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% | 172.95M | Dec 2025 | HISF vs CTAP | |
| iShares Core 60/40 Balanced Allocation ETF | 0.15% | 3.67B | Nov 2008 | HISF vs AOR | |
| iShares Core 30/70 Conservative Allocation ETF | 0.15% | 813.86M | Nov 2008 | HISF vs AOK | |
| iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF | 0.15% | 3.20B | Nov 2008 | HISF vs AOA | |
| PIMCO U.S. Stocks PLUS Active Bond ETF | 0.18% | 55.77M | Jan 2026 | HISF vs SPLS |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to HISF
HISF has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 41. There are 51 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 85.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Income Focus ETF | 85 | 1.60B | Jun 2023 | HISF vs INCM | |
| Brookstone Yield ETF | 81 | 44.81M | Sep 2023 | HISF vs BAMY | |
| Avantis Moderate Allocation ETF | 79 | 66.74M | Jun 2023 | HISF vs AVMA | |
| Cabana Target Leading Sector Moderate ETF | 77 | 114.31M | Jul 2021 | HISF vs CLSM | |
| First Trust Balanced Income ETF | 75 | 20.78M | May 2025 | HISF vs FTBI |
Top Performing HISF Alternatives (YTD)
HISF is at 0.24% YTD. There are 66 ETFs in the Diversified Portfolio category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 43.17%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Core ETF | 43.17% | 16.56M | Nov 2021 | HISF vs RULE | |
| WisdomTree Emerging Markets Efficient Core Fund | 26.85% | 59.26M | May 2021 | HISF vs NTSE | |
| Myriad Dynamic Asset Allocation ETF | 20.16% | — | Oct 2025 | HISF vs MDAA | |
| Cabana Target Leading Sector Moderate ETF | 18.94% | 114.31M | Jul 2021 | HISF vs CLSM | |
| Q3 All-Season Active Rotation ETF | 16.58% | 54.58M | Dec 2022 | HISF vs QVOY |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to HISF
HISF has 3.35% 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 | 2.96% | 2.20M | Sep 2025 | HISF vs THRV | |
| Mindful Conservative ETF | 4.23% | 26.13M | Nov 2021 | HISF vs MFUL | |
| Brookstone Yield ETF | 4.57% | 44.81M | Sep 2023 | HISF vs BAMY | |
| Alpha Architect High Inflation And Deflation ETF | 4.62% | 100.05M | Nov 2022 | HISF vs HIDE |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to HISF
HISF has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.90%. There is 1 ETF in the Diversified Portfolio category with a shallower 1-year drawdown, going as shallow as -2.48%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookstone Yield ETF | -2.48% | 44.81M | Sep 2023 | HISF vs BAMY | |
| Franklin Income Focus ETF | -3.19% | 1.60B | Jun 2023 | HISF vs INCM | |
| Alpha Architect High Inflation And Deflation ETF | -3.25% | 100.05M | Nov 2022 | HISF vs HIDE | |
| Mindful Conservative ETF | -3.36% | 26.13M | Nov 2021 | HISF vs MFUL | |
| First Trust Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index F... | -3.39% | 413.48M | 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 13 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