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 18 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%	14.30B	Apr 2009	FDTS vs VSS
SCHC	Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF	0.08%	5.37B	Jan 2010	FDTS vs SCHC
AVDS	Avantis International Small Cap Equity ETF	0.30%	315.68M	Jul 2023	FDTS vs AVDS
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	0.30%	188.62M	Sep 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
AVDV	Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	0.36%	18.99B	Sep 2019	FDTS vs AVDV

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FDTS

FDTS has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 60. There are 4 ETFs in the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 76.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
HSCZ	iShares Currency Hedged MSCI EAFE Small Cap ETF	76	226.84M	Jun 2015	FDTS vs HSCZ
AVDV	Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	69	18.99B	Sep 2019	FDTS vs AVDV
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	61	188.62M	Sep 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
DISV	Dimensional International Small Cap Value ETF	60	4.75B	Mar 2022	FDTS vs DISV
AVDS	Avantis International Small Cap Equity ETF	50	315.68M	Jul 2023	FDTS vs AVDS

Top Performing FDTS Alternatives (YTD)

FDTS is at 12.95% 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 11.30%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
AVDV	Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	11.30%	18.99B	Sep 2019	FDTS vs AVDV
HSCZ	iShares Currency Hedged MSCI EAFE Small Cap ETF	10.91%	226.84M	Jun 2015	FDTS vs HSCZ
FNDC	Schwab Fundamental International Small Equity ETF	9.16%	3.02B	Aug 2013	FDTS vs FNDC
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	9.11%	188.62M	Sep 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
DISV	Dimensional International Small Cap Value ETF	8.80%	4.75B	Mar 2022	FDTS vs DISV

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FDTS

FDTS has 18.74% 1-year volatility. There are 17 ETFs in the Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 11.81%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
HSCZ	iShares Currency Hedged MSCI EAFE Small Cap ETF	11.81%	226.84M	Jun 2015	FDTS vs HSCZ
DDLS	WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International S...	13.20%	429.22M	Jan 2016	FDTS vs DDLS
DLS	WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend	13.79%	1.04B	Jun 2006	FDTS vs DLS
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	14.13%	188.62M	Sep 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
NISM	NYLI International Small-Mid Cap Equity ETF	14.27%	25.03M	May 2026	FDTS vs NISM

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%	226.84M	Jun 2015	FDTS vs HSCZ
DDLS	WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International S...	-10.69%	429.22M	Jan 2016	FDTS vs DDLS
DXIV	Dimensional International Vector Equity ETF	-10.84%	188.62M	Sep 2024	FDTS vs DXIV
DLS	WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend	-11.04%	1.04B	Jun 2006	FDTS vs DLS
FNDC	Schwab Fundamental International Small Equity ETF	-11.20%	3.02B	Aug 2013	FDTS vs FNDC

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.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
CIBR	First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF	Cybersecurity, Technology Equities	34	28.87%	14.26B	Jul 2015	FDTS vs CIBR
GRID	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastru...	Alternative Energy Equities	58	19.10%	11.74B	Nov 2009	FDTS vs GRID
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	66	23.60%	10.80B	Mar 2014	FDTS vs AIRR
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	India Equities, Equal Weight, Asia Pacific Equities	4	-7.65%	132.86M	Feb 2012	FDTS vs NFTY
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	76	15.23%	7.48B	Mar 2006	FDTS vs FDL
IGLD	FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Gold, Derivative Income, Precious Metals	18	-7.95%	510.89M	Mar 2021	FDTS vs IGLD
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	94	86.56%	2.46B	Sep 2016	FDTS vs FTXL
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	44	17.47%	4.34B	Aug 2012	FDTS vs TDIV
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities	54	20.15%	718.18M	Feb 2007	FDTS vs QCLN
KNG	FT Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target Income...	Dividend, S&P 500	34	8.48%	3.40B	Mar 2018	FDTS vs KNG

Often Compared With FDTS

Investors most often compare FDTS with SCHD, XLK, DISVX. These 20 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
SCHD	Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	Dividend	86	20.66%	98.55B	Oct 2011	FDTS vs SCHD
XLK	State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF	Technology Equities	63	26.22%	120.59B	Dec 1998	FDTS vs XLK
DISVX	DFA International Small Cap Value Portfolio Instit...	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	59	8.84%	13.91B	Dec 1994	FDTS vs DISVX
ISCF	iShares MSCI Intl Small-Cap Multifactor ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	36	6.59%	646.05M	Apr 2015	FDTS vs ISCF
VYMI	Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF	Dividend, Foreign Large Cap Equities	81	13.44%	20.50B	Feb 2016	FDTS vs VYMI
SMMV	iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF	Small Cap Growth Equities	45	8.26%	287.62M	Sep 2016	FDTS vs SMMV
XME	SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF	Materials	38	-1.34%	4.09B	Jun 2006	FDTS vs XME
CGV	Conductor Global Equity Value ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	39	6.57%	121.58M	Apr 2016	FDTS vs CGV
SMH	VanEck Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	92	62.61%	73.62B	Dec 2011	FDTS vs SMH
TDIV.AS	VanEck Morningstar Developed Markets Dividend Lead...	Global Equity Income	96	13.31%	—	May 2016	FDTS vs TDIV.AS
ASCI	abrdn International Small Cap Active ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	—	3.88%	78.74M	Oct 2025	FDTS vs ASCI
FDT	First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund	Foreign Large Cap Equities	64	14.80%	1.29B	Apr 2011	FDTS vs FDT
NVDA	NVIDIA Corporation		65	9.26%	—	—	FDTS vs NVDA
IVAL	Alpha Architect International Quantitative Value E...	Foreign Large Cap Equities	69	12.61%	209.81M	Dec 2014	FDTS vs IVAL
SCZ	iShares MSCI EAFE Small-Cap ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	40	7.89%	13.72B	Dec 2007	FDTS vs SCZ
FRDM	Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	86	30.27%	2.93B	May 2019	FDTS vs FRDM
PDN	Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. Small-...	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	44	7.96%	350.99M	Sep 2007	FDTS vs PDN
LVHI	Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividen...	Volatility Hedged Equity, Dividend	95	14.97%	5.00B	Jul 2016	FDTS vs LVHI
GWX	SPDR S&P International Small Cap ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	41	7.36%	860.02M	Apr 2007	FDTS vs GWX
DFIS	Dimensional International Small Cap ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	44	8.01%	5.77B	Mar 2022	FDTS vs DFIS

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