SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) belongs to the Health & Biotech Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with XBI. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to XBI
XBI charges 0.35% annually. There are 6 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.08%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.08% | 38.47B | Dec 1998 | XBI vs XLV | |
| Fidelity MSCI Health Care Index ETF | 0.08% | 2.99B | Oct 2013 | XBI vs FHLC | |
| Vanguard Health Care ETF | 0.09% | 19.00B | Jan 2004 | XBI vs VHT | |
| Portfolio Building Block World Pharma and Biotech ... | 0.13% | 9.98M | Nov 2025 | XBI vs PBPH | |
| GSK plc ADRhedged ETF | 0.19% | 793.18K | Jan 2025 | XBI vs GSKH |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to XBI
XBI has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 94. There are 2 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtus LifeSci Biotech Clinical Trials ETF | 96 | 40.93M | Dec 2014 | XBI vs BBC | |
| ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF | 94 | 160.12M | Dec 2014 | XBI vs SBIO | |
| iShares Neuroscience and Healthcare ETF | 91 | 5.39M | Aug 2022 | XBI vs IBRN | |
| iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF | 91 | 956.44M | May 2006 | XBI vs IHE | |
| First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF | 91 | 33.60M | Sep 2016 | XBI vs FTXH |
Top Performing XBI Alternatives (YTD)
XBI is at 24.45% YTD. There are 4 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 38.45%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARK Genomic Revolution Multi-Sector ETF | 38.45% | 1.31B | Oct 2014 | XBI vs ARKG | |
| AdvisorShares Psychedelics ETF | 32.03% | 33.07M | Sep 2021 | XBI vs PSIL | |
| Roundhill UNH WeeklyPay ETF | 29.71% | 4.79M | Dec 2025 | XBI vs UNHW | |
| Virtus LifeSci Biotech Clinical Trials ETF | 28.73% | 40.93M | Dec 2014 | XBI vs BBC | |
| iShares Genomics Immunology and Healthcare ETF Gen... | 23.81% | 167.67M | Jun 2019 | XBI vs IDNA |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to XBI
XBI has 26.48% 1-year volatility. There are 54 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF | 0.00% | 12.73M | Oct 2015 | XBI vs CNCR | |
| Amplify Treatments, Testing and Advancements ETF | 0.00% | 9.68M | Jun 2020 | XBI vs GERM | |
| Horizon Kinetics SPAC Active ETF | 8.61% | 10.10M | Jun 2007 | XBI vs SPAQ | |
| State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR Premiu... | 11.05% | 14.95M | Jul 2025 | XBI vs XLVI | |
| Global X Aging Population ETF | 13.69% | 80.19M | May 2016 | XBI vs AGNG |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to XBI
XBI has a 1-year max drawdown of -9.72%. There are 11 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amplify Treatments, Testing and Advancements ETF | 0.00% | 9.68M | Jun 2020 | XBI vs GERM | |
| Horizon Kinetics SPAC Active ETF | -4.60% | 10.10M | Jun 2007 | XBI vs SPAQ | |
| First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF | -7.47% | 33.60M | Sep 2016 | XBI vs FTXH | |
| Invesco Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF | -8.34% | 68.94M | Jun 2021 | XBI vs IBBQ | |
| iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF | -8.47% | 956.44M | May 2006 | XBI vs IHE |
Other ETFs from State Street
The 10 most viewed State Street ETFs shown here include SPY, GLD, XLK and span 10 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $765B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 63 | 8.25% | 765.27B | Jan 1993 | XBI vs SPY | |
| SPDR Gold Shares | Gold, Precious Metals | 22 | -6.77% | 138.96B | Nov 2004 | XBI vs GLD | |
| State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | Technology Equities | 69 | 28.51% | 130.33B | Dec 1998 | XBI vs XLK | |
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF | S&P 500, Large Cap Growth Equities | 45 | 8.55% | 52.13B | Sep 2000 | XBI vs SPYG | |
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ... | S&P 500, Dividend | 61 | 13.71% | 7.30B | Oct 2015 | XBI vs SPYD | |
| State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | Energy Equities | 49 | 22.65% | 36.84B | Dec 1998 | XBI vs XLE | |
| SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 22 | -6.69% | 28.75B | Jun 2018 | XBI vs GLDM | |
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 63 | 8.16% | 148.87B | Nov 2005 | XBI vs SPYM | |
| State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | Utilities Equities | 35 | 8.84% | 22.62B | Dec 1998 | XBI vs XLU | |
| SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | Government Bonds, Ultrashort Bond | 100 | 1.70% | 46.54B | May 2007 | XBI vs BIL |
Often Compared With XBI
Investors most often compare XBI with IBB, LABU, BBH. These 20 comparison targets span 6 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare XBI with Any Fund or Stock
Compare XBI with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair XBI with funds that move differently
SPDR S&P Biotech ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to XBI.
Explore XBI Diversifiers