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 54 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 213.90B | Jan 2004 | FSCS vs VO | |
| iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 1.58B | Jun 2004 | FSCS vs IMCB | |
| SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF | 0.05% | 17.47B | Nov 2005 | FSCS vs SPMD | |
| iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF | 0.05% | 119.17B | May 2000 | FSCS vs IJH | |
| Vanguard Extended Market ETF | 0.05% | 89.90B | Dec 2001 | FSCS vs VXF |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FSCS
FSCS has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 9. There are 72 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 92.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimize Strategy Index ETF | 92 | 239.89M | Apr 2024 | FSCS vs OPTZ | |
| Invesco S&P Spin-Off ETF | 89 | 193.13M | Dec 2006 | FSCS vs CSD | |
| Pacer US Export Leaders ETF | 86 | 51.69M | Jul 2018 | FSCS vs PEXL | |
| Counterpoint Quantitative Equity ETF | 80 | 319.02M | Nov 2023 | FSCS vs CPAI | |
| Leuthold Select Industries ETF | 76 | 49.38M | Jan 2025 | FSCS vs LST |
Top Performing FSCS Alternatives (YTD)
FSCS is at -1.02% YTD. There are 79 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 40.17%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco S&P Spin-Off ETF | 40.17% | 193.13M | Dec 2006 | FSCS vs CSD | |
| Tema American Reshoring ETF | 34.10% | 274.07M | May 2023 | FSCS vs RSHO | |
| Optimize Strategy Index ETF | 31.19% | 239.89M | Apr 2024 | FSCS vs OPTZ | |
| Castellan Targeted Equity ETF | 29.80% | — | Jun 2025 | FSCS vs CTEF | |
| Counterpoint Quantitative Equity ETF | 28.83% | 319.02M | Nov 2023 | FSCS vs CPAI |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FSCS
FSCS has 12.69% 1-year volatility. There are 14 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 8.80%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF | 8.80% | 421.80M | Feb 2018 | FSCS vs VFMV | |
| ETC 6 Meridian Low Beta Equity Strategy ETF | 9.53% | 185.97M | May 2020 | FSCS vs SIXL | |
| Invesco Bloomberg MVP Multi-factor ETF | 9.77% | 101.26M | May 2003 | FSCS vs BMVP | |
| Invesco Dynamic Market ETF | 9.77% | 95.10M | May 2003 | FSCS vs PWC | |
| WisdomTree US Multifactor Fund | 10.79% | 352.83M | Jun 2017 | FSCS vs USMF |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FSCS
FSCS has a 1-year max drawdown of -7.81%. There are 19 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -6.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF | -6.00% | 421.80M | Feb 2018 | FSCS vs VFMV | |
| RiverNorth Patriot ETF | -6.25% | 3.96M | Feb 2022 | FSCS vs FLDZ | |
| SRH U.S. Quality ETF | -6.31% | 170.62M | Oct 2022 | FSCS vs SRHQ | |
| Invesco Bloomberg MVP Multi-factor ETF | -6.45% | 101.26M | May 2003 | FSCS vs BMVP | |
| Invesco Dynamic Market ETF | -6.45% | 95.10M | May 2003 | FSCS vs PWC |
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.
Often Compared With FSCS
Investors most often compare FSCS with NOIEX, LSAF, EPU. These 20 comparison targets span 8 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