First Trust Intermediate Government Opportunities ETF (MGOV) belongs to the Government Bonds category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with MGOV. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to MGOV
MGOV charges 0.65% annually. There are 79 ETFs in the Government Bonds 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 | MGOV vs SPTS | |
| Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 12.71B | Aug 2010 | MGOV vs SCHO | |
| Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 33.90B | Nov 2009 | MGOV vs VGSH | |
| Schwab Long-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 760.90M | Oct 2019 | MGOV vs SCHQ | |
| Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 49.50B | Nov 2009 | MGOV vs VGIT |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MGOV
MGOV has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 39. There are 26 ETFs in the Government Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 100.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 100 | 46.54B | May 2007 | MGOV vs BIL | |
| Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF | 100 | 7.67B | Sep 2016 | MGOV vs GBIL | |
| iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 100 | 20.81B | Jan 2007 | MGOV vs SHV | |
| WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund | 100 | 17.46B | Feb 2014 | MGOV vs USFR | |
| iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF | 100 | 6.61B | Feb 2014 | MGOV vs TFLO |
Top Performing MGOV Alternatives (YTD)
MGOV is at 1.31% YTD. There are 28 ETFs in the Government Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 7.62%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadratic Deflation ETF | 7.62% | 24.48M | Sep 2021 | MGOV vs BNDD | |
| iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF | 3.43% | 278.12M | Sep 2020 | MGOV vs GOVZ | |
| PIMCO 25+ Year Zero Coupon US Treasury Index Fund | 3.17% | 1.40B | Oct 2009 | MGOV vs ZROZ | |
| Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF | 3.01% | 4.30B | Dec 2007 | MGOV vs EDV | |
| iShares Global Government Bond USD Hedged Active E... | 2.92% | 2.80B | Jun 2025 | MGOV vs GGOV |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MGOV
MGOV has 4.51% 1-year volatility. There are 46 ETFs in the Government Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.20%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 0.20% | 46.54B | May 2007 | MGOV vs BIL | |
| iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 0.21% | 20.81B | Jan 2007 | MGOV vs SHV | |
| Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF | 0.23% | 7.67B | Sep 2016 | MGOV vs GBIL | |
| WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund | 0.27% | 17.46B | Feb 2014 | MGOV vs USFR | |
| iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF | 0.29% | 6.61B | Feb 2014 | MGOV vs TFLO |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MGOV
MGOV has a 1-year max drawdown of -3.53%. There are 42 ETFs in the Government Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.01%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | -0.01% | 46.54B | May 2007 | MGOV vs BIL | |
| WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund | -0.02% | 17.46B | Feb 2014 | MGOV vs USFR | |
| iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF | -0.02% | 6.61B | Feb 2014 | MGOV vs TFLO | |
| Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF | -0.02% | 7.67B | Sep 2016 | MGOV vs GBIL | |
| iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.03% | 20.81B | Jan 2007 | MGOV vs SHV |
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 MGOV
Investors most often compare MGOV with LGOV, VETZ, TRSY. These 20 comparison targets span 7 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare MGOV with Any Fund or Stock
Compare MGOV with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair MGOV with funds that move differently
First Trust Intermediate Government Opportunities ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to MGOV.
Explore MGOV Diversifiers