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 103 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%	2.60B	Jul 2023	FTSL vs SCYB
SPHY	SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF	0.05%	11.10B	Jun 2012	FTSL vs SPHY
NHYB	Nuveen High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	0.08%	1.69B	Sep 2025	FTSL vs NHYB
BBHY	JPMorgan BetaBuilders USD High Yield Corporate Bon...	0.15%	615.80M	Sep 2016	FTSL vs BBHY
USHY	iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	0.15%	28.01B	Oct 2017	FTSL vs USHY

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FTSL

FTSL has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 60. There are 40 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 95.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
BSJQ	Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF	95	962.59M	Aug 2018	FTSL vs BSJQ
LDRH	iShares iBonds 1-5 Year High Yield and Income Ladd...	85	9.36M	Nov 2024	FTSL vs LDRH
HYZD	WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fu...	84	239.72M	Dec 2013	FTSL vs HYZD
FLRT	Pacific Global Senior Loan ETF	84	624.90M	Feb 2015	FTSL vs FLRT
IBHG	iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF	82	500.53M	Jul 2021	FTSL vs IBHG

Top Performing FTSL Alternatives (YTD)

FTSL is at 0.65% YTD. There are 88 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 14.24%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
DADS	Digital Asset Debt Strategy ETF	14.24%	—	Aug 2025	FTSL vs DADS
HYEM	VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ET...	4.28%	522.05M	May 2012	FTSL vs HYEM
MHY	Man Active High Yield ETF	4.09%	19.82M	Sep 2025	FTSL vs MHY
HYHG	ProShares High Yield-Interest Rate Hedged	3.86%	174.87M	May 2013	FTSL vs HYHG
FSYD	Fidelity Sustainable High Yield ETF	3.40%	125.35M	Feb 2022	FTSL vs FSYD

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FTSL

FTSL has 2.12% 1-year volatility. There are 5 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	1.36%	962.59M	Aug 2018	FTSL vs BSJQ
FLRT	Pacific Global Senior Loan ETF	1.59%	624.90M	Feb 2015	FTSL vs FLRT
BSJR	Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon...	2.08%	847.56M	Sep 2019	FTSL vs BSJR
IBHG	iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF	2.09%	500.53M	Jul 2021	FTSL vs IBHG

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FTSL

FTSL has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.33%. There are 32 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%	962.59M	Aug 2018	FTSL vs BSJQ
IBHG	iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF	-0.73%	500.53M	Jul 2021	FTSL vs IBHG
BSJR	Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon...	-1.16%	847.56M	Sep 2019	FTSL vs BSJR
IBHH	iShares iBonds 2028 Term High Yield and Income ETF	-1.22%	452.61M	Mar 2022	FTSL vs IBHH
LDRH	iShares iBonds 1-5 Year High Yield and Income Ladd...	-1.23%	9.36M	Nov 2024	FTSL vs LDRH

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.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
CIBR	First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF	Cybersecurity, Technology Equities	18	18.06%	13.59B	Jul 2015	FTSL vs CIBR
GRID	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastru...	Alternative Energy Equities	65	23.40%	11.60B	Nov 2009	FTSL vs GRID
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	Asia Pacific Equities, Equal Weight	5	-7.30%	136.58M	Feb 2012	FTSL vs NFTY
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	79	31.81%	11.14B	Mar 2014	FTSL vs AIRR
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	69	12.67%	9.22B	Mar 2006	FTSL vs FDL
IGLD	FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Gold, Derivative Income, Precious Metals	18	-5.55%	543.16M	Mar 2021	FTSL vs IGLD
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	96	111.02%	2.89B	Sep 2016	FTSL vs FTXL
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	53	19.03%	4.90B	Aug 2012	FTSL vs TDIV
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities	78	37.20%	880.41M	Feb 2007	FTSL vs QCLN
KNG	FT Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target Income...	Dividend, S&P 500	27	4.84%	3.32B	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	44	-0.13%	7.22B	Mar 2011	FTSL vs BKLN
AAA	AAF First Priority CLO Bond ETF	CLO	84	1.98%	40.01M	Sep 2020	FTSL vs AAA
SJNK	SPDR Bloomberg Short Term High Yield Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	66	1.65%	4.84B	Mar 2012	FTSL vs SJNK
HYLB	Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	56	1.67%	3.49B	Dec 2016	FTSL vs HYLB
PFFD	Global X U.S. Preferred ETF	Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds	26	1.75%	2.17B	Sep 2017	FTSL vs PFFD
LONZ	PIMCO Senior Loan Active Exchange-Traded Fund	Bank Loan	72	1.75%	534.72M	Jun 2022	FTSL vs LONZ
SLYV	SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Value ETF	Small Cap Value Equities	70	17.46%	4.68B	Sep 2000	FTSL vs SLYV
HYG	iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	52	1.56%	16.56B	Apr 2007	FTSL vs HYG
AVUV	Avantis US Small Cap Value ETF	Small Cap Value Equities	75	20.76%	26.41B	Sep 2019	FTSL vs AVUV
PTIAX	Performance Trust Strategic Bond Fund	Intermediate Core-Plus Bond	28	1.05%	—	Aug 2010	FTSL vs PTIAX
SCHP	Schwab U.S. TIPS ETF	Inflation-Protected Bonds	32	0.81%	16.06B	Aug 2010	FTSL vs SCHP
SRLN	State Street Blackstone Senior Loan ETF	Bank Loan, High Yield Bonds	49	0.48%	5.24B	Apr 2013	FTSL vs SRLN
VMBSX	Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities Index Fund Adm...	Total Bond Market	36	0.81%	17.10B	Dec 2009	FTSL vs VMBSX
GJO	Strats Trust Wal Mart Stores Inc. STRT CTF 05-4		69	1.66%	—	—	FTSL vs GJO
NJNK	Columbia U.S. High Yield ETF	High Yield Bonds	52	1.53%	38.50M	Sep 2024	FTSL vs NJNK
JNK	State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	57	1.78%	7.74B	Nov 2007	FTSL vs JNK
SEIX	Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF	Bank Loan	94	2.38%	254.35M	Apr 2019	FTSL vs SEIX
SPYI	NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF	Derivative Income, S&P 500	58	5.56%	10.27B	Aug 2022	FTSL vs SPYI
ZTOP	F/m High Yield 100 ETF	High Yield Bonds	61	1.73%	16.52M	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