First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund (FDTS) Alternatives

First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund (FDTS) belongs to the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with FDTS. 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 FDTS

FDTS charges 0.80% annually. Among ETFs in the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category, these options have the lowest expense ratios among FDTS alternatives.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	Inception
VSS	Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF	0.07%	Apr 2, 2009	FDTS vs VSS
SCHC	Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF	0.11%	Jan 14, 2010	FDTS vs SCHC
AVDS	Avantis International Small Cap Equity ETF	0.30%	Jul 18, 2023	FDTS vs AVDS
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	0.30%	Sep 10, 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
AVDV	Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	0.36%	Sep 24, 2019	FDTS vs AVDV

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FDTS

Among ETFs in the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities 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
AVDV	Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	96	Sep 24, 2019	FDTS vs AVDV
DISV	Dimensional International Small Cap Value ETF	93	Mar 23, 2022	FDTS vs DISV
GWX	SPDR S&P International Small Cap ETF	92	Apr 20, 2007	FDTS vs GWX
FNDC	Schwab Fundamental International Small Co. Index E...	92	Aug 15, 2013	FDTS vs FNDC
AVDS	Avantis International Small Cap Equity ETF	91	Jul 18, 2023	FDTS vs AVDS

Top Performing FDTS Alternatives (YTD)

FDTS alternatives from the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category, sorted by year-to-date return.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	Inception
AVDV	Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	6.39%	Sep 24, 2019	FDTS vs AVDV
CGV	Conductor Global Equity Value ETF	6.16%	Apr 19, 2016	FDTS vs CGV
FNDC	Schwab Fundamental International Small Co. Index E...	4.06%	Aug 15, 2013	FDTS vs FNDC
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	4.02%	Sep 10, 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
DISV	Dimensional International Small Cap Value ETF	3.83%	Mar 23, 2022	FDTS vs DISV

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FDTS

FDTS alternatives from the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category, sorted by annualized volatility over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	Inception
HSCZ	iShares Currency Hedged MSCI EAFE Small Cap ETF	14.44%	Jun 29, 2015	FDTS vs HSCZ
DLS	WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend	15.59%	Jun 16, 2006	FDTS vs DLS
DDLS	WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International S...	15.85%	Jan 7, 2016	FDTS vs DDLS
FNDC	Schwab Fundamental International Small Co. Index E...	15.87%	Aug 15, 2013	FDTS vs FNDC
CGV	Conductor Global Equity Value ETF	16.21%	Apr 19, 2016	FDTS vs CGV

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FDTS

FDTS alternatives from the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category, sorted by maximum drawdown over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	Inception
HSCZ	iShares Currency Hedged MSCI EAFE Small Cap ETF	-9.88%	Jun 29, 2015	FDTS vs HSCZ
DDLS	WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International S...	-10.69%	Jan 7, 2016	FDTS vs DDLS
DLS	WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend	-11.04%	Jun 16, 2006	FDTS vs DLS
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	-11.05%	Sep 10, 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
FNDC	Schwab Fundamental International Small Co. Index E...	-11.20%	Aug 15, 2013	FDTS vs FNDC

Other ETFs from First Trust

Most popular First Trust ETFs on PortfoliosLab, across asset classes.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	Inception
CIBR	First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF	Technology Equities, Cybersecurity	12	-12.12%	Jul 7, 2015	FDTS vs CIBR
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	Asia Pacific Equities	5	-11.19%	Feb 14, 2012	FDTS vs NFTY
GRID	First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart GRID Infrastru...	Alternative Energy Equities	94	6.96%	Nov 17, 2009	FDTS vs GRID
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	79	15.49%	Mar 9, 2006	FDTS vs FDL
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	95	12.74%	Mar 10, 2014	FDTS vs AIRR
IGLD	FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Precious Metals, Gold	84	5.99%	Mar 2, 2021	FDTS vs IGLD
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	77	-2.96%	Aug 14, 2012	FDTS vs TDIV
KNG	FT Cboe Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target I...	Dividend, S&P 500	25	1.24%	Mar 26, 2018	FDTS vs KNG
ROBT	First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robot...	Technology Equities, Robotics	28	-11.00%	Feb 21, 2018	FDTS vs ROBT
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities	87	4.23%	Feb 8, 2007	FDTS vs QCLN

Often Compared With FDTS

What investors most often compare with FDTS, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	Inception
SCHD	Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	Dividend	52	12.79%	Oct 20, 2011	FDTS vs SCHD
XLK	State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF	Technology Equities	69	-7.57%	Dec 16, 1998	FDTS vs XLK
DISVX	DFA International Small Cap Value Portfolio	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	92	0.00%	Dec 28, 1994	FDTS vs DISVX
VYMI	Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF	Dividend, Foreign Large Cap Equities	93	5.51%	Feb 25, 2016	FDTS vs VYMI
ISCF	iShares MSCI Intl Small-Cap Multifactor ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	86	0.75%	Apr 28, 2015	FDTS vs ISCF
SMMV	iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF	Small Cap Growth Equities	33	1.14%	Sep 7, 2016	FDTS vs SMMV
SMH	VanEck Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	95	6.46%	Dec 20, 2011	FDTS vs SMH
XME	SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF	Materials	94	4.31%	Jun 19, 2006	FDTS vs XME
TDIV.AS	VanEck Morningstar Developed Markets Dividend Lead...	Global Equity Income	92	9.59%	May 23, 2016	FDTS vs TDIV.AS
NVDA	NVIDIA Corporation		83	-6.48%	—	FDTS vs NVDA
FDT	First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund	Foreign Large Cap Equities	96	9.83%	Apr 18, 2011	FDTS vs FDT
FRDM	Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	95	7.05%	May 22, 2019	FDTS vs FRDM
LVHI	Legg Mason International Low Volatility High Divid...	Volatility Hedged Equity, Dividend	95	10.54%	Jul 27, 2016	FDTS vs LVHI
SCZ	iShares MSCI EAFE Small-Cap ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	85	1.14%	Dec 10, 2007	FDTS vs SCZ
PDN	Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. Small-...	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	91	3.50%	Sep 27, 2007	FDTS vs PDN
IDV	iShares International Select Dividend ETF	Global Equities, Dividend	97	8.40%	Jun 11, 2007	FDTS vs IDV
IVAL	Alpha Architect International Quantitative Value E...	Foreign Large Cap Equities	92	8.42%	Dec 16, 2014	FDTS vs IVAL
DFIS	Dimensional International Small Cap ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	89	2.31%	Mar 23, 2022	FDTS vs DFIS
GVAL	Cambria Global Value ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities	94	5.70%	Mar 11, 2014	FDTS vs GVAL
ASCI	abrdn International Small Cap Active ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	—	-3.73%	Oct 17, 2025	FDTS vs ASCI

Compare FDTS with Any Fund or Stock

Compare FDTS with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.

Symbol name

First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund

Symbol name