First Trust S&P REIT Index Fund (FRI) belongs to the REIT category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with FRI. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FRI
FRI charges 0.50% annually. There are 33 ETFs in the REIT category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.07%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab US REIT ETF | 0.07% | 11.27B | Jan 2011 | FRI vs SCHH | |
| Fidelity MSCI Real Estate Index ETF | 0.08% | 1.45B | Feb 2015 | FRI vs FREL | |
| iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 0.08% | 4.51B | May 2007 | FRI vs USRT | |
| Xtrackers International Real Estate ETF | 0.10% | 1.04B | Oct 2013 | FRI vs HAUZ | |
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders MSCI US REIT ETF | 0.11% | 1.24B | Jun 2018 | FRI vs BBRE |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FRI
FRI has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 60. There are 3 ETFs in the REIT category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 84.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global X Data Center & Digital Infrastructure ETF | 84 | 2.25B | Oct 2020 | FRI vs DTCR | |
| Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | 82 | 18.07M | Feb 2019 | FRI vs VRAI | |
| SPDR Dow Jones REIT ETF | 61 | 1.83B | Apr 2001 | FRI vs RWR | |
| iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 59 | 4.51B | May 2007 | FRI vs USRT | |
| Invesco KBW Premium Yield Equity REIT ETF | 58 | 314.47M | Dec 2010 | FRI vs KBWY |
Top Performing FRI Alternatives (YTD)
FRI is at 18.44% YTD. There are 10 ETFs in the REIT category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 35.04%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global X Data Center & Digital Infrastructure ETF | 35.04% | 2.25B | Oct 2020 | FRI vs DTCR | |
| Direxion Daily Real Estate Bull 3x Shares | 29.86% | 46.24M | Jul 2009 | FRI vs DRN | |
| Invesco KBW Premium Yield Equity REIT ETF | 25.72% | 314.47M | Dec 2010 | FRI vs KBWY | |
| Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | 22.38% | 18.07M | Feb 2019 | FRI vs VRAI | |
| ProShares Ultra Real Estate | 21.12% | 56.58M | Jan 2007 | FRI vs URE |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FRI
FRI has 13.74% 1-year volatility. There are 23 ETFs in the REIT category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 7.99%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InfraCap REIT Preferred ETF | 7.99% | 117.50M | Feb 2017 | FRI vs PFFR | |
| NEOS Real Estate High Income ETF | 10.89% | 292.13M | Jan 2025 | FRI vs IYRI | |
| IQ CBRE Real Assets ETF | 10.95% | 6.52M | May 2023 | FRI vs IQRA | |
| State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Premiu... | 11.21% | 2.58M | Jul 2025 | FRI vs XLRI | |
| Global X SuperDividend REIT ETF | 11.47% | 232.88M | Mar 2015 | FRI vs SRET |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FRI
FRI has a 1-year max drawdown of -7.57%. There are 4 ETFs in the REIT category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -4.82%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | -4.82% | 18.07M | Feb 2019 | FRI vs VRAI | |
| InfraCap REIT Preferred ETF | -6.57% | 117.50M | Feb 2017 | FRI vs PFFR | |
| ALPS Active REIT ETF | -7.35% | 55.26M | Feb 2021 | FRI vs REIT | |
| NEOS Real Estate High Income ETF | -7.53% | 292.13M | Jan 2025 | FRI vs IYRI | |
| Fidelity Real Estate Investment ETF | -7.67% | 16.73M | Feb 2021 | FRI vs FPRO |
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 FRI
Investors most often compare FRI with IYR, VNQ, ^TNX. These 20 comparison targets span 2 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FRI with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FRI with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FRI with funds that move differently
First Trust S&P REIT Index Fund alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FRI.
Explore FRI Diversifiers