First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund (FXU) belongs to the Utilities Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with FXU. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FXU
FXU charges 0.62% annually. There are 16 ETFs in the Utilities Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.08%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity MSCI Utilities Index ETF | 0.08% | 2.35B | Oct 2013 | FXU vs FUTY | |
| State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.08% | 23.51B | Dec 1998 | FXU vs XLU | |
| Vanguard Utilities ETF | 0.09% | 10.60B | Jan 2004 | FXU vs VPU | |
| Invesco S&P SmallCap Utilities & Communication Ser... | 0.29% | 17.42M | Apr 2010 | FXU vs PSCU | |
| State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR Premium ... | 0.35% | 22.62M | Jul 2025 | FXU vs XLUI |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FXU
FXU has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 51. There are 4 ETFs in the Utilities Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 74.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust EIP Power Solutions ETF | 74 | 26.19M | Aug 2019 | FXU vs FPWR | |
| Global X U.S. Electrification ETF | 66 | 474.07M | Dec 2024 | FXU vs ZAP | |
| SPDR S&P Global Infrastructure ETF | 62 | 956.65M | Jan 2007 | FXU vs GII | |
| ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF | 61 | 204.34M | Apr 2025 | FXU vs ELFY | |
| iShares Global Utilities ETF | 51 | 323.03M | Sep 2006 | FXU vs JXI |
Top Performing FXU Alternatives (YTD)
FXU is at 12.12% YTD. There are 7 ETFs in the Utilities Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 18.63%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF | 18.63% | 204.34M | Apr 2025 | FXU vs ELFY | |
| iShares Infrastructure Active ETF | 16.00% | — | Jul 2025 | FXU vs BILT | |
| Global X U.S. Electrification ETF | 15.68% | 474.07M | Dec 2024 | FXU vs ZAP | |
| First Trust EIP Power Solutions ETF | 14.69% | 26.19M | Aug 2019 | FXU vs FPWR | |
| iShares U.S. Power Infrastructure ETF | 13.53% | 421.73M | Jan 2012 | FXU vs POWR |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FXU
FXU has 13.61% 1-year volatility. There are 7 ETFs in the Utilities Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 10.31%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Infrastructure Active ETF | 10.31% | — | Jul 2025 | FXU vs BILT | |
| FlexShares STOXX Global Broad Infrastructure Index... | 10.40% | 2.99B | Oct 2013 | FXU vs NFRA | |
| First Trust EIP Power Solutions ETF | 10.76% | 26.19M | Aug 2019 | FXU vs FPWR | |
| SPDR S&P Global Infrastructure ETF | 10.88% | 956.65M | Jan 2007 | FXU vs GII | |
| State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR Premium ... | 11.16% | 22.62M | Jul 2025 | FXU vs XLUI |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FXU
FXU has a 1-year max drawdown of -8.63%. There are 8 ETFs in the Utilities Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -5.02%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust EIP Power Solutions ETF | -5.02% | 26.19M | Aug 2019 | FXU vs FPWR | |
| SPDR S&P Global Infrastructure ETF | -5.94% | 956.65M | Jan 2007 | FXU vs GII | |
| iShares U.S. Power Infrastructure ETF | -7.09% | 421.73M | Jan 2012 | FXU vs POWR | |
| Global X U.S. Electrification ETF | -7.23% | 474.07M | Dec 2024 | FXU vs ZAP | |
| FlexShares STOXX Global Broad Infrastructure Index... | -7.28% | 2.99B | Oct 2013 | FXU vs NFRA |
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.
Often Compared With FXU
Investors most often compare FXU with UTES, IDU, PUI. These 20 comparison targets span 12 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FXU with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FXU with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FXU with funds that move differently
First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FXU.
Explore FXU Diversifiers