HYLS Alternatives & Similar ETFs

First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF (HYLS) 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 HYLS. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.

Cheapest Alternatives to HYLS

HYLS charges 1.01% annually. There are 109 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%	2.54B	Jul 2023	HYLS vs SCYB
SPHY	SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF	0.10%	11.07B	Jun 2012	HYLS vs SPHY
USHY	iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	0.15%	26.83B	Oct 2017	HYLS vs USHY
HYLB	Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	0.15%	3.48B	Dec 2016	HYLS vs HYLB
BBHY	JPMorgan BetaBuilders USD High Yield Corporate Bon...	0.15%	608.96M	Sep 2016	HYLS vs BBHY

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to HYLS

HYLS has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 44. There are 82 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 97.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
IBHE	iShares iBonds 2025 Term High Yield & Income ETF	97	364.90M	May 2019	HYLS vs IBHE
BSJQ	Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF	95	1.03B	Aug 2018	HYLS vs BSJQ
XHYE	BondBloxx US High Yield Energy Sector ETF	94	5.96M	Feb 2022	HYLS vs XHYE
FLRT	Pacific Global Senior Loan ETF	85	615.17M	Feb 2015	HYLS vs FLRT
LDRH	iShares iBonds 1-5 Year High Yield and Income Ladd...	85	8.41M	Nov 2024	HYLS vs LDRH

Top Performing HYLS Alternatives (YTD)

HYLS is at 0.28% YTD. There are 93 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 14.37%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
DADS	Digital Asset Debt Strategy ETF	14.37%	—	Aug 2025	HYLS vs DADS
HYEM	VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ET...	3.92%	510.68M	May 2012	HYLS vs HYEM
XHYE	BondBloxx US High Yield Energy Sector ETF	3.57%	5.96M	Feb 2022	HYLS vs XHYE
FSYD	Fidelity Sustainable High Yield ETF	3.35%	112.95M	Feb 2022	HYLS vs FSYD
HYHG	ProShares High Yield-Interest Rate Hedged	2.90%	173.54M	May 2013	HYLS vs HYHG

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to HYLS

HYLS has 3.51% 1-year volatility. There are 46 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.00%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
IBHD	iShares iBonds 2024 Term High Yield & Income ETF	0.00%	310.08M	May 2019	HYLS vs IBHD
BSJO	Invesco BulletShares 2024 High Yield Corporate Bon...	0.00%	437.22M	Sep 2016	HYLS vs BSJO
ESHY	Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate...	0.00%	6.49M	Mar 2015	HYLS vs ESHY
HYXU	iShares Euro High Yield Corporate Bond USD Hedged ...	0.00%	71.08M	Apr 2012	HYLS vs HYXU
IBHE	iShares iBonds 2025 Term High Yield & Income ETF	0.78%	364.90M	May 2019	HYLS vs IBHE

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to HYLS

HYLS has a 1-year max drawdown of -3.09%. There are 77 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.22%.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	AUM	Inception
IBHE	iShares iBonds 2025 Term High Yield & Income ETF	-0.22%	364.90M	May 2019	HYLS vs IBHE
BSJQ	Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF	-0.54%	1.03B	Aug 2018	HYLS vs BSJQ
IBHG	iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF	-0.73%	437.71M	Jul 2021	HYLS vs IBHG
BSJR	Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon...	-1.16%	849.28M	Sep 2019	HYLS vs BSJR
XHYE	BondBloxx US High Yield Energy Sector ETF	-1.21%	5.96M	Feb 2022	HYLS vs XHYE

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.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
CIBR	First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF	Technology Equities, Cybersecurity	26	28.52%	13.68B	Jul 2015	HYLS vs CIBR
GRID	First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart GRID Infrastru...	Alternative Energy Equities	79	28.91%	11.29B	Nov 2009	HYLS vs GRID
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	Asia Pacific Equities	3	-9.70%	133.88M	Feb 2012	HYLS vs NFTY
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	78	31.77%	10.62B	Mar 2014	HYLS vs AIRR
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	70	13.33%	7.39B	Mar 2006	HYLS vs FDL
IGLD	FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Precious Metals, Gold	28	1.69%	591.41M	Mar 2021	HYLS vs IGLD
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	97	115.70%	2.52B	Sep 2016	HYLS vs FTXL
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	83	30.57%	4.66B	Aug 2012	HYLS vs TDIV
KNG	FT Cboe Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target I...	Dividend, S&P 500	20	2.20%	3.28B	Mar 2018	HYLS vs KNG
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities	89	52.94%	895.30M	Feb 2007	HYLS vs QCLN

Often Compared With HYLS

Investors most often compare HYLS with HYUP, EIFAX, FFTWX. These 20 comparison targets span 15 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
HYUP	Xtrackers High Beta High Yield Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	54	1.63%	43.94M	Jan 2018	HYLS vs HYUP
EIFAX	Eaton Vance Floating-Rate Advantage Fund	Bank Loan	36	0.69%	—	Mar 2008	HYLS vs EIFAX
FFTWX	Fidelity Freedom 2025 Fund	Target Retirement Date	70	8.11%	—	Nov 2003	HYLS vs FFTWX
HYGH	iShares Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	73	2.83%	529.12M	May 2014	HYLS vs HYGH
HYG	iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	High Yield Bonds	55	1.32%	16.11B	Apr 2007	HYLS vs HYG
VOO	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	70	10.91%	1.60T	Sep 2010	HYLS vs VOO
SCHD	Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	Dividend	80	19.01%	94.95B	Oct 2011	HYLS vs SCHD
AGG	iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF	Total Bond Market	36	0.25%	136.46B	Sep 2003	HYLS vs AGG
RYLD	Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF	Hedge Fund	66	8.33%	1.34B	Apr 2019	HYLS vs RYLD
VTV	Vanguard Value ETF	Large Cap Value Equities	79	12.30%	238.00B	Jan 2004	HYLS vs VTV
GIOIX	Guggenheim Macro Opportunities Fund	Nontraditional Bonds	77	1.12%	—	Nov 2011	HYLS vs GIOIX
FMB	First Trust Managed Municipal ETF	Municipal Bonds	73	1.78%	2.03B	May 2014	HYLS vs FMB
JBBB	Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF	CLO	51	1.86%	1.20B	Jan 2022	HYLS vs JBBB
BINC	iShares Flexible Income Active ETF	Multisector Bonds	67	0.90%	16.84B	May 2023	HYLS vs BINC
FTSL	First Trust Senior Loan Fund	High Yield Bonds	60	0.62%	2.30B	May 2013	HYLS vs FTSL
THY	Agility Shares Dynamic Tactical Income ETF	High Yield Bonds	44	0.45%	62.49M	Jun 2020	HYLS vs THY
SGOV	iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF	Ultrashort Bond	100	1.51%	91.90B	May 2020	HYLS vs SGOV
PHYD	Putnam ESG High Yield ETF -	High Yield Bonds	78	2.16%	7.67M	Jan 2023	HYLS vs PHYD
JPHY	JPMorgan High Yield Research Enhanced ETF	High Yield Bonds	—	2.07%	2.21B	Sep 2016	HYLS vs JPHY
ROBT	First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robot...	Technology Equities, Robotics	32	14.22%	763.61M	Feb 2018	HYLS vs ROBT

Compare HYLS with Any Fund or Stock

Compare HYLS with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.

Symbol name

Diversifiers

Pair HYLS with funds that move differently

First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to HYLS.

Explore HYLS Diversifiers

First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF (HYLS) Alternatives