FTSL Alternatives & Similar ETFs

First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL) belongs to the Bank Loan category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with FTSL. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.

Cheapest Alternatives to FTSL

FTSL charges 0.70% annually. There are 13 ETFs in the Bank Loan category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.40%.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	AUM	Inception
LVLN	SPDR S&P Leveraged Loan ETF	0.40%	44.48M	Nov 2025	FTSL vs LVLN
USLN	iShares Broad USD Floating Rate Loan ETF	0.43%	—	Mar 2026	FTSL vs USLN
PCFI	Polen Floating Rate Income ETF	0.49%	10.22M	Jun 2022	FTSL vs PCFI
MBSF	Regan Floating Rate MBS ETF	0.49%	154.00M	Feb 2024	FTSL vs MBSF
BRLN	BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF	0.55%	53.66M	Oct 2022	FTSL vs BRLN

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FTSL

FTSL has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 72. There are 8 ETFs in the Bank Loan category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
SEIX	Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF	96	251.21M	Apr 2019	FTSL vs SEIX
PFRL	PGIM Floating Rate Income ETF	94	121.63M	May 2022	FTSL vs PFRL
FLRT	Pacer Aristotle Pacific Floating Rate High Income ...	91	652.88M	Feb 2015	FTSL vs FLRT
MBSF	Regan Floating Rate MBS ETF	85	154.00M	Feb 2024	FTSL vs MBSF
TFLR	T. Rowe Price Floating Rate ETF	85	675.28M	Nov 2022	FTSL vs TFLR

Top Performing FTSL Alternatives (YTD)

FTSL is at 1.33% YTD. There are 11 ETFs in the Bank Loan category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 2.97%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
PFRL	PGIM Floating Rate Income ETF	2.97%	121.63M	May 2022	FTSL vs PFRL
SEIX	Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF	2.94%	251.21M	Apr 2019	FTSL vs SEIX
LONZ	PIMCO Senior Loan Active Exchange-Traded Fund	2.58%	574.01M	Jun 2022	FTSL vs LONZ
SLNZ	TCW Senior Loan ETF	2.50%	222.10M	Jun 2013	FTSL vs SLNZ
FLRT	Pacer Aristotle Pacific Floating Rate High Income ...	2.39%	652.88M	Feb 2015	FTSL vs FLRT

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FTSL

FTSL has 2.15% 1-year volatility. There are 5 ETFs in the Bank Loan category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.49%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
FLRT	Pacer Aristotle Pacific Floating Rate High Income ...	1.49%	652.88M	Feb 2015	FTSL vs FLRT
SEIX	Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF	1.63%	251.21M	Apr 2019	FTSL vs SEIX
EVLN	Eaton Vance Floating-Rate ETF	1.87%	1.40B	Feb 2024	FTSL vs EVLN
PFRL	PGIM Floating Rate Income ETF	1.97%	121.63M	May 2022	FTSL vs PFRL
TFLR	T. Rowe Price Floating Rate ETF	2.01%	675.28M	Nov 2022	FTSL vs TFLR

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FTSL

FTSL has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.33%. There are 8 ETFs in the Bank Loan category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.79%.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	AUM	Inception
MBSF	Regan Floating Rate MBS ETF	-0.79%	154.00M	Feb 2024	FTSL vs MBSF
SEIX	Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF	-1.13%	251.21M	Apr 2019	FTSL vs SEIX
PFRL	PGIM Floating Rate Income ETF	-1.25%	121.63M	May 2022	FTSL vs PFRL
EVLN	Eaton Vance Floating-Rate ETF	-1.77%	1.40B	Feb 2024	FTSL vs EVLN
FLRT	Pacer Aristotle Pacific Floating Rate High Income ...	-1.78%	652.88M	Feb 2015	FTSL vs FLRT

