First Trust Amex Biotechnology Index (FBT) belongs to the Health & Biotech Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with FBT. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FBT
FBT charges 0.57% annually. There are 35 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.08%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.08% | 42.10B | Dec 1998 | FBT vs XLV | |
| Fidelity MSCI Health Care Index ETF | 0.08% | 3.22B | Oct 2013 | FBT vs FHLC | |
| Vanguard Health Care ETF | 0.09% | 20.40B | Jan 2004 | FBT vs VHT | |
| VanEck Healthcare TruSector ETF | 0.10% | 850.50K | Apr 2026 | FBT vs TRUH | |
| Portfolio Building Block World Pharma and Biotech ... | 0.13% | 933.15M | Nov 2025 | FBT vs PBPH |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FBT
FBT has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 87. There are 16 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF | 96 | 1.65B | May 2006 | FBT vs IHE | |
| First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF | 96 | 911.09M | Sep 2016 | FBT vs FTXH | |
| Virtus LifeSci Biotech Clinical Trials ETF | 96 | 47.80M | Dec 2014 | FBT vs BBC | |
| Invesco Dynamic Pharmaceuticals ETF | 95 | 472.10M | Jun 2005 | FBT vs PJP | |
| ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF | 95 | 201.57M | Dec 2014 | FBT vs SBIO |
Top Performing FBT Alternatives (YTD)
FBT is at 18.66% YTD. There are 13 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 36.87%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AdvisorShares Psychedelics ETF | 36.87% | 48.53M | Sep 2021 | FBT vs PSIL | |
| ARK Genomic Revolution Multi-Sector ETF | 33.10% | 1.73B | Oct 2014 | FBT vs ARKG | |
| Roundhill UNH WeeklyPay ETF | 28.78% | 7.27M | Dec 2025 | FBT vs UNHW | |
| Virtus LifeSci Biotech Clinical Trials ETF | 26.39% | 47.80M | Dec 2014 | FBT vs BBC | |
| F/m Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF | 24.40% | 74.65M | Oct 2024 | FBT vs LFSC |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FBT
FBT has 21.41% 1-year volatility. There are 40 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF | 0.00% | 12.73M | Oct 2015 | FBT vs CNCR | |
| Amplify Treatments, Testing and Advancements ETF | 0.00% | 9.68M | Jun 2020 | FBT vs GERM | |
| Horizon Kinetics SPAC Active ETF | 8.65% | 10.09M | Jun 2007 | FBT vs SPAQ | |
| Milliman Healthcare Inflation Plus ETF | 10.97% | 982.35K | Apr 2026 | FBT vs MHIP | |
| State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR Premiu... | 11.07% | 21.55M | Jul 2025 | FBT vs XLVI |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FBT
FBT has a 1-year max drawdown of -14.26%. There are 35 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amplify Treatments, Testing and Advancements ETF | 0.00% | 9.68M | Jun 2020 | FBT vs GERM | |
| Horizon Kinetics SPAC Active ETF | -4.20% | 10.09M | Jun 2007 | FBT vs SPAQ | |
| First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF | -7.47% | 911.09M | Sep 2016 | FBT vs FTXH | |
| State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR Premiu... | -8.14% | 21.55M | Jul 2025 | FBT vs XLVI | |
| Invesco Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF | -8.34% | 75.06M | Jun 2021 | FBT vs IBBQ |
Other ETFs from First Trust
The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, AIRR and span 16 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $25B.
Often Compared With FBT
Investors most often compare FBT with XBI, BBH, IBB. These 18 comparison targets span 8 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FBT with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FBT with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FBT with funds that move differently
First Trust Amex Biotechnology Index alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FBT.
Explore FBT Diversifiers