iShares U.S. Utilities ETF (IDU) 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 IDU. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to IDU
IDU charges 0.42% annually. There are 8 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 | IDU vs FUTY | |
| State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.08% | 23.51B | Dec 1998 | IDU vs XLU | |
| Vanguard Utilities ETF | 0.09% | 10.60B | Jan 2004 | IDU vs VPU | |
| Invesco S&P SmallCap Utilities & Communication Ser... | 0.29% | 17.42M | Apr 2010 | IDU vs PSCU | |
| State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR Premium ... | 0.35% | 22.62M | Jul 2025 | IDU vs XLUI |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to IDU
IDU has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 28. There are 14 ETFs in the Utilities Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 76.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust EIP Power Solutions ETF | 76 | 26.19M | Aug 2019 | IDU vs FPWR | |
| Global X U.S. Electrification ETF | 69 | 474.07M | Dec 2024 | IDU vs ZAP | |
| ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF | 65 | 204.34M | Apr 2025 | IDU vs ELFY | |
| SPDR S&P Global Infrastructure ETF | 59 | 956.65M | Jan 2007 | IDU vs GII | |
| iShares Global Utilities ETF | 51 | 323.03M | Sep 2006 | IDU vs JXI |
Top Performing IDU Alternatives (YTD)
IDU is at 8.16% YTD. There are 16 ETFs in the Utilities Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 21.71%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF | 21.71% | 204.34M | Apr 2025 | IDU vs ELFY | |
| Global X U.S. Electrification ETF | 17.55% | 474.07M | Dec 2024 | IDU vs ZAP | |
| iShares Infrastructure Active ETF | 16.08% | — | Jul 2025 | IDU vs BILT | |
| iShares U.S. Power Infrastructure ETF | 15.71% | 421.73M | Jan 2012 | IDU vs POWR | |
| First Trust EIP Power Solutions ETF | 15.24% | 26.19M | Aug 2019 | IDU vs FPWR |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to IDU
IDU has 14.14% 1-year volatility. There are 9 ETFs in the Utilities Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 10.32%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Infrastructure Active ETF | 10.32% | — | Jul 2025 | IDU vs BILT | |
| FlexShares STOXX Global Broad Infrastructure Index... | 10.46% | 2.99B | Oct 2013 | IDU vs NFRA | |
| First Trust EIP Power Solutions ETF | 10.71% | 26.19M | Aug 2019 | IDU vs FPWR | |
| SPDR S&P Global Infrastructure ETF | 10.97% | 956.65M | Jan 2007 | IDU vs GII | |
| State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR Premium ... | 11.14% | 22.62M | Jul 2025 | IDU vs XLUI |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to IDU
IDU has a 1-year max drawdown of -9.15%. There are 12 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 | IDU vs FPWR | |
| SPDR S&P Global Infrastructure ETF | -5.94% | 956.65M | Jan 2007 | IDU vs GII | |
| iShares U.S. Power Infrastructure ETF | -7.09% | 421.73M | Jan 2012 | IDU vs POWR | |
| Global X U.S. Electrification ETF | -7.23% | 474.07M | Dec 2024 | IDU vs ZAP | |
| FlexShares STOXX Global Broad Infrastructure Index... | -7.28% | 2.99B | Oct 2013 | IDU vs NFRA |
Other ETFs from iShares
The 10 most viewed iShares ETFs shown here include SGOV, IBIT, SOXX and span 14 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $894B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | Ultrashort Bond | 100 | 1.92% | 97.69B | May 2020 | IDU vs SGOV | |
| iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | Cryptocurrency | 2 | -26.32% | 46.82B | Jan 2024 | IDU vs IBIT | |
| iShares Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 94 | 88.79% | 47.60B | Jul 2001 | IDU vs SOXX | |
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 67 | 10.84% | 894.38B | May 2000 | IDU vs IVV | |
| iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond | 14 | -1.35% | 42.18B | Jul 2002 | IDU vs TLT | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend | 83 | 11.23% | 42.05B | Jun 2014 | IDU vs DGRO | |
| iShares Silver Trust | Silver, Precious Metals | 29 | -17.46% | 28.37B | Apr 2006 | IDU vs SLV | |
| iShares Gold Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 24 | -6.04% | 60.94B | Jan 2005 | IDU vs IAU | |
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | Small Cap Blend Equities | 68 | 20.14% | 83.34B | May 2000 | IDU vs IWM | |
| iShares MSCI ACWI ETF | Global Equities | 65 | 11.64% | 33.36B | Mar 2008 | IDU vs ACWI |
Often Compared With IDU
Investors most often compare IDU with FXU, VOO, IUSA.DE. These 20 comparison targets span 11 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare IDU with Any Fund or Stock
Compare IDU with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair IDU with funds that move differently
iShares U.S. Utilities ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to IDU.
Explore IDU Diversifiers