Goldman Sachs Dynamic California Municipal Income ETF (GCAL) 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 GCAL. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to GCAL
GCAL charges 0.30% annually. There are 88 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% | 4.00B | Oct 2022 | GCAL vs SCMB | |
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 47.60B | Aug 2015 | GCAL vs VTEB | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 126.55M | Aug 2025 | GCAL vs TAXS | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.72M | Aug 2025 | GCAL vs TAXT | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 163.46M | Aug 2025 | GCAL vs TAXI |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to GCAL
GCAL has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 85. There are 28 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 97.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | GCAL vs MYMG | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | GCAL vs FUMB | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | GCAL vs MYMF | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 97 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | GCAL vs AUSM | |
| iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 96 | 1.41B | Mar 2015 | GCAL vs MEAR |
Top Performing GCAL Alternatives (YTD)
GCAL is at 1.86% YTD. There are 45 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 4.58%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 4.58% | 143.84M | Jun 2013 | GCAL vs RVNU | |
| Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF | 4.03% | 18.13M | Oct 2020 | GCAL vs RTAI | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 4.02% | 20.73M | Sep 2016 | GCAL vs MFLX | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 3.75% | 25.42M | Nov 2025 | GCAL vs THYM | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 3.73% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | GCAL vs OVM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to GCAL
GCAL has 2.41% 1-year volatility. There are 51 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% | 33.31M | Sep 2025 | GCAL vs ZMUN | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.71% | 408.07M | Oct 2007 | GCAL vs CALI | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.71% | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | GCAL vs MYMF | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.73% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | GCAL vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.79% | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | GCAL vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to GCAL
GCAL has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.24%. There are 39 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% | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | GCAL vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 283.20M | Sep 2019 | GCAL vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | GCAL vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | GCAL vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 581.67M | Apr 2019 | GCAL vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from Goldman Sachs
The 10 most viewed Goldman Sachs ETFs shown here include GPIQ, GPIX, AAAU and span 13 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $15B.
Often Compared With GCAL
Investors most often compare GCAL with QPUX, MKTN, TSCM. These 20 comparison targets span 14 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare GCAL with Any Fund or Stock
Compare GCAL with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair GCAL with funds that move differently
Goldman Sachs Dynamic California Municipal Income ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to GCAL.
Explore GCAL Diversifiers