Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF (VABS) belongs to the Mortgage Backed Securities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with VABS. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VABS
VABS charges 0.39% annually. There are 16 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 0.03% | — | Nov 2024 | VABS vs SMBS | |
| Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 0.04% | 17.10B | Nov 2009 | VABS vs VMBS | |
| SPDR Portfolio Mortgage Backed Bond ETF | 0.04% | 7.02B | Jan 2009 | VABS vs SPMB | |
| iShares MBS Bond ETF | 0.06% | 39.57B | Mar 2007 | VABS vs MBB | |
| Simplify MBS ETF | 0.15% | 1.55B | Nov 2023 | VABS vs MTBA |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VABS
VABS has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 70. There are 2 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 95.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF | 95 | 291.09M | Nov 2013 | VABS vs FTSD | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 88 | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | VABS vs LMBS | |
| PIMCO Mortgage-Backed Securities Active Exchange-T... | 48 | — | Jul 1997 | VABS vs PMBS | |
| Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 44 | 6.84B | Sep 2018 | VABS vs JMBS | |
| Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 43 | 17.10B | Nov 2009 | VABS vs VMBS |
Top Performing VABS Alternatives (YTD)
VABS is at 1.70% YTD. There are 2 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 5.41%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regan Fixed Rate MBS ETF | 5.41% | 13.94M | Apr 2025 | VABS vs MBSX | |
| Nuveen Securitized Income ETF | 1.96% | 167.58M | Sep 2025 | VABS vs NSCI | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 1.44% | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | VABS vs LMBS | |
| Academy Veteran Bond ETF | 1.08% | 80.69M | Aug 2023 | VABS vs VETZ | |
| PIMCO Mortgage-Backed Securities Active Exchange-T... | 1.05% | — | Jul 1997 | VABS vs PMBS |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VABS
VABS has 2.01% 1-year volatility. There are 3 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.30%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuveen Securitized Income ETF | 1.30% | 167.58M | Sep 2025 | VABS vs NSCI | |
| Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF | 1.35% | 291.09M | Nov 2013 | VABS vs FTSD | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 1.94% | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | VABS vs LMBS | |
| Eaton Vance Mortgage Opportunities ETF | 2.86% | — | Aug 2025 | VABS vs EVMO | |
| Simplify MBS ETF | 3.10% | 1.55B | Nov 2023 | VABS vs MTBA |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VABS
VABS has a 1-year max drawdown of -0.98%. There is 1 ETF in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with a shallower 1-year drawdown, going as shallow as -0.45%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF | -0.45% | 291.09M | Nov 2013 | VABS vs FTSD | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | -1.43% | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | VABS vs LMBS | |
| FlexShares Disciplined Duration MBS Index Fund | -2.17% | 94.67M | Sep 2014 | VABS vs MBSD | |
| iShares CMBS ETF | -2.44% | 475.16M | Feb 2012 | VABS vs CMBS | |
| WisdomTree Mortgage Plus Bond Fund | -2.53% | 66.17M | Nov 2019 | VABS vs MTGP |
Other ETFs from Virtus Investment Partners
The 10 most viewed Virtus Investment Partners ETFs shown here include PFFA, UTES, PFFR and span 9 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $2B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF | Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds | 44 | 2.26% | 2.42B | May 2018 | VABS vs PFFA | |
| Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF | Utilities Equities | 17 | 5.02% | 1.40B | Sep 2015 | VABS vs UTES | |
| InfraCap REIT Preferred ETF | Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds, REIT | 22 | 1.56% | 118.19M | Feb 2017 | VABS vs PFFR | |
| InfraCap MLP ETF | MLPs | 30 | 22.69% | 437.98M | Oct 2014 | VABS vs AMZA | |
| Virtus Terranova U.S. Quality Momentum ETF | Momentum, Large Cap Blend Equities | 29 | 7.24% | 241.01M | Nov 2020 | VABS vs JOET | |
| Virtus Private Credit ETF | Nontraditional Bonds | 2 | -12.79% | 31.40M | Feb 2019 | VABS vs VPC | |
| Virtus LifeSci Biotech Clinical Trials ETF | Health & Biotech Equities | 95 | 25.75% | 40.93M | Dec 2014 | VABS vs BBC | |
| Virtus LifeSci Biotech Products ETF | Health & Biotech Equities | 85 | 16.04% | 78.84M | Dec 2014 | VABS vs BBP | |
| Virtus Duff & Phelps Clean Energy ETF | Sustainable | 81 | 25.35% | 6.49M | Aug 2021 | VABS vs VCLN | |
| Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | REIT | 70 | 20.17% | 18.24M | Feb 2019 | VABS vs VRAI |
Often Compared With VABS
Investors most often compare VABS with JSCP, TDTF, USTB. These 20 comparison targets span 12 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VABS with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VABS with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VABS with funds that move differently
Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VABS.
Explore VABS Diversifiers