First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF (LDSF) belongs to the Short-Term Bond category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with LDSF. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to LDSF
LDSF charges 0.87% annually. There are 58 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 5.81B | Nov 2011 | LDSF vs SPTS | |
| Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 12.71B | Aug 2010 | LDSF vs SCHO | |
| Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.03% | 70.40B | Apr 2007 | LDSF vs BSV | |
| Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 33.90B | Nov 2009 | LDSF vs VGSH | |
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ... | 0.04% | 55.19M | Apr 2023 | LDSF vs BBSB |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to LDSF
LDSF has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 70. There are 31 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 99.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | 99 | 47.54M | Sep 2024 | LDSF vs MYCF | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF | 98 | 1.62B | Jun 2018 | LDSF vs FLDR | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF | 98 | 409.34M | Feb 2024 | LDSF vs FLDB | |
| State Street My2027 Corporate Bond ETF | 98 | 31.16M | Sep 2024 | LDSF vs MYCG | |
| DoubleLine Commercial Real Estate ETF | 95 | 416.13M | Mar 2023 | LDSF vs DCRE |
Top Performing LDSF Alternatives (YTD)
LDSF is at 0.82% YTD. There are 26 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 2.43%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defined Duration 5 ETF | 2.43% | — | Nov 2025 | LDSF vs DDV | |
| AAM SLC Low Duration Income ETF | 1.94% | 77.26M | Dec 2024 | LDSF vs LODI | |
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | 1.82% | 47.54M | Sep 2024 | LDSF vs MYCF | |
| SanJac Alpha Low Duration ETF | 1.71% | 1.52M | Sep 2024 | LDSF vs SJLD | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF | 1.62% | 1.62B | Jun 2018 | LDSF vs FLDR |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to LDSF
LDSF has 2.05% 1-year volatility. There are 42 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.63%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | 0.63% | 47.54M | Sep 2024 | LDSF vs MYCF | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF | 0.81% | 1.62B | Jun 2018 | LDSF vs FLDR | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF | 0.92% | 409.34M | Feb 2024 | LDSF vs FLDB | |
| State Street My2027 Corporate Bond ETF | 0.98% | 31.16M | Sep 2024 | LDSF vs MYCG | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.99% | 116.60M | Aug 2025 | LDSF vs TAXS |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to LDSF
LDSF has a 1-year max drawdown of -1.74%. There are 50 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.12%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | -0.12% | 47.54M | Sep 2024 | LDSF vs MYCF | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF | -0.17% | 409.34M | Feb 2024 | LDSF vs FLDB | |
| State Street My2027 Corporate Bond ETF | -0.45% | 31.16M | Sep 2024 | LDSF vs MYCG | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF | -0.47% | 1.62B | Jun 2018 | LDSF vs FLDR | |
| DoubleLine Commercial Real Estate ETF | -0.68% | 416.13M | Mar 2023 | LDSF vs DCRE |
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 LDSF
Investors most often compare LDSF with FTCB, HISF, FMHI. These 20 comparison targets span 11 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare LDSF with Any Fund or Stock
Compare LDSF with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair LDSF with funds that move differently
First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to LDSF.
Explore LDSF Diversifiers