First Trust Large Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund (FEX) belongs to the Large 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 FEX. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FEX
FEX charges 0.57% annually. There are 162 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.02%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Equity ETF | 0.02% | 8.54B | Mar 2019 | FEX vs BBUS | |
| Global X U.S. 500 ETF | 0.02% | 4.51M | Sep 2025 | FEX vs GXLC | |
| SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF | 0.03% | 13.55B | Oct 2000 | FEX vs SPTM | |
| Schwab 1000 Index ETF | 0.03% | 5.68B | Oct 2017 | FEX vs SCHK | |
| iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | 0.03% | 93.53B | Jan 2004 | FEX vs ITOT |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FEX
FEX has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 78. There are 15 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 90.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF | 90 | 1.04B | Sep 2018 | FEX vs IUS | |
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 90 | — | May 2024 | FEX vs RSSY | |
| Mohr Company Nav ETF | 84 | — | Sep 2024 | FEX vs CNAV | |
| Longview Advantage ETF | 84 | 562.31M | Feb 2025 | FEX vs EBI | |
| Pacer Swan SOS Conservative (December) ETF | 84 | 46.99M | Dec 2020 | FEX vs PSCX |
Top Performing FEX Alternatives (YTD)
FEX is at 16.10% YTD. There are 21 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 46.16%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohr Company Nav ETF | 46.16% | — | Sep 2024 | FEX vs CNAV | |
| Aztlan North America Nearshoring Stock Selection E... | 43.75% | 33.11M | Nov 2023 | FEX vs NRSH | |
| iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF | 32.00% | 28.16B | Apr 2013 | FEX vs MTUM | |
| ARS Focused Opportunities Strategy ETF | 31.60% | 293.98M | Jun 2025 | FEX vs AFOS | |
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 29.90% | — | May 2024 | FEX vs RSSY |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FEX
FEX has 13.19% 1-year volatility. There are 151 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 2.38%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest Laddered Max Buffer ETF | 2.38% | — | Jun 2025 | FEX vs BUFH | |
| FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF | 4.05% | — | Jun 2025 | FEX vs BUFX | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - June | 4.51% | 457.76M | Jun 2020 | FEX vs DJUN | |
| Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - June | 4.60% | 171.95M | Jun 2019 | FEX vs UJUN | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May | 5.09% | 369.81M | May 2020 | FEX vs DMAY |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FEX
FEX has a 1-year max drawdown of -6.23%. There are 18 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.84%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - June | -2.84% | 171.95M | Jun 2019 | FEX vs UJUN | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - June | -3.15% | 457.76M | Jun 2020 | FEX vs DJUN | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May | -3.36% | 369.81M | May 2020 | FEX vs DMAY | |
| Bridges Capital Tactical ETF | -4.03% | 42.09M | May 2023 | FEX vs BDGS | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - June | -4.13% | 1.89B | Jun 2020 | FEX vs FJUN |
Other ETFs from First Trust
The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, NFTY and span 13 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $14B.
Often Compared With FEX
Investors most often compare FEX with FCNTX, CAIBX, VOO. These 20 comparison targets span 13 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FEX with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FEX with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FEX with funds that move differently
First Trust Large Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FEX.
Explore FEX Diversifiers