First Trust CEF Income Opportunity ETF (FCEF) Alternatives
First Trust CEF Income Opportunity ETF (FCEF) belongs to the Diversified Portfolio category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with FCEF. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or funds that fit a different role in your portfolio.
Cheapest Alternatives to FCEF
FCEF charges 2.91% annually. Among ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category, these options have the lowest expense ratios among FCEF alternatives.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplify US Equity PLUS Managed Futures Strategy E... | 0.10% | Dec 8, 2025 | FCEF vs CTAP | |
| iShares ESG Aware Aggressive Allocation ETF | 0.18% | Jun 12, 2020 | FCEF vs EAOA | |
| iShares ESG Aware Moderate Allocation ETF | 0.18% | Jun 12, 2020 | FCEF vs EAOM | |
| iShares ESG Aware Growth Allocation ETF | 0.18% | Jun 12, 2020 | FCEF vs EAOR | |
| iShares ESG Aware Conservative Allocation ETF | 0.18% | Jun 12, 2020 | FCEF vs EAOK |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FCEF
Among ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category, these options rank highest on PortfoliosLab's risk-adjusted score, which accounts for volatility, drawdown, and return consistency over a 1-year period.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VanEck Inflation Allocation ETF | 94 | Apr 9, 2018 | FCEF vs RAAX | |
| Brookstone Yield ETF | 91 | Sep 27, 2023 | FCEF vs BAMY | |
| iShares Morningstar Multi-Asset Income ETF | 91 | Apr 5, 2012 | FCEF vs IYLD | |
| Cambria Global Asset Allocation ETF | 90 | Dec 9, 2014 | FCEF vs GAA | |
| WisdomTree Emerging Markets Efficient Core Fund | 88 | May 20, 2021 | FCEF vs NTSE |
Top Performing FCEF Alternatives (YTD)
FCEF alternatives from the Diversified Portfolio category, sorted by year-to-date return.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VanEck Inflation Allocation ETF | 16.55% | Apr 9, 2018 | FCEF vs RAAX | |
| Alpha Architect High Inflation And Deflation ETF | 5.63% | Nov 16, 2022 | FCEF vs HIDE | |
| WisdomTree Emerging Markets Efficient Core Fund | 5.59% | May 20, 2021 | FCEF vs NTSE | |
| Simplify US Equity PLUS Managed Futures Strategy E... | 5.36% | Dec 8, 2025 | FCEF vs CTAP | |
| UPAR Ultra Risk Parity ETF | 5.18% | Jan 3, 2022 | FCEF vs UPAR |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FCEF
FCEF alternatives from the Diversified Portfolio category, sorted by annualized volatility over the past year.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FlexShares Real Assets Allocation Index Fund | 0.00% | Nov 23, 2015 | FCEF vs ASET | |
| Arrow DWA Tactical ETF | 0.00% | Oct 1, 2014 | FCEF vs DWAT | |
| First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF | 3.67% | Aug 13, 2014 | FCEF vs HISF | |
| Mindful Conservative ETF | 4.75% | Nov 2, 2021 | FCEF vs MFUL | |
| Alpha Architect High Inflation And Deflation ETF | 5.29% | Nov 16, 2022 | FCEF vs HIDE |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FCEF
FCEF alternatives from the Diversified Portfolio category, sorted by maximum drawdown over the past year.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF | -2.90% | Aug 13, 2014 | FCEF vs HISF | |
| MKAM ETF | -3.72% | Apr 11, 2023 | FCEF vs MKAM | |
| Mindful Conservative ETF | -3.77% | Nov 2, 2021 | FCEF vs MFUL | |
| Alpha Architect High Inflation And Deflation ETF | -3.94% | Nov 16, 2022 | FCEF vs HIDE | |
| Defined Duration 10 ETF | -4.41% | Sep 21, 2021 | FCEF vs DDX |
Other ETFs from First Trust
Most popular First Trust ETFs on PortfoliosLab, across asset classes.
Often Compared With FCEF
What investors most often compare with FCEF, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FCEF with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FCEF with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.