First Trust Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index Fund (FDM) belongs to the Small 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 FDM. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FDM
FDM charges 0.60% annually. There are 45 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF | 0.03% | 16.85B | Jul 2013 | FDM vs SPSM | |
| iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 282.90M | Jun 2004 | FDM vs ISCB | |
| Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 23.26B | Nov 2009 | FDM vs SCHA | |
| Vanguard Small-Cap ETF | 0.05% | 182.70B | Jan 2004 | FDM vs VB | |
| iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | 0.06% | 109.39B | May 2000 | FDM vs IJR |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FDM
FDM has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 63. There are 36 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 96 | — | Jun 2025 | FDM vs RB | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 90 | 1.36B | May 2007 | FDM vs FYX | |
| Fidelity Enhanced Small Cap Core ETF | 88 | 5.78B | Dec 2007 | FDM vs FESM | |
| Hartford Multifactor Small Cap ETF | 87 | 61.26M | Mar 2015 | FDM vs ROSC | |
| Invesco NASDAQ Future Gen 200 ETF | 85 | 21.99M | Oct 2022 | FDM vs QQQS |
Top Performing FDM Alternatives (YTD)
FDM is at 15.49% YTD. There are 49 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 53.33%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares | 53.33% | 1.43B | Nov 2008 | FDM vs TNA | |
| Invesco NASDAQ Future Gen 200 ETF | 28.18% | 21.99M | Oct 2022 | FDM vs QQQS | |
| Inspire Small/Mid Cap Impact ETF | 27.99% | 329.18M | Feb 2017 | FDM vs ISMD | |
| Allspring SMID Core ETF | 25.79% | 78.82M | Jul 2025 | FDM vs ASCE | |
| JPMorgan Fundamental Data Science Small Core ETF | 25.57% | 9.08M | Aug 2024 | FDM vs SCDS |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FDM
FDM has 18.67% 1-year volatility. There are 52 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 6.58%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 6.58% | — | Jun 2025 | FDM vs RB | |
| First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid E... | 10.56% | 34.63M | Apr 2020 | FDM vs HSMV | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | 10.68% | 1.36B | Apr 2019 | FDM vs RYLD | |
| CresAlta Small & Mid-Cap ETF | 11.19% | 88.99M | May 2026 | FDM vs CVSM | |
| OShares U.S. Small-Cap Quality Dividend ETF | 13.08% | 873.92M | Dec 2016 | FDM vs OUSM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FDM
FDM has a 1-year max drawdown of -9.30%. There are 30 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.09%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | -2.09% | — | Jun 2025 | FDM vs RB | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | -6.29% | 1.36B | Apr 2019 | FDM vs RYLD | |
| Hypatia Women CEO ETF | -6.96% | 5.55M | Jan 2023 | FDM vs WCEO | |
| 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF | -7.16% | 106.31M | May 2020 | FDM vs SIXS | |
| VictoryShares US Small Cap High Dividend Volatilit... | -7.18% | 264.62M | Jul 2015 | FDM vs CSB |
Other ETFs from First Trust
The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, AIRR and span 14 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $14B.
Often Compared With FDM
Investors most often compare FDM with IWC, PVIVX, DFSCX. These 20 comparison targets span 7 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FDM with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FDM with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FDM with funds that move differently
First Trust Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index Fund alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FDM.
Explore FDM Diversifiers