Intelligent Real Estate ETF (REAI) belongs to the REIT category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with REAI. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to REAI
REAI charges 0.59% annually. There are 43 ETFs in the REIT category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.07%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab US REIT ETF | 0.07% | 11.48B | Jan 2011 | REAI vs SCHH | |
| iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 0.08% | 4.66B | May 2007 | REAI vs USRT | |
| Fidelity MSCI Real Estate Index ETF | 0.08% | 1.45B | Feb 2015 | REAI vs FREL | |
| Xtrackers International Real Estate ETF | 0.10% | 1.08B | Oct 2013 | REAI vs HAUZ | |
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders MSCI US REIT ETF | 0.11% | 1.29B | Jun 2018 | REAI vs BBRE |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to REAI
REAI has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 41. There are 43 ETFs in the REIT category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 92.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | 92 | 18.54M | Feb 2019 | REAI vs VRAI | |
| Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF | 83 | 4.21M | Jun 2021 | REAI vs JRE | |
| SPDR Dow Jones REIT ETF | 81 | 2.00B | Apr 2001 | REAI vs RWR | |
| Invesco KBW Premium Yield Equity REIT ETF | 81 | 314.06M | Dec 2010 | REAI vs KBWY | |
| iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 79 | 4.66B | May 2007 | REAI vs USRT |
Top Performing REAI Alternatives (YTD)
REAI is at 15.18% YTD. There are 27 ETFs in the REIT category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 32.35%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direxion Daily Real Estate Bull 3x Shares | 32.35% | 45.85M | Jul 2009 | REAI vs DRN | |
| Global X Data Center & Digital Infrastructure ETF | 30.53% | 2.30B | Oct 2020 | REAI vs DTCR | |
| Invesco KBW Premium Yield Equity REIT ETF | 25.42% | 314.06M | Dec 2010 | REAI vs KBWY | |
| Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | 23.82% | 18.54M | Feb 2019 | REAI vs VRAI | |
| ProShares Ultra Real Estate | 22.49% | 59.95M | Jan 2007 | REAI vs URE |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to REAI
REAI has 15.12% 1-year volatility. There are 49 ETFs in the REIT category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 8.12%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InfraCap REIT Preferred ETF | 8.12% | 120.46M | Feb 2017 | REAI vs PFFR | |
| NEOS Real Estate High Income ETF | 10.77% | 306.72M | Jan 2025 | REAI vs IYRI | |
| IQ CBRE Real Assets ETF | 10.86% | 6.79M | May 2023 | REAI vs IQRA | |
| State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Premiu... | 11.09% | 2.87M | Jul 2025 | REAI vs XLRI | |
| Cambria Global Real Estate ETF | 11.52% | 67.21M | Sep 2020 | REAI vs BLDG |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to REAI
REAI has a 1-year max drawdown of -11.08%. There are 46 ETFs in the REIT category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -4.82%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | -4.82% | 18.54M | Feb 2019 | REAI vs VRAI | |
| InfraCap REIT Preferred ETF | -6.57% | 120.46M | Feb 2017 | REAI vs PFFR | |
| State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Premiu... | -7.12% | 2.87M | Jul 2025 | REAI vs XLRI | |
| Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF | -7.14% | 4.21M | Jun 2021 | REAI vs JRE | |
| ALPS Active REIT ETF | -7.35% | 58.29M | Feb 2021 | REAI vs REIT |
Other ETFs from Armada ETF Advisors
The 1 most viewed Armada ETF Advisors ETFs shown here include HAUS and span 1 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $9M.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential REIT ETF | REIT | 38 | 7.81% | 9.04M | Feb 2022 | REAI vs HAUS |
Often Compared With REAI
Investors most often compare REAI with SPRE, RIET, FRI. These 20 comparison targets span 5 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare REAI with Any Fund or Stock
Compare REAI with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair REAI with funds that move differently
Intelligent Real Estate ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to REAI.
Explore REAI Diversifiers