iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) belongs to the Small Cap Blend Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with IJR. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to IJR
IJR charges 0.06% annually. There are 4 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF | 0.03% | 17.00B | Jul 2013 | IJR vs SPSM | |
| Vanguard Small-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 188.20B | Jan 2004 | IJR vs VB | |
| iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 282.21M | Jun 2004 | IJR vs ISCB | |
| Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 22.23B | Nov 2009 | IJR vs SCHA | |
| Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF | 0.06% | 18.60B | Sep 2010 | IJR vs VTWO |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to IJR
IJR has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 90. There are 11 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 96 | — | Jun 2025 | IJR vs RB | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 95 | 1.37B | May 2007 | IJR vs FYX | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 94 | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | IJR vs SFLO | |
| Hartford Multifactor Small Cap ETF | 94 | 61.48M | Mar 2015 | IJR vs ROSC | |
| Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF | 94 | 3.05B | Jan 2022 | IJR vs AVSC |
Top Performing IJR Alternatives (YTD)
IJR is at 23.60% YTD. There are 13 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 56.19%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares | 56.19% | 1.35B | Nov 2008 | IJR vs TNA | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 30.25% | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | IJR vs SFLO | |
| Inspire Small/Mid Cap Impact ETF | 30.08% | 334.88M | Feb 2017 | IJR vs ISMD | |
| Allspring SMID Core ETF | 29.71% | 78.82M | Jul 2025 | IJR vs ASCE | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 28.12% | 1.37B | May 2007 | IJR vs FYX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to IJR
IJR has 17.30% 1-year volatility. There are 36 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 6.56%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 6.56% | — | Jun 2025 | IJR vs RB | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | 9.73% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | IJR vs SMMV | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | 10.58% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | IJR vs RYLD | |
| First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid E... | 10.73% | 35.21M | Apr 2020 | IJR vs HSMV | |
| CresAlta Small & Mid-Cap ETF | 11.58% | 88.99M | May 2026 | IJR vs CVSM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to IJR
IJR has a 1-year max drawdown of -8.68%. There are 20 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.09%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | -2.09% | — | Jun 2025 | IJR vs RB | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | -6.29% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | IJR vs RYLD | |
| Hypatia Women CEO ETF | -6.96% | 5.55M | Jan 2023 | IJR vs WCEO | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | -7.02% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | IJR vs SMMV | |
| 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF | -7.16% | 106.31M | May 2020 | IJR vs SIXS |
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 $869B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | Ultrashort Bond | 100 | 2.13% | 99.95B | May 2020 | IJR vs SGOV | |
| iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | Cryptocurrency | 2 | -27.17% | 46.52B | Jan 2024 | IJR vs IBIT | |
| iShares Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 90 | 68.76% | 44.69B | Jul 2001 | IJR vs SOXX | |
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 78 | 11.75% | 869.20B | May 2000 | IJR vs IVV | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend | 92 | 13.79% | 42.77B | Jun 2014 | IJR vs DGRO | |
| iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond | 7 | -3.18% | 41.54B | Jul 2002 | IJR vs TLT | |
| iShares Silver Trust | Silver, Precious Metals | 35 | -18.57% | 28.08B | Apr 2006 | IJR vs SLV | |
| iShares Gold Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 28 | -6.14% | 59.74B | Jan 2005 | IJR vs IAU | |
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | Small Cap Blend Equities | 85 | 20.84% | 80.11B | May 2000 | IJR vs IWM | |
| iShares MSCI ACWI ETF | Global Equities | 77 | 12.35% | 32.49B | Mar 2008 | IJR vs ACWI |
Often Compared With IJR
Investors most often compare IJR with AVUV, IJH, IJS. These 20 comparison targets span 6 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare IJR with Any Fund or Stock
Compare IJR with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair IJR with funds that move differently
iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to IJR.
Explore IJR Diversifiers