First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF (ILDR) Alternatives

First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF (ILDR) belongs to the Technology Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with ILDR. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or funds that fit a different role in your portfolio.

Cheapest Alternatives to ILDR

ILDR charges 0.75% annually. Among ETFs in the Technology Equities category, these options have the lowest expense ratios among ILDR alternatives.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	Inception
XLK	State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF	0.08%	Dec 16, 1998	ILDR vs XLK
FTEC	Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF	0.08%	Oct 21, 2013	ILDR vs FTEC
VGT	Vanguard Information Technology ETF	0.09%	Mar 25, 2004	ILDR vs VGT
VOX	Vanguard Communication Services ETF	0.10%	Sep 23, 2004	ILDR vs VOX
TRUT	Vaneck Technology Trusector ETF	0.13%	Aug 20, 2025	ILDR vs TRUT

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to ILDR

Among ETFs in the Technology Equities category, these options rank highest on PortfoliosLab's risk-adjusted score, which accounts for volatility, drawdown, and return consistency over a 1-year period.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	Inception
CHPS	Xtrackers Semiconductor Select Equity ETF	96	Jul 12, 2023	ILDR vs CHPS
AIS	VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF	95	Dec 3, 2024	ILDR vs AIS
CHAT	Roundhill Generative AI & Technology ETF	95	May 17, 2023	ILDR vs CHAT
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	95	Sep 20, 2016	ILDR vs FTXL
SMH	VanEck Semiconductor ETF	95	Dec 20, 2011	ILDR vs SMH

Top Performing ILDR Alternatives (YTD)

ILDR alternatives from the Technology Equities category, sorted by year-to-date return.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	Inception
ARMH	Arm Holdings PLC ADRhedged ETF	39.97%	Mar 13, 2025	ILDR vs ARMH
ASMH	ASML Holding NV ADR Hedged ETF	25.77%	Mar 13, 2025	ILDR vs ASMH
PSI	Invesco Semiconductors ETF	19.68%	Jun 23, 2005	ILDR vs PSI
TCAI	Tortoise AI Infrastructure ETF	16.67%	Aug 4, 2025	ILDR vs TCAI
IDGT	iShares U.S. Digital Infrastructure and Real Estat...	15.26%	Jul 10, 2001	ILDR vs IDGT

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to ILDR

ILDR alternatives from the Technology Equities category, sorted by annualized volatility over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	Inception
TIME	Clockwise Core Equity & Innovation ETF	15.02%	Jan 27, 2022	ILDR vs TIME
XLKI	State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR Premium...	17.22%	Jul 29, 2025	ILDR vs XLKI
KROP	Global X AgTech & Food Innovation ETF	19.32%	Jul 12, 2021	ILDR vs KROP
NXTG	First Trust IndXX NextG ETF	19.87%	Feb 17, 2011	ILDR vs NXTG
VOX	Vanguard Communication Services ETF	20.34%	Sep 23, 2004	ILDR vs VOX

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to ILDR

ILDR alternatives from the Technology Equities category, sorted by maximum drawdown over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	Inception
KROP	Global X AgTech & Food Innovation ETF	-11.29%	Jul 12, 2021	ILDR vs KROP
IDGT	iShares U.S. Digital Infrastructure and Real Estat...	-12.23%	Jul 10, 2001	ILDR vs IDGT
NXTG	First Trust IndXX NextG ETF	-12.49%	Feb 17, 2011	ILDR vs NXTG
FEPI	REX FANG & Innovation Equity Premium Income ETF	-12.91%	Oct 11, 2023	ILDR vs FEPI
PXQ	Invesco Dynamic Networking ETF	-12.94%	Jun 23, 2005	ILDR vs PXQ

Other ETFs from First Trust

Most popular First Trust ETFs on PortfoliosLab, across asset classes.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	Inception
CIBR	First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF	Technology Equities, Cybersecurity	12	-12.12%	Jul 7, 2015	ILDR vs CIBR
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	Asia Pacific Equities	5	-11.19%	Feb 14, 2012	ILDR vs NFTY
GRID	First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart GRID Infrastru...	Alternative Energy Equities	94	6.96%	Nov 17, 2009	ILDR vs GRID
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	79	15.49%	Mar 9, 2006	ILDR vs FDL
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	95	12.74%	Mar 10, 2014	ILDR vs AIRR
IGLD	FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Precious Metals, Gold	84	5.99%	Mar 2, 2021	ILDR vs IGLD
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	77	-2.96%	Aug 14, 2012	ILDR vs TDIV
KNG	FT Cboe Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target I...	Dividend, S&P 500	25	1.24%	Mar 26, 2018	ILDR vs KNG
ROBT	First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robot...	Technology Equities, Robotics	28	-11.00%	Feb 21, 2018	ILDR vs ROBT
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities	87	4.23%	Feb 8, 2007	ILDR vs QCLN

Often Compared With ILDR

What investors most often compare with ILDR, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	Inception
QTUM	Defiance Quantum ETF	Technology Equities	85	-1.95%	Sep 5, 2018	ILDR vs QTUM
FNGS	MicroSectors FANG+ ETN	Large Cap Growth Equities	41	-12.40%	Nov 12, 2019	ILDR vs FNGS
FMAG	Fidelity Magellan ETF	Global Equities, Actively Managed	28	-7.35%	Feb 2, 2021	ILDR vs FMAG
QQQ	Invesco QQQ ETF	Large Cap Growth Equities	69	-5.93%	Mar 10, 1999	ILDR vs QQQ
SCHX	Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	64	-4.45%	Nov 3, 2009	ILDR vs SCHX
DYNF	BlackRock U.S. Equity Factor Rotation ETF	Large Cap Growth Equities, Actively Managed	73	-4.07%	Mar 19, 2019	ILDR vs DYNF
SPMO	Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF	S&P 500	66	-5.78%	Oct 9, 2015	ILDR vs SPMO
SPY	State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	64	-4.37%	Jan 22, 1993	ILDR vs SPY
ITEQ	BlueStar Israel Technology ETF	Technology Equities	43	-0.86%	Nov 2, 2015	ILDR vs ITEQ
SHOC	Strive U.S. Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	94	5.01%	Oct 5, 2022	ILDR vs SHOC
TINY	ProShares Nanotechnology ETF	Technology Equities	88	15.18%	Oct 26, 2021	ILDR vs TINY

Compare ILDR with Any Fund or Stock

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

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First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF

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