FDTS Alternatives & Similar ETFs

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 a closer substitute for your current allocation.

Cheapest Alternatives to FDTS

FDTS charges 0.80% annually. There are 17 ETFs in the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.07%.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	AUM	Inception
VSS	Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF	0.07%	13.90B	Apr 2009	FDTS vs VSS
SCHC	Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF	0.11%	5.61B	Jan 2010	FDTS vs SCHC
AVDS	Avantis International Small Cap Equity ETF	0.30%	298.98M	Jul 2023	FDTS vs AVDS
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	0.30%	152.75M	Sep 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
AVDV	Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	0.36%	19.44B	Sep 2019	FDTS vs AVDV

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FDTS

FDTS has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 76. There is 1 ETF in the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category with a higher risk-adjusted rank, going as high as 78.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
AVDV	Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	78	19.44B	Sep 2019	FDTS vs AVDV
HSCZ	iShares Currency Hedged MSCI EAFE Small Cap ETF	73	221.63M	Jun 2015	FDTS vs HSCZ
DISV	Dimensional International Small Cap Value ETF	65	4.87B	Mar 2022	FDTS vs DISV
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	63	152.75M	Sep 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
AVDS	Avantis International Small Cap Equity ETF	61	298.98M	Jul 2023	FDTS vs AVDS

Top Performing FDTS Alternatives (YTD)

FDTS is at 16.64% YTD. No ETFs in the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category have higher YTD returns; the top-performing alternatives shown here go as high as 16.04%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
AVDV	Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	16.04%	19.44B	Sep 2019	FDTS vs AVDV
AVDS	Avantis International Small Cap Equity ETF	12.02%	298.98M	Jul 2023	FDTS vs AVDS
CGV	Conductor Global Equity Value ETF	12.00%	121.58M	Apr 2016	FDTS vs CGV
GWX	SPDR S&P International Small Cap ETF	11.79%	911.23M	Apr 2007	FDTS vs GWX
FNDC	Schwab Fundamental International Small Co. Index E...	11.36%	3.11B	Aug 2013	FDTS vs FNDC

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FDTS

FDTS has 17.05% 1-year volatility. There are 16 ETFs in the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 11.21%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
HSCZ	iShares Currency Hedged MSCI EAFE Small Cap ETF	11.21%	221.63M	Jun 2015	FDTS vs HSCZ
DDLS	WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International S...	12.92%	449.26M	Jan 2016	FDTS vs DDLS
DLS	WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend	13.44%	1.06B	Jun 2006	FDTS vs DLS
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	13.50%	152.75M	Sep 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
CGV	Conductor Global Equity Value ETF	14.08%	121.58M	Apr 2016	FDTS vs CGV

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FDTS

FDTS has a 1-year max drawdown of -12.61%. There are 14 ETFs in the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -9.61%.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	AUM	Inception
HSCZ	iShares Currency Hedged MSCI EAFE Small Cap ETF	-9.61%	221.63M	Jun 2015	FDTS vs HSCZ
DDLS	WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International S...	-10.69%	449.26M	Jan 2016	FDTS vs DDLS
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	-10.84%	152.75M	Sep 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
DLS	WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend	-11.04%	1.06B	Jun 2006	FDTS vs DLS
FNDC	Schwab Fundamental International Small Co. Index E...	-11.20%	3.11B	Aug 2013	FDTS vs FNDC

Other ETFs from First Trust

The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, NFTY and span 11 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $14B.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
CIBR	First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF	Technology Equities, Cybersecurity	26	28.52%	13.68B	Jul 2015	FDTS vs CIBR
GRID	First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart GRID Infrastru...	Alternative Energy Equities	79	28.91%	11.29B	Nov 2009	FDTS vs GRID
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	Asia Pacific Equities	3	-9.70%	133.88M	Feb 2012	FDTS vs NFTY
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	78	31.77%	10.62B	Mar 2014	FDTS vs AIRR
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	70	13.33%	7.39B	Mar 2006	FDTS vs FDL
IGLD	FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Precious Metals, Gold	28	1.69%	591.41M	Mar 2021	FDTS vs IGLD
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	97	115.70%	2.52B	Sep 2016	FDTS vs FTXL
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	83	30.57%	4.66B	Aug 2012	FDTS vs TDIV
KNG	FT Cboe Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target I...	Dividend, S&P 500	20	2.20%	3.28B	Mar 2018	FDTS vs KNG
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities	89	52.94%	895.30M	Feb 2007	FDTS vs QCLN

Often Compared With FDTS

Investors most often compare FDTS with SCHD, XLK, DISVX. These 20 comparison targets span 11 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
SCHD	Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	Dividend	80	19.01%	94.95B	Oct 2011	FDTS vs SCHD
XLK	State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF	Technology Equities	83	36.47%	121.66B	Dec 1998	FDTS vs XLK
DISVX	DFA International Small Cap Value Portfolio	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	60	10.61%	—	Dec 1994	FDTS vs DISVX
VYMI	Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF	Dividend, Foreign Large Cap Equities	66	11.31%	20.00B	Feb 2016	FDTS vs VYMI
ISCF	iShares MSCI Intl Small-Cap Multifactor ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	42	7.28%	651.69M	Apr 2015	FDTS vs ISCF
SMMV	iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF	Small Cap Growth Equities	20	2.04%	279.24M	Sep 2016	FDTS vs SMMV
XME	SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF	Materials	77	24.13%	5.31B	Jun 2006	FDTS vs XME
SMH	VanEck Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	96	77.13%	67.82B	Dec 2011	FDTS vs SMH
TDIV.AS	VanEck Morningstar Developed Markets Dividend Lead...	Global Equity Income	87	9.61%	—	May 2016	FDTS vs TDIV.AS
NVDA	NVIDIA Corporation		78	15.15%	—	—	FDTS vs NVDA
ASCI	abrdn International Small Cap Active ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	—	7.39%	83.10M	Oct 2025	FDTS vs ASCI
FDT	First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund	Foreign Large Cap Equities	84	25.50%	1.33B	Apr 2011	FDTS vs FDT
SCZ	iShares MSCI EAFE Small-Cap ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	47	9.56%	14.87B	Dec 2007	FDTS vs SCZ
FRDM	Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	93	44.61%	2.93B	May 2019	FDTS vs FRDM
LVHI	Legg Mason International Low Volatility High Divid...	Volatility Hedged Equity, Dividend	89	11.71%	4.94B	Jul 2016	FDTS vs LVHI
IVAL	Alpha Architect International Quantitative Value E...	Foreign Large Cap Equities	61	13.29%	209.81M	Dec 2014	FDTS vs IVAL
PDN	Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. Small-...	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	55	10.22%	377.12M	Sep 2007	FDTS vs PDN
IDV	iShares International Select Dividend ETF	Global Equities, Dividend	83	12.32%	8.61B	Jun 2007	FDTS vs IDV
DFIS	Dimensional International Small Cap ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	53	10.27%	5.97B	Mar 2022	FDTS vs DFIS
GVAL	Cambria Global Value ETF	Global Equities	77	14.37%	443.40M	Mar 2014	FDTS vs GVAL

Compare FDTS with Any Fund or Stock

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

Symbol name

Diversifiers

Pair FDTS with funds that move differently

First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FDTS.

Explore FDTS Diversifiers

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