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% | 17.30B | Nov 2009 | FTSD vs VMBS | |
| SPDR Portfolio Mortgage Backed Bond ETF | 0.04% | 7.00B | Jan 2009 | FTSD vs SPMB | |
| iShares MBS Bond ETF | 0.04% | 38.93B | Mar 2007 | FTSD vs MBB | |
| iShares GNMA Bond ETF | 0.15% | 421.25M | Feb 2012 | FTSD vs GNMA |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FTSD
FTSD has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 96. No ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category have higher risk-adjusted ranks; the top alternatives shown here go as high as 91.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 91 | 6.35B | Nov 2014 | FTSD vs LMBS | |
| Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF | 85 | 112.17M | Feb 2021 | FTSD vs VABS | |
| JPMorgan Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 46 | 6.79B | Aug 2000 | FTSD vs JMTG | |
| First Trust TCW Securitized Plus ETF | 43 | 64.17M | Apr 2020 | FTSD vs DEED | |
| Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 43 | — | Nov 2024 | FTSD vs SMBS |
Top Performing FTSD Alternatives (YTD)
FTSD is at 1.24% YTD. There are 4 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 4.51%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regan Fixed Rate MBS ETF | 4.51% | 13.94M | Apr 2025 | FTSD vs MBSX | |
| Nuveen Securitized Income ETF | 2.58% | 207.24M | Sep 2025 | FTSD vs NSCI | |
| Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF | 2.04% | 112.17M | Feb 2021 | FTSD vs VABS | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 1.39% | 6.35B | Nov 2014 | FTSD vs LMBS | |
| Eaton Vance Mortgage Opportunities ETF | 0.65% | — | Aug 2025 | FTSD vs EVMO |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FTSD
FTSD has 1.36% 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% | 207.24M | Sep 2025 | FTSD vs NSCI | |
| American Century Securitized Credit ETF | 1.83% | 20.00M | May 2026 | FTSD vs ASEC | |
| Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF | 1.89% | 112.17M | Feb 2021 | FTSD vs VABS | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 1.97% | 6.35B | Nov 2014 | FTSD vs LMBS | |
| DoubleLine Securitized Credit ETF | 2.43% | 217.07M | Sep 2019 | FTSD vs DSCO |
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% | 112.17M | Feb 2021 | FTSD vs VABS | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | -1.43% | 6.35B | Nov 2014 | FTSD vs LMBS | |
| FlexShares Disciplined Duration MBS Index Fund | -2.17% | 88.64M | Sep 2014 | FTSD vs MBSD | |
| iShares CMBS ETF | -2.44% | 472.92M | Feb 2012 | FTSD vs CMBS | |
| WisdomTree Mortgage Plus Bond Fund | -2.53% | 69.79M | 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 11 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $5B.
Often Compared With FTSD
Investors most often compare FTSD with SGOV, USFR, PULS. These 20 comparison targets span 19 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