Putnam ESG Core Bond ETF - (PCRB) belongs to the Intermediate Core Bond category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with PCRB. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to PCRB
PCRB charges 0.35% annually. There are 39 ETFs in the Intermediate Core Bond category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Total Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 122.30M | Jul 2025 | PCRB vs VTG | |
| Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF | 0.03% | 52.20B | Apr 2007 | PCRB vs BIV | |
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.03% | 1.03B | Dec 2018 | PCRB vs BBAG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2033 Term Treasury ETF | 0.07% | 469.02M | Jun 2023 | PCRB vs IBTO | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2032 Term Treasury ETF | 0.07% | 549.87M | Jul 2022 | PCRB vs IBTM |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to PCRB
PCRB has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 33. There are 29 ETFs in the Intermediate Core Bond category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 95.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGI Enhanced Core ETF | 95 | 364.51M | Feb 2024 | PCRB vs USDX | |
| Aptus Enhanced Yield ETF | 77 | 217.59M | Oct 2022 | PCRB vs JUCY | |
| State Street My2029 Corporate Bond ETF | 65 | 34.53M | Sep 2024 | PCRB vs MYCI | |
| 3EDGE Dynamic Fixed Income ETF | 62 | 236.02M | Oct 2024 | PCRB vs EDGF | |
| Hartford Schroders Tax-Aware Bond ETF | 52 | 297.30M | Apr 2018 | PCRB vs HTAB |
Top Performing PCRB Alternatives (YTD)
PCRB is at -0.48% YTD. There are 54 ETFs in the Intermediate Core Bond category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 2.55%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGI Enhanced Core ETF | 2.55% | 364.51M | Feb 2024 | PCRB vs USDX | |
| Aptus Enhanced Yield ETF | 2.53% | 217.59M | Oct 2022 | PCRB vs JUCY | |
| Defined Duration 5 ETF | 2.12% | — | Nov 2025 | PCRB vs DDV | |
| Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF | 2.07% | 33.20M | Sep 2019 | PCRB vs OVB | |
| Hartford Schroders Tax-Aware Bond ETF | 1.64% | 297.30M | Apr 2018 | PCRB vs HTAB |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to PCRB
PCRB has 3.72% 1-year volatility. There are 24 ETFs in the Intermediate Core Bond category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.89%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3EDGE Dynamic Fixed Income ETF | 1.89% | 236.02M | Oct 2024 | PCRB vs EDGF | |
| SGI Enhanced Core ETF | 2.07% | 364.51M | Feb 2024 | PCRB vs USDX | |
| State Street My2029 Corporate Bond ETF | 2.18% | 34.53M | Sep 2024 | PCRB vs MYCI | |
| Frontier Asset Core Bond ETF | 2.34% | 43.77M | Dec 2024 | PCRB vs FCBD | |
| ClearShares Piton Intermediate Fixed Income ETF | 2.62% | 98.88M | Oct 2020 | PCRB vs PIFI |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to PCRB
PCRB has a 1-year max drawdown of -3.02%. There are 35 ETFs in the Intermediate Core Bond category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.64%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3EDGE Dynamic Fixed Income ETF | -0.64% | 236.02M | Oct 2024 | PCRB vs EDGF | |
| SGI Enhanced Core ETF | -0.94% | 364.51M | Feb 2024 | PCRB vs USDX | |
| Aptus Enhanced Yield ETF | -0.94% | 217.59M | Oct 2022 | PCRB vs JUCY | |
| Build Bond Innovation ETF | -0.99% | 10.78M | Feb 2022 | PCRB vs BFIX | |
| State Street My2029 Corporate Bond ETF | -1.56% | 34.53M | Sep 2024 | PCRB vs MYCI |
Other ETFs from Putnam
The 6 most viewed Putnam ETFs shown here include PVAL, PEMX, PPEM and span 6 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $12B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam Focused Large Cap Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 87 | 12.96% | 11.74B | May 2021 | PCRB vs PVAL | |
| Putnam Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF | Emerging Markets Diversified | 87 | 38.87% | 34.67M | May 2023 | PCRB vs PEMX | |
| Putnam Panagora ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF - | Emerging Markets Diversified | 83 | 31.88% | 1.76M | Jan 2023 | PCRB vs PPEM | |
| Putnam ESG High Yield ETF - | High Yield Bonds | 81 | 2.32% | 7.62M | Jan 2023 | PCRB vs PHYD | |
| Putnam ESG Ultra Short ETF | Ultrashort Bond, ESG | 98 | 1.23% | 36.51M | Jan 2023 | PCRB vs PULT | |
| Putnam Panagora ESG International Equity ETF - | Foreign Large Cap Equities | 39 | 8.31% | 3.51M | Jan 2023 | PCRB vs PPIE |
Often Compared With PCRB
Investors most often compare PCRB with BGRN, FIGB, PBDC. These 19 comparison targets span 5 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare PCRB with Any Fund or Stock
Compare PCRB with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair PCRB with funds that move differently
Putnam ESG Core Bond ETF - alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to PCRB.
Explore PCRB Diversifiers