FTSL Alternatives & Similar ETFs

First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL) belongs to the High Yield Bonds 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 0.86% annually. There are 105 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	AUM	Inception
SCYB	Schwab High Yield Bond ETF	0.03%	2.68B	Jul 2023	FTSL vs SCYB
SPHY	SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF	0.05%	11.41B	Jun 2012	FTSL vs SPHY
NHYB	Nuveen High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	0.08%	1.71B	Sep 2025	FTSL vs NHYB
BBHY	JPMorgan BetaBuilders USD High Yield Corporate Bon...	0.15%	612.42M	Sep 2016	FTSL vs BBHY
HYLB	Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	0.15%	3.54B	Dec 2016	FTSL vs HYLB

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FTSL

FTSL has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 65. There are 48 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
BSJQ	Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF	96	907.20M	Aug 2018	FTSL vs BSJQ
BSJR	Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon...	90	852.94M	Sep 2019	FTSL vs BSJR
HYZD	WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fu...	89	255.19M	Dec 2013	FTSL vs HYZD
LDRH	iShares iBonds 1-5 Year High Yield and Income Ladd...	88	22.06M	Nov 2024	FTSL vs LDRH
IBHG	iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF	87	499.12M	Jul 2021	FTSL vs IBHG

Top Performing FTSL Alternatives (YTD)

FTSL is at 1.00% YTD. There are 84 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 8.09%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
DADS	Digital Asset Debt Strategy ETF	8.09%	—	Aug 2025	FTSL vs DADS
MHY	Man Active High Yield ETF	5.06%	19.82M	Sep 2025	FTSL vs MHY
HYHG	ProShares High Yield-Interest Rate Hedged	4.22%	179.11M	May 2013	FTSL vs HYHG
HYEM	VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ET...	4.07%	522.28M	May 2012	FTSL vs HYEM
HYGH	iShares Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond ETF	3.61%	566.14M	May 2014	FTSL vs HYGH

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FTSL

FTSL has 2.12% 1-year volatility. There are 6 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.00%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
ESHY	Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate...	0.00%	6.49M	Mar 2015	FTSL vs ESHY
BSJQ	Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF	1.35%	907.20M	Aug 2018	FTSL vs BSJQ
FLRT	Pacific Global Senior Loan ETF	1.47%	637.48M	Feb 2015	FTSL vs FLRT
MYHA	State Street My2027 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	1.84%	4.98M	Feb 2026	FTSL vs MYHA
BSJR	Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon...	1.96%	852.94M	Sep 2019	FTSL vs BSJR

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FTSL

FTSL has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.33%. There are 33 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.54%.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	AUM	Inception
BSJQ	Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF	-0.54%	907.20M	Aug 2018	FTSL vs BSJQ
IBHG	iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF	-0.73%	499.12M	Jul 2021	FTSL vs IBHG
BSJR	Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon...	-1.16%	852.94M	Sep 2019	FTSL vs BSJR
IBHH	iShares iBonds 2028 Term High Yield and Income ETF	-1.22%	450.96M	Mar 2022	FTSL vs IBHH
LDRH	iShares iBonds 1-5 Year High Yield and Income Ladd...	-1.23%	22.06M	Nov 2024	FTSL vs LDRH

Other ETFs from First Trust

The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, AIRR and span 14 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $14B.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
CIBR	First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF	Cybersecurity, Technology Equities	34	28.87%	14.26B	Jul 2015	FTSL vs CIBR
GRID	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastru...	Alternative Energy Equities	58	19.10%	11.74B	Nov 2009	FTSL vs GRID
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	66	23.60%	10.80B	Mar 2014	FTSL vs AIRR
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	India Equities, Equal Weight, Asia Pacific Equities	4	-7.65%	132.86M	Feb 2012	FTSL vs NFTY
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	76	15.23%	7.48B	Mar 2006	FTSL vs FDL
IGLD	FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Gold, Derivative Income, Precious Metals	18	-7.95%	510.89M	Mar 2021	FTSL vs IGLD
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	94	86.56%	2.46B	Sep 2016	FTSL vs FTXL
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	44	17.47%	4.34B	Aug 2012	FTSL vs TDIV
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities	54	20.15%	718.18M	Feb 2007	FTSL vs QCLN
KNG	FT Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target Income...	Dividend, S&P 500	34	8.48%	3.40B	Mar 2018	FTSL vs KNG

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	47	0.36%	7.19B	Mar 2011	FTSL vs BKLN
AAA	Alternative Access First Priority CLO Bond ETF	CLO	90	2.11%	44.95M	Sep 2020	FTSL vs AAA
SJNK	SPDR Bloomberg Short Term High Yield Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	73	1.72%	4.89B	Mar 2012	FTSL vs SJNK
PFFD	Global X U.S. Preferred ETF	Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds	17	1.26%	2.17B	Sep 2017	FTSL vs PFFD
LONZ	PIMCO Senior Loan Active Exchange-Traded Fund	Bank Loan	78	2.29%	574.01M	Jun 2022	FTSL vs LONZ
SLYV	SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Value ETF	Small Cap Value Equities	74	19.66%	4.83B	Sep 2000	FTSL vs SLYV
HYG	iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	57	1.59%	16.73B	Apr 2007	FTSL vs HYG
AVUV	Avantis US Small Cap Value ETF	Small Cap Value Equities	78	22.32%	28.73B	Sep 2019	FTSL vs AVUV
USHY	iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	65	1.82%	28.80B	Oct 2017	FTSL vs USHY
PTIAX	Performance Trust Strategic Bond Fund	Intermediate Core-Plus Bond	27	0.74%	—	Aug 2010	FTSL vs PTIAX
SRLN	State Street Blackstone Senior Loan ETF	Bank Loan, High Yield Bonds	53	1.23%	5.30B	Apr 2013	FTSL vs SRLN
SCHP	Schwab U.S. TIPS ETF	Inflation-Protected Bonds	35	0.89%	16.50B	Aug 2010	FTSL vs SCHP
VMBSX	Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities Index Fund Adm...	Total Bond Market	38	0.73%	17.10B	Dec 2009	FTSL vs VMBSX
GJO	Strats Trust Wal Mart Stores Inc. STRT CTF 05-4		68	1.08%	—	—	FTSL vs GJO
NJNK	Columbia U.S. High Yield ETF	High Yield Bonds	57	1.52%	39.22M	Sep 2024	FTSL vs NJNK
SEIX	Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF	Bank Loan	95	2.46%	251.16M	Apr 2019	FTSL vs SEIX
JNK	State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	64	1.82%	7.35B	Nov 2007	FTSL vs JNK
SPYI	NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF	Derivative Income, S&P 500	70	7.92%	10.67B	Aug 2022	FTSL vs SPYI
ZTOP	F/m High Yield 100 ETF	High Yield Bonds	66	1.68%	16.02M	Apr 2025	FTSL vs ZTOP
IBHE	iShares iBonds 2025 Term High Yield & Income ETF	High Yield Bonds	—	—	364.90M	May 2019	FTSL vs IBHE

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