First Trust Balanced Income ETF (FTBI) belongs to the Diversified Portfolio category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with FTBI. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FTBI
FTBI charges 0.97% annually. There are 54 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.10%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplify US Equity PLUS Managed Futures Strategy E... | 0.10% | 138.08M | Dec 2025 | FTBI vs CTAP | |
| iShares Core 60/40 Balanced Allocation ETF | 0.15% | 3.64B | Nov 2008 | FTBI vs AOR | |
| iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF | 0.15% | 3.19B | Nov 2008 | FTBI vs AOA | |
| iShares Core 30/70 Conservative Allocation ETF | 0.15% | 781.58M | Nov 2008 | FTBI vs AOK | |
| iShares ESG Aware Growth Allocation ETF | 0.18% | 32.64M | Jun 2020 | FTBI vs EAOR |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FTBI
FTBI has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 77. There are 8 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 92.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Income Focus ETF | 92 | 1.72B | Jun 2023 | FTBI vs INCM | |
| Avantis Moderate Allocation ETF | 85 | 82.33M | Jun 2023 | FTBI vs AVMA | |
| iShares Morningstar Multi-Asset Income ETF | 84 | 125.24M | Apr 2012 | FTBI vs IYLD | |
| Brookstone Yield ETF | 81 | 43.48M | Sep 2023 | FTBI vs BAMY | |
| Cambria Global Asset Allocation ETF | 80 | 72.57M | Dec 2014 | FTBI vs GAA |
Top Performing FTBI Alternatives (YTD)
FTBI is at 7.62% YTD. There are 38 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 32.37%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Core ETF | 32.37% | 16.56M | Nov 2021 | FTBI vs RULE | |
| WisdomTree Emerging Markets Efficient Core Fund | 22.56% | 53.61M | May 2021 | FTBI vs NTSE | |
| Pacer Trendpilot International ETF | 18.60% | 181.50M | May 2019 | FTBI vs PTIN | |
| Myriad Dynamic Asset Allocation ETF | 18.21% | 444.94M | Oct 2025 | FTBI vs MDAA | |
| ETC Cabana Target Leading Sector Moderate ETF | 17.92% | 114.31M | Jul 2021 | FTBI vs CLSM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FTBI
FTBI has 7.64% 1-year volatility. There are 21 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FlexShares Real Assets Allocation Index Fund | 0.00% | 7.49M | Nov 2015 | FTBI vs ASET | |
| Prospera Income ETF | 2.88% | 2.20M | Sep 2025 | FTBI vs THRV | |
| First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF | 3.29% | 98.51M | Aug 2014 | FTBI vs HISF | |
| Mindful Conservative ETF | 4.35% | 26.13M | Nov 2021 | FTBI vs MFUL | |
| Brookstone Yield ETF | 4.36% | 43.48M | Sep 2023 | FTBI vs BAMY |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FTBI
FTBI has a 1-year max drawdown of -5.34%. There are 16 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.48%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookstone Yield ETF | -2.48% | 43.48M | Sep 2023 | FTBI vs BAMY | |
| First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF | -2.90% | 98.51M | Aug 2014 | FTBI vs HISF | |
| Franklin Income Focus ETF | -3.19% | 1.72B | Jun 2023 | FTBI vs INCM | |
| Alpha Architect High Inflation And Deflation ETF | -3.31% | 145.17M | Nov 2022 | FTBI vs HIDE | |
| Mindful Conservative ETF | -3.36% | 26.13M | Nov 2021 | FTBI vs MFUL |
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 FTBI
Investors most often compare FTBI with SPLS, RAAX, DRAI. These 20 comparison targets span 9 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FTBI with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FTBI with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FTBI with funds that move differently
First Trust Balanced Income ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FTBI.
Explore FTBI Diversifiers