U.S. Small Cap Equity Active ETF (RUSC) 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 RUSC. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to RUSC
RUSC charges 0.64% annually. There are 56 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF | 0.03% | 17.00B | Jul 2013 | RUSC vs SPSM | |
| Vanguard Small-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 188.20B | Jan 2004 | RUSC vs VB | |
| iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 282.21M | Jun 2004 | RUSC vs ISCB | |
| Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 22.23B | Nov 2009 | RUSC vs SCHA | |
| Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF | 0.06% | 18.60B | Sep 2010 | RUSC vs VTWO |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to RUSC
RUSC has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 84. There are 17 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 | RUSC vs RB | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 94 | 1.37B | May 2007 | RUSC vs FYX | |
| Hartford Multifactor Small Cap ETF | 92 | 61.48M | Mar 2015 | RUSC vs ROSC | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 92 | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | RUSC vs SFLO | |
| Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF | 91 | 3.05B | Jan 2022 | RUSC vs AVSC |
Top Performing RUSC Alternatives (YTD)
RUSC is at 20.77% YTD. There are 18 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 | RUSC vs TNA | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 27.87% | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | RUSC vs SFLO | |
| Inspire Small/Mid Cap Impact ETF | 27.66% | 334.88M | Feb 2017 | RUSC vs ISMD | |
| Allspring SMID Core ETF | 27.10% | 78.82M | Jul 2025 | RUSC vs ASCE | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 25.97% | 1.37B | May 2007 | RUSC vs FYX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to RUSC
RUSC has 18.47% 1-year volatility. There are 53 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 | RUSC vs RB | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | 9.75% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | RUSC vs SMMV | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | 10.67% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | RUSC vs RYLD | |
| First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid E... | 10.73% | 35.21M | Apr 2020 | RUSC vs HSMV | |
| CresAlta Small & Mid-Cap ETF | 11.65% | 88.99M | May 2026 | RUSC vs CVSM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to RUSC
RUSC has a 1-year max drawdown of -9.18%. There are 27 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 | RUSC vs RB | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | -6.29% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | RUSC vs RYLD | |
| Hypatia Women CEO ETF | -6.96% | 5.55M | Jan 2023 | RUSC vs WCEO | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | -7.02% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | RUSC vs SMMV | |
| 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF | -7.16% | 106.31M | May 2020 | RUSC vs SIXS |
Other ETFs from Russell
The 4 most viewed Russell ETFs shown here include RIFR, REMG, RINT and span 5 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $111M.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Investments Global Infrastructure ETF | Infrastructure Equities, Industrials Equities | 60 | 11.99% | — | May 2025 | RUSC vs RIFR | |
| Russell Investments Emerging Markets Equity ETF | Emerging Markets Equities | 66 | 18.73% | 110.52M | May 2025 | RUSC vs REMG | |
| Russell Investments International Developed Equity... | Foreign Large Cap Equities | 65 | 11.32% | — | May 2025 | RUSC vs RINT | |
| Russell Investments Global Equity ETF | Global Equities | 76 | 11.23% | — | May 2025 | RUSC vs RGLO |
Often Compared With RUSC
Investors most often compare RUSC with ABLS, FSCC, SYZ. These 20 comparison targets span 6 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare RUSC with Any Fund or Stock
Compare RUSC with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair RUSC with funds that move differently
U.S. Small Cap Equity Active ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to RUSC.
Explore RUSC Diversifiers