First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF (MARB) Alternatives

First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF (MARB) belongs to the Long-Short category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with MARB. 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 MARB

MARB charges 2.30% annually. Among ETFs in the Long-Short category, these options have the lowest expense ratios among MARB alternatives.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	Inception
CSM	Proshares Large Cap Core Plus	0.45%	Jul 13, 2009	MARB vs CSM
IDUB	Aptus International Enhanced Yield ETF	0.45%	Jul 22, 2021	MARB vs IDUB
CLIX	ProShares Long Online/Short Stores ETF	0.65%	Nov 14, 2017	MARB vs CLIX
WTIP	WisdomTree Inflation Plus Fund	0.65%	Jun 18, 2025	MARB vs WTIP
FLSP	Franklin Liberty Systematic Style Premia ETF	0.65%	Dec 18, 2019	MARB vs FLSP

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MARB

Among ETFs in the Long-Short 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
CLSE	Convergence Long/Short Equity ETF	94	Feb 22, 2022	MARB vs CLSE
ORR	Militia Long/Short Equity ETF	92	Jan 14, 2025	MARB vs ORR
EVNT	AltShares Event-Driven ETF	83	Dec 31, 2014	MARB vs EVNT
QAI	IQ Hedge Multi-Strategy Tracker ETF	80	Mar 25, 2009	MARB vs QAI
IDUB	Aptus International Enhanced Yield ETF	79	Jul 22, 2021	MARB vs IDUB

Top Performing MARB Alternatives (YTD)

MARB alternatives from the Long-Short category, sorted by year-to-date return.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	Inception
LSEQ	Harbor Long-Short Equity ETF	20.53%	Dec 4, 2023	MARB vs LSEQ
LBAY	Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF	15.90%	Nov 16, 2020	MARB vs LBAY
WTIP	WisdomTree Inflation Plus Fund	12.54%	Jun 18, 2025	MARB vs WTIP
KMLM	KFA Mount Lucas Index Strategy ETF	8.67%	Dec 2, 2020	MARB vs KMLM
ORR	Militia Long/Short Equity ETF	6.70%	Jan 14, 2025	MARB vs ORR

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MARB

MARB alternatives from the Long-Short category, sorted by annualized volatility over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	Inception
HDG	ProShares Hedge Replication	6.90%	Jul 12, 2011	MARB vs HDG
QAI	IQ Hedge Multi-Strategy Tracker ETF	7.55%	Mar 25, 2009	MARB vs QAI
FFLS	The Future Fund Long/Short ETF	9.24%	Jun 20, 2023	MARB vs FFLS
KMLM	KFA Mount Lucas Index Strategy ETF	9.84%	Dec 2, 2020	MARB vs KMLM
EVNT	AltShares Event-Driven ETF	9.97%	Dec 31, 2014	MARB vs EVNT

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MARB

MARB alternatives from the Long-Short category, sorted by maximum drawdown over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	Inception
EVNT	AltShares Event-Driven ETF	-4.84%	Dec 31, 2014	MARB vs EVNT
HDG	ProShares Hedge Replication	-4.85%	Jul 12, 2011	MARB vs HDG
QAI	IQ Hedge Multi-Strategy Tracker ETF	-5.43%	Mar 25, 2009	MARB vs QAI
EMPB	Efficient Market Portfolio Plus ETF	-5.98%	Dec 11, 2024	MARB vs EMPB
FTLS	First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF	-6.17%	Sep 9, 2014	MARB vs FTLS

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

Often Compared With MARB

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

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	Inception
QQQ	Invesco QQQ ETF	Large Cap Growth Equities	69	-5.93%	Mar 10, 1999	MARB vs QQQ
SPY	State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	64	-4.37%	Jan 22, 1993	MARB vs SPY
HMEZX	NexPoint Merger Arbitrage Fund	Event Driven	99	0.66%	Aug 18, 2016	MARB vs HMEZX
VOO	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	65	-4.42%	Sep 7, 2010	MARB vs VOO
ARB	AltShares Merger Arbitrage ETF	Hedge Fund	87	0.86%	May 7, 2020	MARB vs ARB
HEFT	Hedgeye Fourth Turning ETF	Long-Short	—	5.30%	Nov 20, 2025	MARB vs HEFT
EHLS	Even Herd Long Short ETF	Long-Short	72	6.23%	Apr 1, 2024	MARB vs EHLS
HTUS	Hull Tactical US ETF	Long-Short, Actively Managed	55	-3.85%	Jun 25, 2015	MARB vs HTUS
CBLS	Changebridge Capital Long/Short Equity ETF	Long-Short, Actively Managed	42	4.37%	Nov 13, 2020	MARB vs CBLS
BTAL	AGFiQ US Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund	Long-Short	1	-2.99%	Sep 13, 2011	MARB vs BTAL
RSEE	Rareview Systematic Equity ETF	Long-Short	48	-4.66%	Jan 20, 2022	MARB vs RSEE
EQLS	Simplify Market Neutral Equity Long/Short ETF	Long-Short	—	—	Jun 13, 2023	MARB vs EQLS
NLSI	Neos Long/Short Equity Income ETF	Long-Short	—	-9.90%	Dec 9, 2025	MARB vs NLSI

Compare MARB with Any Fund or Stock

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

Symbol name

First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF

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