First Trust SMID Capital Strength ETF (FSCS) belongs to the Mid 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 FSCS. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FSCS
FSCS charges 0.60% annually. There are 55 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF | 0.03% | 18.27B | Nov 2005 | FSCS vs SPMD | |
| Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 224.00B | Jan 2004 | FSCS vs VO | |
| Schwab US Mid-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 14.50B | Jan 2011 | FSCS vs SCHM | |
| iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 1.66B | Jun 2004 | FSCS vs IMCB | |
| Vanguard Extended Market ETF | 0.05% | 97.70B | Dec 2001 | FSCS vs VXF |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FSCS
FSCS has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 21. There are 68 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 91.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castellan Targeted Equity ETF | 91 | — | Jun 2025 | FSCS vs CTEF | |
| Counterpoint Quantitative Equity ETF | 88 | 377.71M | Nov 2023 | FSCS vs CPAI | |
| LeaderShares AlphaFactor US Core Equity ETF | 88 | 117.99M | Oct 2018 | FSCS vs LSAF | |
| Invesco S&P Spin-Off ETF | 88 | 225.57M | Dec 2006 | FSCS vs CSD | |
| SRH U.S. Quality ETF | 87 | 170.62M | Oct 2022 | FSCS vs SRHQ |
Top Performing FSCS Alternatives (YTD)
FSCS is at 5.33% YTD. There are 75 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 33.99%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castellan Targeted Equity ETF | 33.99% | — | Jun 2025 | FSCS vs CTEF | |
| Invesco S&P Spin-Off ETF | 33.33% | 225.57M | Dec 2006 | FSCS vs CSD | |
| Counterpoint Quantitative Equity ETF | 26.13% | 377.71M | Nov 2023 | FSCS vs CPAI | |
| Optimize Strategy Index ETF | 24.46% | 239.89M | Apr 2024 | FSCS vs OPTZ | |
| GMO Domestic Resilience ETF | 21.60% | 36.00M | Sep 2025 | FSCS vs DRES |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FSCS
FSCS has 12.55% 1-year volatility. There are 12 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 9.97%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco Bloomberg MVP Multi-factor ETF | 9.97% | 104.10M | May 2003 | FSCS vs BMVP | |
| Invesco Dynamic Market ETF | 9.97% | 95.10M | May 2003 | FSCS vs PWC | |
| ETC 6 Meridian Low Beta Equity Strategy ETF | 10.43% | 185.97M | May 2020 | FSCS vs SIXL | |
| Indexperts Quality Earnings Focused ETF | 11.02% | 34.97M | Dec 2024 | FSCS vs QIDX | |
| Xtrackers Russell US Multifactor ETF | 11.17% | 300.67M | Nov 2015 | FSCS vs DEUS |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FSCS
FSCS has a 1-year max drawdown of -7.81%. There are 18 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -6.31%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRH U.S. Quality ETF | -6.31% | 170.62M | Oct 2022 | FSCS vs SRHQ | |
| Invesco Bloomberg MVP Multi-factor ETF | -6.45% | 104.10M | May 2003 | FSCS vs BMVP | |
| Invesco Dynamic Market ETF | -6.45% | 95.10M | May 2003 | FSCS vs PWC | |
| WisdomTree US Multifactor Fund | -6.47% | 297.46M | Jun 2017 | FSCS vs USMF | |
| ETC 6 Meridian Low Beta Equity Strategy ETF | -6.52% | 185.97M | May 2020 | FSCS vs SIXL |
Other ETFs from First Trust
The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, AIRR and span 16 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $25B.
Often Compared With FSCS
Investors most often compare FSCS with NOIEX, EPU, IJH. These 20 comparison targets span 15 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FSCS with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FSCS with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FSCS with funds that move differently
First Trust SMID Capital Strength ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FSCS.
Explore FSCS Diversifiers