Principal U.S. Small Cap Multi-Factor ETF (PSC) belongs to the Small Cap Blend Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with PSC. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to PSC
PSC charges 0.38% annually. There are 28 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Small-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 188.20B | Jan 2004 | PSC vs VB | |
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF | 0.03% | 17.00B | Jul 2013 | PSC vs SPSM | |
| iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 282.21M | Jun 2004 | PSC vs ISCB | |
| Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 22.23B | Nov 2009 | PSC vs SCHA | |
| Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF | 0.06% | 18.60B | Sep 2010 | PSC vs VTWO |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to PSC
PSC has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 73. There are 40 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 96 | — | Jun 2025 | PSC vs RB | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 94 | 1.37B | May 2007 | PSC vs FYX | |
| Hartford Multifactor Small Cap ETF | 92 | 61.48M | Mar 2015 | PSC vs ROSC | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 92 | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | PSC vs SFLO | |
| Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF | 91 | 3.05B | Jan 2022 | PSC vs AVSC |
Top Performing PSC Alternatives (YTD)
PSC is at 18.31% YTD. There are 33 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 48.69%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares | 48.69% | 1.35B | Nov 2008 | PSC vs TNA | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 27.87% | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | PSC vs SFLO | |
| Inspire Small/Mid Cap Impact ETF | 27.66% | 334.88M | Feb 2017 | PSC vs ISMD | |
| Allspring SMID Core ETF | 27.10% | 78.82M | Jul 2025 | PSC vs ASCE | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 25.97% | 1.37B | May 2007 | PSC vs FYX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to PSC
PSC has 18.77% 1-year volatility. There are 55 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 6.55%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 6.55% | — | Jun 2025 | PSC vs RB | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | 9.75% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | PSC vs SMMV | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | 10.67% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | PSC vs RYLD | |
| First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid E... | 10.73% | 35.21M | Apr 2020 | PSC vs HSMV | |
| CresAlta Small & Mid-Cap ETF | 11.65% | 88.99M | May 2026 | PSC vs CVSM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to PSC
PSC has a 1-year max drawdown of -9.95%. There are 45 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.09%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | -2.09% | — | Jun 2025 | PSC vs RB | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | -6.29% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | PSC vs RYLD | |
| Hypatia Women CEO ETF | -6.96% | 5.55M | Jan 2023 | PSC vs WCEO | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | -7.02% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | PSC vs SMMV | |
| 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF | -7.16% | 106.31M | May 2020 | PSC vs SIXS |
Other ETFs from Principal
The 10 most viewed Principal ETFs shown here include USMC, PREF, YLD and span 9 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $4B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 59 | 8.72% | 3.50B | Oct 2017 | PSC vs USMC | |
| Principal Spectrum Preferred Secs Active ETF | Preferred Stock | 69 | 1.65% | 1.70B | Jul 2017 | PSC vs PREF | |
| Principal Active High Yield ETF | High Yield Bonds | 64 | 3.34% | 572.20M | Jul 2015 | PSC vs YLD | |
| Principal Quality ETF | Quality Factor, Large Cap Growth Equities | 19 | 3.11% | 53.80M | Mar 2016 | PSC vs PSET | |
| Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF | Preferred Stock | 63 | 1.57% | 70.10M | Jun 2020 | PSC vs PQDI | |
| Principal Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 64 | 9.01% | 124.50M | Mar 2016 | PSC vs PY | |
| Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF | Corporate Bonds, Investment Grade Bonds | — | — | 133.79M | Apr 2018 | PSC vs IG | |
| Principal Real Estate Active Opportunities ETF | REIT | 47 | 15.21% | 28.20M | May 2022 | PSC vs BYRE | |
| Principal Focused Blue Chip ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 10 | 0.96% | 228.00M | Jul 2023 | PSC vs BCHP | |
| Principal Capital Appreciation Select ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 67 | 12.05% | 194.16M | Mar 2025 | PSC vs LCAP |
Often Compared With PSC
Investors most often compare PSC with IJR, VBK, VIOV. These 20 comparison targets span 13 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare PSC with Any Fund or Stock
Compare PSC with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair PSC with funds that move differently
Principal U.S. Small Cap Multi-Factor ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to PSC.
Explore PSC Diversifiers