETFs from iShares
The 10 most viewed iShares ETFs shown here include SGOV, IBIT, IVV and span 14 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $838B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | Ultrashort Bond | 100 | 1.71% | 95.28B | May 2020 | ESGU vs SGOV | |
| iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | Cryptocurrency | 2 | -28.88% | 48.04B | Jan 2024 | ESGU vs IBIT | |
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 59 | 8.20% | 837.93B | May 2000 | ESGU vs IVV | |
| iShares Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 95 | 100.58% | 46.67B | Jul 2001 | ESGU vs SOXX | |
| iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond | 14 | 0.77% | 41.34B | Jul 2002 | ESGU vs TLT | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend | 75 | 9.19% | 41.89B | Jun 2014 | ESGU vs DGRO | |
| iShares Silver Trust | Silver, Precious Metals | 31 | -13.49% | 32.53B | Apr 2006 | ESGU vs SLV | |
| iShares Gold Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 22 | -4.73% | 64.29B | Jan 2005 | ESGU vs IAU | |
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | Small Cap Blend Equities | 67 | 20.47% | 81.35B | May 2000 | ESGU vs IWM | |
| iShares MSCI ACWI ETF | Global Equities | 58 | 9.86% | 32.95B | Mar 2008 | ESGU vs ACWI |
Often Compared With ESGU
Investors most often compare ESGU with ESGV, SPY, ESGD. These 20 comparison targets span 11 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare ESGU with Any Fund or Stock
Compare ESGU with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair ESGU with funds that move differently
iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to ESGU.
Explore ESGU Diversifiers