Putnam ESG High Yield ETF - (PHYD) belongs to the High Yield Bonds category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with PHYD. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to PHYD
PHYD charges 0.55% annually. There are 88 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab High Yield Bond ETF | 0.03% | 2.60B | Jul 2023 | PHYD vs SCYB | |
| SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF | 0.05% | 11.10B | Jun 2012 | PHYD vs SPHY | |
| Nuveen High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 0.08% | 1.69B | Sep 2025 | PHYD vs NHYB | |
| Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 0.15% | 3.49B | Dec 2016 | PHYD vs HYLB | |
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders USD High Yield Corporate Bon... | 0.15% | 615.80M | Sep 2016 | PHYD vs BBHY |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to PHYD
PHYD has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 84. There are 5 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 95.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF | 95 | 962.59M | Aug 2018 | PHYD vs BSJQ | |
| iShares iBonds 1-5 Year High Yield and Income Ladd... | 88 | 9.36M | Nov 2024 | PHYD vs LDRH | |
| WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fu... | 86 | 239.72M | Dec 2013 | PHYD vs HYZD | |
| Pacific Global Senior Loan ETF | 86 | 624.90M | Feb 2015 | PHYD vs FLRT | |
| iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF | 86 | 500.53M | Jul 2021 | PHYD vs IBHG |
Top Performing PHYD Alternatives (YTD)
PHYD is at 2.32% YTD. There are 16 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 10.79%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Asset Debt Strategy ETF | 10.79% | — | Aug 2025 | PHYD vs DADS | |
| Man Active High Yield ETF | 4.31% | 19.82M | Sep 2025 | PHYD vs MHY | |
| VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ET... | 3.97% | 522.05M | May 2012 | PHYD vs HYEM | |
| Fidelity Sustainable High Yield ETF | 3.55% | 125.35M | Feb 2022 | PHYD vs FSYD | |
| ProShares High Yield-Interest Rate Hedged | 3.39% | 174.87M | May 2013 | PHYD vs HYHG |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to PHYD
PHYD has 3.36% 1-year volatility. There are 35 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate... | 0.00% | 6.49M | Mar 2015 | PHYD vs ESHY | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF | 1.35% | 962.59M | Aug 2018 | PHYD vs BSJQ | |
| Pacific Global Senior Loan ETF | 1.59% | 624.90M | Feb 2015 | PHYD vs FLRT | |
| iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF | 2.08% | 500.53M | Jul 2021 | PHYD vs IBHG | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon... | 2.08% | 847.56M | Sep 2019 | PHYD vs BSJR |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to PHYD
PHYD has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.10%. There are 24 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.54%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF | -0.54% | 962.59M | Aug 2018 | PHYD vs BSJQ | |
| iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF | -0.73% | 500.53M | Jul 2021 | PHYD vs IBHG | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon... | -1.16% | 847.56M | Sep 2019 | PHYD vs BSJR | |
| iShares iBonds 2028 Term High Yield and Income ETF | -1.22% | 452.61M | Mar 2022 | PHYD vs IBHH | |
| iShares iBonds 1-5 Year High Yield and Income Ladd... | -1.23% | 9.36M | Nov 2024 | PHYD vs LDRH |
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 | 90 | 13.04% | 11.74B | May 2021 | PHYD vs PVAL | |
| Putnam Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF | Emerging Markets Diversified | 88 | 40.78% | 34.67M | May 2023 | PHYD vs PEMX | |
| Putnam Panagora ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF - | Emerging Markets Diversified | 86 | 31.88% | 1.76M | Jan 2023 | PHYD vs PPEM | |
| Putnam ESG Ultra Short ETF | Ultrashort Bond, ESG | 98 | 1.23% | 36.51M | Jan 2023 | PHYD vs PULT | |
| Putnam ESG Core Bond ETF - | Intermediate Core Bond | — | — | 6.88M | Jan 2023 | PHYD vs PCRB | |
| Putnam Panagora ESG International Equity ETF - | Foreign Large Cap Equities | — | — | 3.51M | Jan 2023 | PHYD vs PPIE |
Often Compared With PHYD
Investors most often compare PHYD with HYBL, THYF, SHYG. These 20 comparison targets span 2 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare PHYD with Any Fund or Stock
Compare PHYD with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair PHYD with funds that move differently
Putnam ESG High Yield ETF - alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to PHYD.
Explore PHYD Diversifiers