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 68 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% | 18.07B | Nov 2005 | FTDS vs SPMD | |
| Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 218.80B | Jan 2004 | FTDS vs VO | |
| iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 1.81B | Jun 2004 | FTDS vs IMCB | |
| Schwab US Mid-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 14.96B | Jan 2011 | FTDS vs SCHM | |
| iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF | 0.05% | 124.01B | May 2000 | FTDS vs IJH |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FTDS
FTDS has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 48. There are 40 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 93.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castellan Targeted Equity ETF | 93 | — | Jun 2025 | FTDS vs CTEF | |
| Optimize Strategy Index ETF | 92 | 239.89M | Apr 2024 | FTDS vs OPTZ | |
| Invesco S&P Spin-Off ETF | 91 | 214.80M | Dec 2006 | FTDS vs CSD | |
| Pacer US Export Leaders ETF | 79 | 51.51M | Jul 2018 | FTDS vs PEXL | |
| iShares MSCI Peru ETF | 76 | 548.10M | Jun 2009 | FTDS vs EPU |
Top Performing FTDS Alternatives (YTD)
FTDS is at 7.13% YTD. There are 63 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 44.05%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco S&P Spin-Off ETF | 44.05% | 214.80M | Dec 2006 | FTDS vs CSD | |
| Castellan Targeted Equity ETF | 36.91% | — | Jun 2025 | FTDS vs CTEF | |
| Optimize Strategy Index ETF | 32.54% | 239.89M | Apr 2024 | FTDS vs OPTZ | |
| Vanguard U.S. Momentum Factor ETF | 25.84% | 1.70B | Feb 2018 | FTDS vs VFMO | |
| Counterpoint Quantitative Equity ETF | 25.79% | 337.34M | Nov 2023 | FTDS vs CPAI |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FTDS
FTDS has 13.03% 1-year volatility. There are 17 ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 8.89%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF | 8.89% | 426.50M | Feb 2018 | FTDS vs VFMV | |
| Invesco Bloomberg MVP Multi-factor ETF | 9.86% | 99.32M | May 2003 | FTDS vs BMVP | |
| Invesco Dynamic Market ETF | 9.86% | 95.10M | May 2003 | FTDS vs PWC | |
| ETC 6 Meridian Low Beta Equity Strategy ETF | 9.98% | 185.97M | May 2020 | FTDS vs SIXL | |
| Indexperts Quality Earnings Focused ETF | 11.15% | 34.97M | Dec 2024 | FTDS vs QIDX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FTDS
FTDS has a 1-year max drawdown of -6.57%. There are 8 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% | 426.50M | Feb 2018 | FTDS vs VFMV | |
| RiverNorth Patriot ETF | -6.25% | 4.01M | Feb 2022 | FTDS vs FLDZ | |
| SRH U.S. Quality ETF | -6.31% | 170.62M | Oct 2022 | FTDS vs SRHQ | |
| Invesco Bloomberg MVP Multi-factor ETF | -6.45% | 99.32M | May 2003 | FTDS vs BMVP | |
| Invesco Dynamic Market ETF | -6.45% | 95.10M | May 2003 | FTDS vs PWC |
Other ETFs from First Trust
The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, NFTY and span 13 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $14B.
Often Compared With FTDS
Investors most often compare FTDS with QGRW, DGRO, TUSA. These 20 comparison targets span 7 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