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.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
CIBR	First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF	Cybersecurity, Technology Equities	39	28.86%	14.31B	Jul 2015	FTSL vs CIBR
GRID	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastru...	Infrastructure Equities, Alternative Energy Equities, Energy Equities	49	17.75%	11.67B	Nov 2009	FTSL vs GRID
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	54	19.12%	10.18B	Mar 2014	FTSL vs AIRR
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	India Equities, Equal Weight, Asia Pacific Equities	8	-5.91%	118.19M	Feb 2012	FTSL vs NFTY
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	92	18.16%	7.77B	Mar 2006	FTSL vs FDL
IGLD	FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Gold, Derivative Income, Precious Metals	25	-6.56%	514.13M	Mar 2021	FTSL vs IGLD
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	91	67.20%	1.27B	Sep 2016	FTSL vs FTXL
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	43	14.88%	4.18B	Aug 2012	FTSL vs TDIV
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities, Energy Equities	39	10.48%	586.61M	Feb 2007	FTSL vs QCLN
RDVY	First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF	Dividend, Large Cap Blend Equities	85	17.25%	24.89B	Jan 2014	FTSL vs RDVY

Often Compared With FTSL

Investors most often compare FTSL with BKLN, AAA, SJNK. These 20 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
BKLN	Invesco Senior Loan ETF	Bank Loan	56	0.65%	6.74B	Mar 2011	FTSL vs BKLN
AAA	Alternative Access First Priority CLO Bond ETF	CLO	91	2.38%	45.06M	Sep 2020	FTSL vs AAA
SJNK	SPDR Bloomberg Short Term High Yield Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	73	1.60%	4.75B	Mar 2012	FTSL vs SJNK
HYLB	Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	67	1.76%	3.46B	Dec 2016	FTSL vs HYLB
PFFD	Global X U.S. Preferred ETF	Preferred Stock	19	1.09%	2.16B	Sep 2017	FTSL vs PFFD
SLYV	SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Value ETF	Small Cap Value Equities	88	20.36%	4.91B	Sep 2000	FTSL vs SLYV
HYG	iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	59	1.54%	17.11B	Apr 2007	FTSL vs HYG
USHY	iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	67	1.77%	28.59B	Oct 2017	FTSL vs USHY
AVUV	Avantis US Small Cap Value ETF	Small Cap Value Equities	91	23.62%	30.19B	Sep 2019	FTSL vs AVUV
PTIAX	Performance Trust Strategic Bond Fund	Intermediate Core-Plus Bond	27	0.01%	—	Aug 2010	FTSL vs PTIAX
SRLN	State Street Blackstone Senior Loan ETF	Bank Loan, High Yield Bonds	59	1.38%	5.34B	Apr 2013	FTSL vs SRLN
VMBSX	Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities Index Fund Adm...	Total Bond Market	41	0.30%	17.30B	Dec 2009	FTSL vs VMBSX
SCHP	Schwab U.S. TIPS ETF	Inflation-Protected Bonds	32	0.54%	16.38B	Aug 2010	FTSL vs SCHP
GJO	Strats Trust Wal Mart Stores Inc. STRT CTF 05-4		59	0.29%	—	—	FTSL vs GJO
NJNK	Columbia U.S. High Yield ETF	High Yield Bonds	59	1.60%	39.05M	Sep 2024	FTSL vs NJNK
JNK	State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	66	1.73%	6.90B	Nov 2007	FTSL vs JNK
ZTOP	F/m High Yield 100 ETF	High Yield Bonds	65	1.62%	15.87M	Apr 2025	FTSL vs ZTOP
SPYI	NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF	Derivative Income, S&P 500	72	7.96%	11.05B	Aug 2022	FTSL vs SPYI
IBHE	iShares iBonds 2025 Term High Yield & Income ETF	High Yield Bonds	—	—	364.90M	May 2019	FTSL vs IBHE
IBHH	iShares iBonds 2028 Term High Yield and Income ETF	High Yield Bonds	88	2.18%	457.18M	Mar 2022	FTSL vs IBHH

Compare FTSL with Any Fund or Stock

Compare FTSL with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.

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Diversifiers

Pair FTSL with funds that move differently

First Trust Senior Loan Fund alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FTSL.

Explore FTSL Diversifiers

First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL) Alternatives