PIMCO RAFI ESG U.S. ETF (RAFE) belongs to the Large 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 RAFE. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to RAFE
RAFE charges 0.30% annually. There are 98 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.02%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Equity ETF | 0.02% | 8.89B | Mar 2019 | RAFE vs BBUS | |
| Global X U.S. 500 ETF | 0.02% | 4.50M | Sep 2025 | RAFE vs GXLC | |
| Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF | 0.03% | 2.00B | Jun 2016 | RAFE vs USPX | |
| Schwab 1000 Index ETF | 0.03% | 5.72B | Oct 2017 | RAFE vs SCHK | |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 0.03% | 2.30T | May 2001 | RAFE vs VTI |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to RAFE
RAFE has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 93. There are 3 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avantis Inflation Focused Equity ETF | 96 | 12.36M | Sep 2022 | RAFE vs AVIE | |
| Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF | 96 | 927.09M | Sep 2018 | RAFE vs IUS | |
| ARS Focused Opportunities Strategy ETF | 94 | 293.98M | Jun 2025 | RAFE vs AFOS | |
| Essential 40 Stock ETF | 93 | 180.66M | Jun 2014 | RAFE vs ESN | |
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 92 | — | May 2024 | RAFE vs RSSY |
Top Performing RAFE Alternatives (YTD)
RAFE is at 16.68% YTD. There are 21 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 33.68%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aztlan North America Nearshoring Stock Selection E... | 33.68% | 33.11M | Nov 2023 | RAFE vs NRSH | |
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 29.79% | — | May 2024 | RAFE vs RSSY | |
| ARS Focused Opportunities Strategy ETF | 27.82% | 293.98M | Jun 2025 | RAFE vs AFOS | |
| Mohr Company Nav ETF | 24.51% | — | Sep 2024 | RAFE vs CNAV | |
| First Trust Bloomberg Inflation Sensitive Equity E... | 24.04% | 5.62M | Mar 2023 | RAFE vs FTIF |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to RAFE
RAFE has 11.48% 1-year volatility. There are 25 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 7.57%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azoria 500 Meritocracy ETF | 7.57% | — | Jul 2025 | RAFE vs SPXM | |
| 6 Meridian Mega Cap Equity ETF | 9.05% | 402.23M | May 2020 | RAFE vs SIXA | |
| Liberty One Spectrum ETF | 9.38% | 65.78M | Sep 2025 | RAFE vs SPCT | |
| ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF | 9.50% | 744.97M | Jul 2009 | RAFE vs EQL | |
| T. Rowe Price Dividend Growth ETF | 9.74% | 1.42B | Aug 2020 | RAFE vs TDVG |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to RAFE
RAFE has a 1-year max drawdown of -7.46%. There are 22 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -4.97%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avantis Inflation Focused Equity ETF | -4.97% | 12.36M | Sep 2022 | RAFE vs AVIE | |
| Azoria 500 Meritocracy ETF | -5.08% | — | Jul 2025 | RAFE vs SPXM | |
| 6 Meridian Mega Cap Equity ETF | -5.59% | 402.23M | May 2020 | RAFE vs SIXA | |
| Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF | -6.15% | 927.09M | Sep 2018 | RAFE vs IUS | |
| ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF | -6.19% | 744.97M | Jul 2009 | RAFE vs EQL |
Other ETFs from PIMCO
The 10 most viewed PIMCO ETFs shown here include MINT, PYLD, BOND and span 11 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $16B.
Often Compared With RAFE
Investors most often compare RAFE with PRF, FNDX, SWPPX. These 20 comparison targets span 8 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare RAFE with Any Fund or Stock
Compare RAFE with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair RAFE with funds that move differently
PIMCO RAFI ESG U.S. ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to RAFE.
Explore RAFE Diversifiers