First Trust Dividend Strength ETF (FTDS) 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 FTDS. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FTDS
FTDS charges 0.70% annually. There are 69 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 | FTDS vs SPMD | |
| Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 224.00B | Jan 2004 | FTDS vs VO | |
| Schwab US Mid-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 14.50B | Jan 2011 | FTDS vs SCHM | |
| iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 1.66B | Jun 2004 | FTDS vs IMCB | |
| iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF | 0.05% | 122.39B | May 2000 | FTDS vs IJH |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FTDS
FTDS has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 81. There are 12 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 | FTDS vs CTEF | |
| Counterpoint Quantitative Equity ETF | 88 | 377.71M | Nov 2023 | FTDS vs CPAI | |
| LeaderShares AlphaFactor US Core Equity ETF | 88 | 117.99M | Oct 2018 | FTDS vs LSAF | |
| Invesco S&P Spin-Off ETF | 88 | 225.57M | Dec 2006 | FTDS vs CSD | |
| SRH U.S. Quality ETF | 87 | 170.62M | Oct 2022 | FTDS vs SRHQ |
Top Performing FTDS Alternatives (YTD)
FTDS is at 15.08% YTD. There are 28 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 | FTDS vs CTEF | |
| Invesco S&P Spin-Off ETF | 33.33% | 225.57M | Dec 2006 | FTDS vs CSD | |
| Counterpoint Quantitative Equity ETF | 26.13% | 377.71M | Nov 2023 | FTDS vs CPAI | |
| Optimize Strategy Index ETF | 24.46% | 239.89M | Apr 2024 | FTDS vs OPTZ | |
| GMO Domestic Resilience ETF | 21.60% | 36.00M | Sep 2025 | FTDS vs DRES |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FTDS
FTDS has 12.81% 1-year volatility. There are 15 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 Dynamic Market ETF | 9.97% | 95.10M | May 2003 | FTDS vs PWC | |
| Invesco Bloomberg MVP Multi-factor ETF | 9.97% | 104.10M | May 2003 | FTDS vs BMVP | |
| ETC 6 Meridian Low Beta Equity Strategy ETF | 10.43% | 185.97M | May 2020 | FTDS vs SIXL | |
| Indexperts Quality Earnings Focused ETF | 11.02% | 34.97M | Dec 2024 | FTDS vs QIDX | |
| Xtrackers Russell US Multifactor ETF | 11.17% | 300.67M | Nov 2015 | FTDS vs DEUS |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FTDS
FTDS has a 1-year max drawdown of -6.57%. There are 6 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 | FTDS vs SRHQ | |
| Invesco Dynamic Market ETF | -6.45% | 95.10M | May 2003 | FTDS vs PWC | |
| Invesco Bloomberg MVP Multi-factor ETF | -6.45% | 104.10M | May 2003 | FTDS vs BMVP | |
| WisdomTree US Multifactor Fund | -6.47% | 297.46M | Jun 2017 | FTDS vs USMF | |
| ETC 6 Meridian Low Beta Equity Strategy ETF | -6.52% | 185.97M | May 2020 | FTDS 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 FTDS
Investors most often compare FTDS with QGRW, TUSA, MOO. These 20 comparison targets span 8 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FTDS with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FTDS with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FTDS with funds that move differently
First Trust Dividend Strength ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FTDS.
Explore FTDS Diversifiers