FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund (QDEF) Alternatives

FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund (QDEF) belongs to the Large Cap Value Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with QDEF. 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 QDEF

QDEF charges 0.37% annually. Among ETFs in the Large Cap Value Equities category, these options have the lowest expense ratios among QDEF alternatives.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	Inception
ILCV	iShares Morningstar Value ETF	0.04%	Jun 28, 2004	QDEF vs ILCV
IUSV	iShares Core S&P U.S. Value ETF	0.04%	Jul 24, 2000	QDEF vs IUSV
SPYV	SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Value ETF	0.04%	Sep 25, 2000	QDEF vs SPYV
SCHV	Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Value ETF	0.04%	Dec 11, 2009	QDEF vs SCHV
VTV	Vanguard Value ETF	0.04%	Jan 26, 2004	QDEF vs VTV

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to QDEF

Among ETFs in the Large Cap Value Equities 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
GCOW	Pacer Global Cash Cows Dividend ETF	93	Feb 23, 2016	QDEF vs GCOW
VLUE	iShares Edge MSCI USA Value Factor ETF	90	Apr 16, 2013	QDEF vs VLUE
SEIV	SEI Enhanced US Large Cap Value Factor ETF	87	May 16, 2022	QDEF vs SEIV
FEGE	First Eagle Global Equity ETF	85	Dec 19, 2024	QDEF vs FEGE
DEW	WisdomTree Global High Dividend Fund	85	Jun 16, 2006	QDEF vs DEW

Top Performing QDEF Alternatives (YTD)

QDEF alternatives from the Large Cap Value Equities category, sorted by year-to-date return.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	Inception
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	15.49%	Mar 9, 2006	QDEF vs FDL
GCOW	Pacer Global Cash Cows Dividend ETF	13.21%	Feb 23, 2016	QDEF vs GCOW
HDV	iShares Core High Dividend ETF	12.30%	Mar 29, 2011	QDEF vs HDV
ELCV	Eventide High Dividend ETF	9.52%	Sep 30, 2024	QDEF vs ELCV
CDC	VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd...	9.03%	Jul 2, 2014	QDEF vs CDC

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to QDEF

QDEF alternatives from the Large Cap Value Equities category, sorted by annualized volatility over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	Inception
LVDS	JPMorgan Fundamental Data Science Large Value ETF	10.29%	Jul 14, 2025	QDEF vs LVDS
ABEQ	Absolute Select Value ETF	11.61%	Jan 22, 2020	QDEF vs ABEQ
MFVL	Motley Fool Value Factor ETF	11.67%	Dec 8, 2025	QDEF vs MFVL
CSTK	Invesco Comstock Contrarian Equity ETF	11.70%	May 5, 2025	QDEF vs CSTK
MDLV	Morgan Dempsey Large Cap Value ETF	11.90%	Apr 25, 2023	QDEF vs MDLV

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to QDEF

QDEF alternatives from the Large Cap Value Equities category, sorted by maximum drawdown over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	Inception
ABEQ	Absolute Select Value ETF	-7.95%	Jan 22, 2020	QDEF vs ABEQ
DIVZ	Opal Dividend Income ETF	-8.47%	Jan 27, 2021	QDEF vs DIVZ
SPLV	Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF	-8.88%	May 5, 2011	QDEF vs SPLV
MDLV	Morgan Dempsey Large Cap Value ETF	-9.72%	Apr 25, 2023	QDEF vs MDLV
HDV	iShares Core High Dividend ETF	-10.04%	Mar 29, 2011	QDEF vs HDV

Other ETFs from FlexShares

Most popular FlexShares ETFs on PortfoliosLab, across asset classes.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	Inception
NFRA	FlexShares STOXX Global Broad Infrastructure Index...	Utilities Equities	79	5.94%	Oct 8, 2013	QDEF vs NFRA
QDF	FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	63	-1.88%	Dec 14, 2012	QDEF vs QDF
RAVI	FlexShares Ultra-Short Income ETF	Ultrashort Bond	99	0.72%	Oct 9, 2012	QDEF vs RAVI
FEDM	FlexShares ESG & Climate Developed Markets ex-US C...	Foreign Large Cap Equities	60	-0.76%	Sep 20, 2021	QDEF vs FEDM
TILT	FlexShares Morningstar US Market Factor Tilt Index...	Large Cap Blend Equities	62	-2.73%	Sep 16, 2011	QDEF vs TILT
FEUS	FlexShares ESG & Climate US Large Cap Core Index F...	Large Cap Blend Equities	45	-6.02%	Sep 20, 2021	QDEF vs FEUS
FEIG	FlexShares ESG & Climate Investment Grade Corporat...	Corporate Bonds	50	-0.26%	Sep 20, 2021	QDEF vs FEIG

Often Compared With QDEF

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

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	Inception
SCHD	Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	Dividend	52	12.79%	Oct 20, 2011	QDEF vs SCHD
DGRW	WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Growth Fund	Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend	49	-1.50%	May 22, 2013	QDEF vs DGRW
^SP500TR	S&P 500 Total Return		78	-4.33%	—	QDEF vs ^SP500TR
SCHB	Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF	Large Cap Growth Equities	65	-4.05%	Nov 3, 2009	QDEF vs SCHB
FXAIX	Fidelity 500 Index Fund	S&P 500	46	-7.05%	Feb 17, 1988	QDEF vs FXAIX
MGV	Vanguard Mega Cap Value ETF	Large Cap Value Equities	64	3.25%	Dec 17, 2007	QDEF vs MGV
COWZ	Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	Mid Cap Value Equities, Dividend	60	4.30%	Dec 16, 2016	QDEF vs COWZ
USMV	iShares MSCI USA Minimum Volatility Factor ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	15	-1.10%	Oct 18, 2011	QDEF vs USMV
QDIV	Global X S&P 500 Quality Dividend ETF	Dividend, S&P 500	29	6.62%	Jul 13, 2018	QDEF vs QDIV
CGDV	Capital Group Dividend Value ETF	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	78	-2.26%	Feb 22, 2022	QDEF vs CGDV
FVAL	Fidelity Value Factor ETF	Large Cap Value Equities	66	-3.56%	Sep 12, 2016	QDEF vs FVAL
VYM	Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF	Dividend	72	3.80%	Feb 7, 2019	QDEF vs VYM
IEFA	iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities	79	1.20%	Oct 18, 2012	QDEF vs IEFA
DGRO	iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend	69	1.57%	Jun 10, 2014	QDEF vs DGRO
DLN	WisdomTree US LargeCap Dividend ETF	Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend	65	1.84%	Jun 16, 2006	QDEF vs DLN
EQWL	Invesco S&P 100 Equal Weight ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	55	-2.02%	Dec 1, 2006	QDEF vs EQWL
FDVV	Fidelity High Dividend ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities, Dividend	60	-1.78%	Sep 12, 2016	QDEF vs FDVV
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	77	-2.96%	Aug 14, 2012	QDEF vs TDIV
VOO	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	65	-4.42%	Sep 7, 2010	QDEF vs VOO
QDVO	Amplify CWP Growth & Income ETF	Derivative Income	74	-5.75%	Aug 22, 2024	QDEF vs QDVO

Compare QDEF with Any Fund or Stock

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

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FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund

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