Harbor Active Small Cap ETF (SMLL) 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 SMLL. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to SMLL
SMLL charges 0.80% annually. There are 66 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 | SMLL vs SPSM | |
| Vanguard Small-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 188.20B | Jan 2004 | SMLL vs VB | |
| iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 282.21M | Jun 2004 | SMLL vs ISCB | |
| Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 22.23B | Nov 2009 | SMLL vs SCHA | |
| Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF | 0.06% | 18.60B | Sep 2010 | SMLL vs VTWO |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to SMLL
SMLL has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 15. There are 66 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 | SMLL vs RB | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 94 | 1.37B | May 2007 | SMLL vs FYX | |
| Hartford Multifactor Small Cap ETF | 92 | 61.48M | Mar 2015 | SMLL vs ROSC | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 92 | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | SMLL vs SFLO | |
| Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF | 91 | 3.05B | Jan 2022 | SMLL vs AVSC |
Top Performing SMLL Alternatives (YTD)
SMLL is at 7.95% YTD. There are 66 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 | SMLL vs TNA | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 27.87% | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | SMLL vs SFLO | |
| Inspire Small/Mid Cap Impact ETF | 27.66% | 334.88M | Feb 2017 | SMLL vs ISMD | |
| Allspring SMID Core ETF | 27.10% | 78.82M | Jul 2025 | SMLL vs ASCE | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 25.97% | 1.37B | May 2007 | SMLL vs FYX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to SMLL
SMLL has 17.56% 1-year volatility. There are 41 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 | SMLL vs RB | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | 9.75% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | SMLL vs SMMV | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | 10.67% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | SMLL vs RYLD | |
| First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid E... | 10.73% | 35.21M | Apr 2020 | SMLL vs HSMV | |
| CresAlta Small & Mid-Cap ETF | 11.65% | 88.99M | May 2026 | SMLL vs CVSM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to SMLL
SMLL has a 1-year max drawdown of -15.53%. There are 61 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 | SMLL vs RB | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | -6.29% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | SMLL vs RYLD | |
| Hypatia Women CEO ETF | -6.96% | 5.55M | Jan 2023 | SMLL vs WCEO | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | -7.02% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | SMLL vs SMMV | |
| 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF | -7.16% | 106.31M | May 2020 | SMLL vs SIXS |
Other ETFs from Harbor
The 10 most viewed Harbor ETFs shown here include HGER, HAPI, GDIV and span 10 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $4B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbor Commodity All-Weather Strategy ETF | Commodities | 86 | 29.53% | 3.68B | Feb 2022 | SMLL vs HGER | |
| Harbor Corporate Culture ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 63 | 9.76% | 490.21M | Oct 2022 | SMLL vs HAPI | |
| Harbor Dividend Growth Leaders ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities, Dividend | 78 | 13.44% | 235.29M | Jul 2013 | SMLL vs GDIV | |
| Harbor International Compounders ETF | Foreign Large Cap Equities | 25 | 0.69% | 483.36M | Sep 2022 | SMLL vs OSEA | |
| Harbor Long-Short Equity ETF | Long-Short | 70 | 23.37% | 15.30M | Dec 2023 | SMLL vs LSEQ | |
| Harbor Health Care ETF | Health & Biotech Equities | 42 | 2.78% | 41.21M | Nov 2022 | SMLL vs MEDI | |
| Harbor Scientific Alpha High-Yield ETF | High Yield Bonds | 66 | 2.10% | 148.94M | Sep 2021 | SMLL vs SIHY | |
| Harbor Long-Term Growers ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 21 | 4.13% | 1.13B | Feb 2022 | SMLL vs WINN | |
| Harbor Human Capital Factor US Small Cap ETF | Small Cap Blend Equities | 81 | 18.77% | 170.62M | Apr 2023 | SMLL vs HAPS | |
| Harbor Scientific Alpha Income ETF | Multisector Bonds | 72 | 1.31% | 33.55M | Sep 2021 | SMLL vs SIFI |
Often Compared With SMLL
Investors most often compare SMLL with FDM, CSB, IWC. These 20 comparison targets span 9 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare SMLL with Any Fund or Stock
Compare SMLL with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair SMLL with funds that move differently
Harbor Active Small Cap ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to SMLL.
Explore SMLL Diversifiers