Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF (FTSD) belongs to the Mortgage Backed Securities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with FTSD. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FTSD
FTSD charges 0.25% annually. There are 9 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 0.03% | — | Nov 2024 | FTSD vs SMBS | |
| Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 0.04% | 17.10B | Nov 2009 | FTSD vs VMBS | |
| SPDR Portfolio Mortgage Backed Bond ETF | 0.04% | 7.02B | Jan 2009 | FTSD vs SPMB | |
| iShares MBS Bond ETF | 0.06% | 39.57B | Mar 2007 | FTSD vs MBB | |
| Simplify MBS ETF | 0.15% | 1.55B | Nov 2023 | FTSD vs MTBA |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FTSD
FTSD has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 95. No ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category have higher risk-adjusted ranks; the top alternatives shown here go as high as 88.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 88 | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | FTSD vs LMBS | |
| Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF | 70 | 112.64M | Feb 2021 | FTSD vs VABS | |
| PIMCO Mortgage-Backed Securities Active Exchange-T... | 48 | — | Jul 1997 | FTSD vs PMBS | |
| Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 44 | 6.84B | Sep 2018 | FTSD vs JMBS | |
| Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 43 | 17.10B | Nov 2009 | FTSD vs VMBS |
Top Performing FTSD Alternatives (YTD)
FTSD is at 0.92% YTD. There are 6 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 5.41%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regan Fixed Rate MBS ETF | 5.41% | 13.94M | Apr 2025 | FTSD vs MBSX | |
| Nuveen Securitized Income ETF | 1.96% | 167.58M | Sep 2025 | FTSD vs NSCI | |
| Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF | 1.70% | 112.64M | Feb 2021 | FTSD vs VABS | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 1.44% | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | FTSD vs LMBS | |
| Academy Veteran Bond ETF | 1.08% | 80.69M | Aug 2023 | FTSD vs VETZ |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FTSD
FTSD has 1.35% 1-year volatility. There is 1 ETF in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.30%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuveen Securitized Income ETF | 1.30% | 167.58M | Sep 2025 | FTSD vs NSCI | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 1.94% | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | FTSD vs LMBS | |
| Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF | 2.01% | 112.64M | Feb 2021 | FTSD vs VABS | |
| Eaton Vance Mortgage Opportunities ETF | 2.86% | — | Aug 2025 | FTSD vs EVMO | |
| Simplify MBS ETF | 3.10% | 1.55B | Nov 2023 | FTSD vs MTBA |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FTSD
FTSD has a 1-year max drawdown of -0.45%. No ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category have shallower 1-year drawdowns; the lowest-drawdown alternatives shown here go as shallow as -0.98%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF | -0.98% | 112.64M | Feb 2021 | FTSD vs VABS | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | -1.43% | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | FTSD vs LMBS | |
| FlexShares Disciplined Duration MBS Index Fund | -2.17% | 94.67M | Sep 2014 | FTSD vs MBSD | |
| iShares CMBS ETF | -2.44% | 475.16M | Feb 2012 | FTSD vs CMBS | |
| WisdomTree Mortgage Plus Bond Fund | -2.53% | 66.17M | Nov 2019 | FTSD vs MTGP |
Other ETFs from Franklin Templeton
The 10 most viewed Franklin Templeton ETFs shown here include LVHI, FLIN, FLKR and span 9 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $5B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividen... | Volatility Hedged Equity, Dividend | 93 | 12.42% | 4.99B | Jul 2016 | FTSD vs LVHI | |
| Franklin FTSE India ETF | Asia Pacific Equities | 4 | -8.37% | 2.55B | Feb 2018 | FTSD vs FLIN | |
| Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF | Asia Pacific Equities | 92 | 97.22% | 1.16B | Nov 2017 | FTSD vs FLKR | |
| Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index E... | Dividend | 40 | 10.55% | 588.56M | Dec 2015 | FTSD vs LVHD | |
| Franklin International Core Dividend Tilt Index ET... | Foreign Large Cap Equities, Dividend | 54 | 10.71% | 2.60B | Jun 2016 | FTSD vs DIVI | |
| Putnam BDC Income ETF | Financials Equities | 4 | -11.42% | 272.46M | Sep 2022 | FTSD vs PBDC | |
| Franklin FTSE Japan ETF | Japan Equities | 53 | 15.09% | 3.93B | Nov 2017 | FTSD vs FLJP | |
| Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF | Gold, Precious Metals | 21 | -4.86% | 437.03M | Jun 2022 | FTSD vs FGDL | |
| Franklin FTSE China ETF | China Equities | 9 | -12.17% | 264.76M | Nov 2017 | FTSD vs FLCH | |
| Franklin FTSE Japan Hedged ETF | Japan Equities | 82 | 20.28% | 171.61M | Nov 2017 | FTSD vs FLJH |
Often Compared With FTSD
Investors most often compare FTSD with USFR, SGOV, PULS. These 20 comparison targets span 18 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FTSD with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FTSD with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FTSD with funds that move differently
Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FTSD.
Explore FTSD Diversifiers