iShares U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF (SMLF) 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 SMLF. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to SMLF
SMLF charges 0.15% annually. There are 10 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% | 16.85B | Jul 2013 | SMLF vs SPSM | |
| iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 282.90M | Jun 2004 | SMLF vs ISCB | |
| Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 23.26B | Nov 2009 | SMLF vs SCHA | |
| Vanguard Small-Cap ETF | 0.05% | 182.70B | Jan 2004 | SMLF vs VB | |
| iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | 0.06% | 109.39B | May 2000 | SMLF vs IJR |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to SMLF
SMLF has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 63. There are 38 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 | SMLF vs RB | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 90 | 1.36B | May 2007 | SMLF vs FYX | |
| Fidelity Enhanced Small Cap Core ETF | 88 | 5.78B | Dec 2007 | SMLF vs FESM | |
| Hartford Multifactor Small Cap ETF | 87 | 61.26M | Mar 2015 | SMLF vs ROSC | |
| Invesco NASDAQ Future Gen 200 ETF | 85 | 21.99M | Oct 2022 | SMLF vs QQQS |
Top Performing SMLF Alternatives (YTD)
SMLF is at 16.36% YTD. There are 43 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 53.33%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares | 53.33% | 1.43B | Nov 2008 | SMLF vs TNA | |
| Invesco NASDAQ Future Gen 200 ETF | 28.18% | 21.99M | Oct 2022 | SMLF vs QQQS | |
| Inspire Small/Mid Cap Impact ETF | 27.99% | 329.18M | Feb 2017 | SMLF vs ISMD | |
| Allspring SMID Core ETF | 25.79% | 78.82M | Jul 2025 | SMLF vs ASCE | |
| JPMorgan Fundamental Data Science Small Core ETF | 25.57% | 9.08M | Aug 2024 | SMLF vs SCDS |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to SMLF
SMLF has 17.65% 1-year volatility. There are 38 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 6.58%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 6.58% | — | Jun 2025 | SMLF vs RB | |
| First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid E... | 10.56% | 34.63M | Apr 2020 | SMLF vs HSMV | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | 10.68% | 1.36B | Apr 2019 | SMLF vs RYLD | |
| CresAlta Small & Mid-Cap ETF | 11.19% | 88.99M | May 2026 | SMLF vs CVSM | |
| OShares U.S. Small-Cap Quality Dividend ETF | 13.08% | 873.92M | Dec 2016 | SMLF vs OUSM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to SMLF
SMLF has a 1-year max drawdown of -8.71%. There are 20 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 | SMLF vs RB | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | -6.29% | 1.36B | Apr 2019 | SMLF vs RYLD | |
| Hypatia Women CEO ETF | -6.96% | 5.55M | Jan 2023 | SMLF vs WCEO | |
| 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF | -7.16% | 106.31M | May 2020 | SMLF vs SIXS | |
| VictoryShares US Small Cap High Dividend Volatilit... | -7.18% | 264.62M | Jul 2015 | SMLF vs CSB |
Other ETFs from iShares
The 10 most viewed iShares ETFs shown here include SGOV, IBIT, SOXX and span 14 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $894B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | Ultrashort Bond | 100 | 1.92% | 97.69B | May 2020 | SMLF vs SGOV | |
| iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | Cryptocurrency | 1 | -29.06% | 46.82B | Jan 2024 | SMLF vs IBIT | |
| iShares Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 93 | 84.03% | 47.60B | Jul 2001 | SMLF vs SOXX | |
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 66 | 10.46% | 894.38B | May 2000 | SMLF vs IVV | |
| iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond | 13 | -1.48% | 42.18B | Jul 2002 | SMLF vs TLT | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend | 86 | 12.23% | 42.05B | Jun 2014 | SMLF vs DGRO | |
| iShares Silver Trust | Silver, Precious Metals | 27 | -19.03% | 28.37B | Apr 2006 | SMLF vs SLV | |
| iShares Gold Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 22 | -7.29% | 60.94B | Jan 2005 | SMLF vs IAU | |
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | Small Cap Blend Equities | 69 | 19.72% | 83.34B | May 2000 | SMLF vs IWM | |
| iShares MSCI ACWI ETF | Global Equities | 63 | 10.93% | 33.36B | Mar 2008 | SMLF vs ACWI |
Often Compared With SMLF
Investors most often compare SMLF with FSMD, SMLV, SMMV. These 20 comparison targets span 12 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare SMLF with Any Fund or Stock
Compare SMLF with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair SMLF with funds that move differently
iShares U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to SMLF.
Explore SMLF Diversifiers