First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF (HISF) belongs to the Diversified Portfolio category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with HISF. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to HISF
HISF charges 0.87% annually. There are 46 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.10%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplify US Equity PLUS Managed Futures Strategy E... | 0.10% | 177.84M | Dec 2025 | HISF vs CTAP | |
| iShares ESG Aware Moderate Allocation ETF | 0.18% | 8.63M | Jun 2020 | HISF vs EAOM | |
| iShares ESG Aware Aggressive Allocation ETF | 0.18% | 37.39M | Jun 2020 | HISF vs EAOA | |
| iShares ESG Aware Growth Allocation ETF | 0.18% | 32.15M | Jun 2020 | HISF vs EAOR | |
| iShares ESG Aware Conservative Allocation ETF | 0.18% | 9.22M | Jun 2020 | HISF vs EAOK |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to HISF
HISF has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 49. There are 51 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 91.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Income Focus ETF | 91 | 1.54B | Jun 2023 | HISF vs INCM | |
| Draco Evolution AI ETF | 89 | 20.72M | Jul 2024 | HISF vs DRAI | |
| WisdomTree Emerging Markets Efficient Core Fund | 88 | 53.56M | May 2021 | HISF vs NTSE | |
| VanEck Inflation Allocation ETF | 86 | 969.68M | Apr 2018 | HISF vs RAAX | |
| Avantis Moderate Allocation ETF | 83 | 66.74M | Jun 2023 | HISF vs AVMA |
Top Performing HISF Alternatives (YTD)
HISF is at 0.24% YTD. There are 67 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 44.43%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Core ETF | 44.43% | 12.20M | Nov 2021 | HISF vs RULE | |
| WisdomTree Emerging Markets Efficient Core Fund | 33.59% | 53.56M | May 2021 | HISF vs NTSE | |
| Myriad Dynamic Asset Allocation ETF | 23.50% | — | Oct 2025 | HISF vs MDAA | |
| Simplify US Equity PLUS Managed Futures Strategy E... | 22.34% | 177.84M | Dec 2025 | HISF vs CTAP | |
| STF Tactical Growth ETF | 20.94% | 41.36M | May 2022 | HISF vs TUG |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to HISF
HISF has 3.32% 1-year volatility. There are 2 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FlexShares Real Assets Allocation Index Fund | 0.00% | 7.49M | Nov 2015 | HISF vs ASET | |
| Prospera Income ETF | 2.89% | 2.20M | Sep 2025 | HISF vs THRV | |
| Mindful Conservative ETF | 3.92% | 26.13M | Nov 2021 | HISF vs MFUL | |
| Alpha Architect High Inflation And Deflation ETF | 4.43% | 100.05M | Nov 2022 | HISF vs HIDE | |
| Brookstone Yield ETF | 4.61% | 45.58M | Sep 2023 | HISF vs BAMY |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to HISF
HISF has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.90%. There are 2 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.31%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Architect High Inflation And Deflation ETF | -2.31% | 100.05M | Nov 2022 | HISF vs HIDE | |
| Brookstone Yield ETF | -2.48% | 45.58M | Sep 2023 | HISF vs BAMY | |
| Franklin Income Focus ETF | -3.19% | 1.54B | Jun 2023 | HISF vs INCM | |
| Mindful Conservative ETF | -3.36% | 26.13M | Nov 2021 | HISF vs MFUL | |
| First Trust Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index F... | -3.39% | 411.46M | Aug 2012 | HISF vs MDIV |
Other ETFs from First Trust
The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, NFTY and span 11 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $14B.
Often Compared With HISF
Investors most often compare HISF with LDSF, SGOV, VRIG. These 20 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare HISF with Any Fund or Stock
Compare HISF with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair HISF with funds that move differently
First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to HISF.
Explore HISF Diversifiers