Principal Active High Yield ETF (YLD) belongs to the High Yield Bonds category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with YLD. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to YLD
YLD charges 0.39% annually. There are 42 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab High Yield Bond ETF | 0.03% | 2.68B | Jul 2023 | YLD vs SCYB | |
| SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF | 0.05% | 11.41B | Jun 2012 | YLD vs SPHY | |
| Nuveen High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 0.08% | 1.71B | Sep 2025 | YLD vs NHYB | |
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders USD High Yield Corporate Bon... | 0.15% | 612.42M | Sep 2016 | YLD vs BBHY | |
| Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 0.15% | 3.54B | Dec 2016 | YLD vs HYLB |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to YLD
YLD has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 60. There are 58 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF | 96 | 907.20M | Aug 2018 | YLD vs BSJQ | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon... | 90 | 852.94M | Sep 2019 | YLD vs BSJR | |
| iShares iBonds 1-5 Year High Yield and Income Ladd... | 90 | 22.06M | Nov 2024 | YLD vs LDRH | |
| WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fu... | 89 | 255.19M | Dec 2013 | YLD vs HYZD | |
| iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF | 89 | 499.12M | Jul 2021 | YLD vs IBHG |
Top Performing YLD Alternatives (YTD)
YLD is at 3.24% YTD. There are 9 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 9.26%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Asset Debt Strategy ETF | 9.26% | — | Aug 2025 | YLD vs DADS | |
| Man Active High Yield ETF | 4.98% | 19.82M | Sep 2025 | YLD vs MHY | |
| VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ET... | 4.23% | 522.28M | May 2012 | YLD vs HYEM | |
| ProShares High Yield-Interest Rate Hedged | 3.80% | 179.11M | May 2013 | YLD vs HYHG | |
| iShares Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond ETF | 3.58% | 566.14M | May 2014 | YLD vs HYGH |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to YLD
YLD has 4.41% 1-year volatility. There are 87 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate... | 0.00% | 6.49M | Mar 2015 | YLD vs ESHY | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF | 1.34% | 907.20M | Aug 2018 | YLD vs BSJQ | |
| Pacific Global Senior Loan ETF | 1.47% | 637.48M | Feb 2015 | YLD vs FLRT | |
| State Street My2027 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 1.84% | 4.98M | Feb 2026 | YLD vs MYHA | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon... | 1.96% | 852.94M | Sep 2019 | YLD vs BSJR |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to YLD
YLD has a 1-year max drawdown of -1.98%. There are 22 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.54%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF | -0.54% | 907.20M | Aug 2018 | YLD vs BSJQ | |
| iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF | -0.73% | 499.12M | Jul 2021 | YLD vs IBHG | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon... | -1.16% | 852.94M | Sep 2019 | YLD vs BSJR | |
| iShares iBonds 2028 Term High Yield and Income ETF | -1.22% | 450.96M | Mar 2022 | YLD vs IBHH | |
| iShares iBonds 1-5 Year High Yield and Income Ladd... | -1.23% | 22.06M | Nov 2024 | YLD vs LDRH |
Other ETFs from Principal
The 10 most viewed Principal ETFs shown here include USMC, PREF, PSC and span 8 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $4B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 57 | 9.48% | 3.50B | Oct 2017 | YLD vs USMC | |
| Principal Spectrum Preferred Secs Active ETF | Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds | 67 | 2.11% | 1.70B | Jul 2017 | YLD vs PREF | |
| Principal U.S. Small Cap Multi-Factor ETF | Small Cap Blend Equities, Multi-factor | 58 | 18.92% | 1.30B | Sep 2016 | YLD vs PSC | |
| Principal Quality ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 15 | 1.31% | 53.80M | Mar 2016 | YLD vs PSET | |
| Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF | Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds | 64 | 1.86% | 69.50M | Jun 2020 | YLD vs PQDI | |
| Principal Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 39 | 6.52% | 124.50M | Mar 2016 | YLD vs PY | |
| Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF | Corporate Bonds | — | — | 133.79M | Apr 2018 | YLD vs IG | |
| Principal Real Estate Active Opportunities ETF | REIT | 29 | 13.39% | 26.50M | May 2022 | YLD vs BYRE | |
| Principal Focused Blue Chip ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 10 | -0.43% | 225.00M | Jul 2023 | YLD vs BCHP | |
| Principal Capital Appreciation Select ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 70 | 13.51% | 194.16M | Mar 2025 | YLD vs LCAP |
Often Compared With YLD
Investors most often compare YLD with IHY, PHYL, FXAIX. These 20 comparison targets span 9 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare YLD with Any Fund or Stock
Compare YLD with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair YLD with funds that move differently
Principal Active High Yield ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to YLD.
Explore YLD Diversifiers