Xtrackers California Municipal Bond ETF (CA) belongs to the Municipal Bonds category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with CA. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to CA
CA charges 0.20% annually. There are 49 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 3.91B | Oct 2022 | CA vs SCMB | |
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 48.80B | Aug 2015 | CA vs VTEB | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 59.97M | Aug 2025 | CA vs TAXT | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 163.75M | Aug 2025 | CA vs TAXI | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 128.05M | Aug 2025 | CA vs TAXS |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to CA
CA has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 88. There are 22 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 98.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 98 | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | CA vs MYMG | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | CA vs MYMF | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 97 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | CA vs AUSM | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 97 | 50.32M | Jul 2024 | CA vs GUMI | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 246.36M | Nov 2018 | CA vs FUMB |
Top Performing CA Alternatives (YTD)
CA is at 1.20% YTD. There are 35 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 3.81%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-Square Municipal Income Tax Free ETF | 3.81% | 4.54M | May 2023 | CA vs ZTAX | |
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 3.30% | 141.61M | Jun 2013 | CA vs RVNU | |
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | 2.67% | 28.01M | Dec 2025 | CA vs MMMA | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 2.64% | 21.22M | Sep 2016 | CA vs MFLX | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 2.48% | 26.34M | Nov 2025 | CA vs THYM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to CA
CA has 2.38% 1-year volatility. There are 48 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.54%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF | 0.54% | 34.79M | Sep 2025 | CA vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.69% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | CA vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.72% | 427.40M | Oct 2007 | CA vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.76% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | CA vs AUSM | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.83% | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | CA vs MYMG |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to CA
CA has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.57%. There are 54 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.22%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | -0.22% | 246.36M | Nov 2018 | CA vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 270.65M | Sep 2019 | CA vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 50.32M | Jul 2024 | CA vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | CA vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 580.89M | Apr 2019 | CA vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from Xtrackers
The 10 most viewed Xtrackers ETFs shown here include CHPS, XAIX, DBJP and span 13 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $3B.
Often Compared With CA
Investors most often compare CA with BSSX, FSMB, SUB. These 20 comparison targets span 4 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare CA with Any Fund or Stock
Compare CA with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair CA with funds that move differently
Xtrackers California Municipal Bond ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to CA.
Explore CA Diversifiers