Vanguard Small-Cap ETF (VB) belongs to the Small Cap Blend Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with VB. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VB
VB charges 0.03% annually. No ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category have lower expense ratios; the lowest-cost alternatives shown here go as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF | 0.03% | 17.00B | Jul 2013 | VB vs SPSM | |
| Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 22.23B | Nov 2009 | VB vs SCHA | |
| iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 282.21M | Jun 2004 | VB vs ISCB | |
| Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF | 0.06% | 18.60B | Sep 2010 | VB vs VTWO | |
| iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | 0.06% | 109.63B | May 2000 | VB vs IJR |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VB
VB has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 77. There are 44 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 96 | — | Jun 2025 | VB vs RB | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 95 | 1.37B | May 2007 | VB vs FYX | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 94 | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | VB vs SFLO | |
| Hartford Multifactor Small Cap ETF | 94 | 61.48M | Mar 2015 | VB vs ROSC | |
| Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF | 94 | 3.05B | Jan 2022 | VB vs AVSC |
Top Performing VB Alternatives (YTD)
VB is at 16.95% YTD. There are 53 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 56.19%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares | 56.19% | 1.35B | Nov 2008 | VB vs TNA | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 30.25% | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | VB vs SFLO | |
| Inspire Small/Mid Cap Impact ETF | 30.08% | 334.88M | Feb 2017 | VB vs ISMD | |
| Allspring SMID Core ETF | 29.71% | 78.82M | Jul 2025 | VB vs ASCE | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 28.12% | 1.37B | May 2007 | VB vs FYX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VB
VB has 16.44% 1-year volatility. There are 26 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 6.56%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 6.56% | — | Jun 2025 | VB vs RB | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | 9.73% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | VB vs SMMV | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | 10.58% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | VB vs RYLD | |
| First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid E... | 10.73% | 35.21M | Apr 2020 | VB vs HSMV | |
| CresAlta Small & Mid-Cap ETF | 11.58% | 88.99M | May 2026 | VB vs CVSM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VB
VB has a 1-year max drawdown of -8.98%. There are 26 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.09%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | -2.09% | — | Jun 2025 | VB vs RB | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | -6.29% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | VB vs RYLD | |
| Hypatia Women CEO ETF | -6.96% | 5.55M | Jan 2023 | VB vs WCEO | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | -7.02% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | VB vs SMMV | |
| 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF | -7.16% | 106.31M | May 2020 | VB vs SIXS |
Other ETFs from Vanguard
The 10 most viewed Vanguard ETFs shown here include VOO, VTI, VGT and span 8 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $2T.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 78 | 11.72% | 1.70T | Sep 2010 | VB vs VOO | |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 78 | 12.18% | 2.30T | May 2001 | VB vs VTI | |
| Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Technology Equities | 60 | 22.47% | 169.20B | Mar 2004 | VB vs VGT | |
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | Global Equities | 72 | 13.32% | 651.00B | Jan 2011 | VB vs VXUS | |
| Vanguard Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 37 | 7.33% | 378.80B | Jan 2004 | VB vs VUG | |
| Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Global Equities | 77 | 12.40% | 97.00B | Jun 2008 | VB vs VT | |
| Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | Dividend | 92 | 14.80% | 96.20B | Nov 2006 | VB vs VYM | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | Total Bond Market | 24 | -0.30% | 398.10B | Apr 2007 | VB vs BND | |
| Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | Dividend | 79 | 10.16% | 129.60B | Apr 2006 | VB vs VIG | |
| Vanguard Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 94 | 16.93% | 254.20B | Jan 2004 | VB vs VTV |
Often Compared With VB
Investors most often compare VB with VBR, VBK, FSSNX. These 20 comparison targets span 8 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VB with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VB with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VB with funds that move differently
Vanguard Small-Cap ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VB.
Explore VB Diversifiers