Nicholas Gold Income ETF (GLDN) belongs to the Gold category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with GLDN. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to GLDN
GLDN charges 1.07% annually. There are 29 ETFs in the Gold category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.09%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Gold Trust Micro | 0.09% | 7.18B | Jun 2021 | GLDN vs IAUM | |
| SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust | 0.10% | 30.87B | Jun 2018 | GLDN vs GLDM | |
| GraniteShares Gold Trust | 0.17% | 1.49B | Aug 2017 | GLDN vs BAR | |
| abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | 0.17% | 7.51B | Sep 2009 | GLDN vs SGOL | |
| Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF | 0.18% | 2.68B | Jul 2018 | GLDN vs AAAU |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to GLDN
Among 25 ETFs in the Gold category with risk / return rank data, the top risk-adjusted alternatives shown here go as high as 44.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Equity Strategy Fun... | 44 | 576.93M | Mar 2022 | GLDN vs GDE | |
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 34 | 2.79B | Jan 2012 | GLDN vs RING | |
| VanEck Gold Miners ETF | 30 | 27.13B | May 2006 | GLDN vs GDX | |
| Invesco DB Precious Metals Fund | 30 | 275.21M | Jan 2007 | GLDN vs DBP | |
| iShares Gold Trust Micro | 30 | 7.18B | Jun 2021 | GLDN vs IAUM |
Top Performing GLDN Alternatives (YTD)
Among 30 ETFs in the Gold category with YTD return data, the top-performing alternatives shown here go as high as 4.75%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Equity Strategy Fun... | 4.75% | 576.93M | Mar 2022 | GLDN vs GDE | |
| DB Gold Short Exchange Traded Notes | 2.40% | 1.84M | Feb 2008 | GLDN vs DGZ | |
| abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | 0.10% | 7.51B | Sep 2009 | GLDN vs SGOL | |
| iShares Gold Trust Micro | 0.07% | 7.18B | Jun 2021 | GLDN vs IAUM | |
| VanEck Merk Gold Trust | 0.07% | 2.82B | May 2014 | GLDN vs OUNZ |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to GLDN
GLDN has 41.85% 1-year volatility. There are 16 ETFs in the Gold category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 12.09%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF | 12.09% | 51.28M | Jan 2021 | GLDN vs BGLD | |
| Defiance Gold Enhanced Options Income ETF | 20.12% | 32.32M | Apr 2025 | GLDN vs GLDY | |
| NEOS Gold High Income ETF | 20.51% | 462.95M | Jun 2025 | GLDN vs IAUI | |
| FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF | 23.49% | 591.41M | Mar 2021 | GLDN vs IGLD | |
| iShares Gold Trust Micro | 26.56% | 7.18B | Jun 2021 | GLDN vs IAUM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to GLDN
Among 26 ETFs in the Gold category with 1-year drawdown data, the lowest-drawdown alternatives shown here go as shallow as -11.11%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF | -11.11% | 51.28M | Jan 2021 | GLDN vs BGLD | |
| Defiance Gold Enhanced Options Income ETF | -15.57% | 32.32M | Apr 2025 | GLDN vs GLDY | |
| NEOS Gold High Income ETF | -16.88% | 462.95M | Jun 2025 | GLDN vs IAUI | |
| FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF | -17.56% | 591.41M | Mar 2021 | GLDN vs IGLD | |
| Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF | -20.00% | 2.68B | Jul 2018 | GLDN vs AAAU |
Other ETFs from Nicholas
The 5 most viewed Nicholas ETFs shown here include BLOX, GIAX, FIAX and span 4 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $298M.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Crypto Income ETF | Cryptocurrency | — | 4.95% | 298.00M | Jun 2025 | GLDN vs BLOX | |
| Nicholas Global Equity and Income ETF | Derivative Income | 34 | 15.26% | 89.37M | Jul 2024 | GLDN vs GIAX | |
| Nicholas Fixed Income Alternative ETF | Nontraditional Bonds | 38 | 1.10% | 132.16M | Nov 2022 | GLDN vs FIAX | |
| Fitz-Gerald Must Have Portfolio ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | — | — | — | May 2026 | GLDN vs FITZ | |
| Nicholas Bitcoin Tail ETF | Cryptocurrency | — | — | 13.47M | Mar 2026 | GLDN vs BHDG |
Compare GLDN with Any Fund or Stock
Compare GLDN with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair GLDN with funds that move differently
Nicholas Gold Income ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to GLDN.
Explore GLDN Diversifiers