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 99 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.02%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global X U.S. 500 ETF | 0.02% | 4.51M | Sep 2025 | RAFE vs GXLC | |
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Equity ETF | 0.02% | 8.54B | Mar 2019 | RAFE vs BBUS | |
| Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF | 0.03% | 43.10B | Nov 2009 | RAFE vs SCHB | |
| Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF | 0.03% | 1.98B | Jun 2016 | RAFE vs USPX | |
| 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 84. There are 7 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 90.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohr Company Nav ETF | 90 | — | Sep 2024 | RAFE vs CNAV | |
| Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF | 90 | 1.04B | Sep 2018 | RAFE vs IUS | |
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 90 | — | May 2024 | RAFE vs RSSY | |
| Pacer Swan SOS Conservative (December) ETF | 86 | 46.99M | Dec 2020 | RAFE vs PSCX | |
| Longview Advantage ETF | 86 | 562.31M | Feb 2025 | RAFE vs EBI |
Top Performing RAFE Alternatives (YTD)
RAFE is at 13.45% YTD. There are 35 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 55.93%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohr Company Nav ETF | 55.93% | — | Sep 2024 | RAFE vs CNAV | |
| Aztlan North America Nearshoring Stock Selection E... | 48.32% | 33.11M | Nov 2023 | RAFE vs NRSH | |
| ARS Focused Opportunities Strategy ETF | 36.79% | 293.98M | Jun 2025 | RAFE vs AFOS | |
| iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF | 32.00% | 28.16B | Apr 2013 | RAFE vs MTUM | |
| Return Stacked US Stocks & Futures Yield ETF | 29.90% | — | May 2024 | RAFE vs RSSY |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to RAFE
RAFE has 11.54% 1-year volatility. There are 51 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 2.38%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest Laddered Max Buffer ETF | 2.38% | — | Jun 2025 | RAFE vs BUFH | |
| FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF | 4.04% | — | Jun 2025 | RAFE vs BUFX | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - June | 4.47% | 457.76M | Jun 2020 | RAFE vs DJUN | |
| Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - June | 4.55% | 171.95M | Jun 2019 | RAFE vs UJUN | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May | 5.06% | 369.81M | May 2020 | RAFE vs DMAY |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to RAFE
RAFE has a 1-year max drawdown of -7.46%. There are 41 ETFs in the Large Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.84%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - June | -2.84% | 171.95M | Jun 2019 | RAFE vs UJUN | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - June | -3.15% | 457.76M | Jun 2020 | RAFE vs DJUN | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May | -3.36% | 369.81M | May 2020 | RAFE vs DMAY | |
| Bridges Capital Tactical ETF | -4.03% | 42.09M | May 2023 | RAFE vs BDGS | |
| FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - June | -4.13% | 1.89B | Jun 2020 | RAFE vs FJUN |
Other ETFs from PIMCO
The 10 most viewed PIMCO ETFs shown here include MINT, PYLD, BOND and span 10 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $16B.
Often Compared With RAFE
Investors most often compare RAFE with PRF, FNDX, VOO. 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