Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (VGK) belongs to the Europe Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with VGK. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VGK
VGK charges 0.06% annually. No ETFs in the Europe Equities category have lower expense ratios; the lowest-cost alternatives shown here go as low as 0.07%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPDR Portfolio Europe ETF | 0.07% | 728.27M | Oct 2002 | VGK vs SPEU | |
| iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF | 0.09% | 8.95B | Jun 2014 | VGK vs IEUR | |
| Franklin FTSE United Kingdom ETF | 0.09% | 895.04M | Nov 2017 | VGK vs FLGB | |
| Franklin FTSE Eurozone ETF | 0.09% | 71.74M | Nov 2017 | VGK vs FLEU | |
| Franklin FTSE Switzerland ETF | 0.09% | 82.69M | Feb 2018 | VGK vs FLSW |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VGK
VGK has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 62. There are 21 ETFs in the Europe Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 92.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF | 92 | 100.00K | Apr 2016 | VGK vs RFEU | |
| First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index F... | 91 | 887.35M | Aug 2007 | VGK vs FDD | |
| iShares MSCI Austria ETF | 89 | 178.07M | Mar 1996 | VGK vs EWO | |
| iShares MSCI Spain ETF | 88 | 2.12B | Mar 1996 | VGK vs EWP | |
| WisdomTree European Opportunities Fund | 87 | 282.42M | Mar 2015 | VGK vs OPPE |
Top Performing VGK Alternatives (YTD)
VGK is at 10.34% YTD. There are 21 ETFs in the Europe Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 26.80%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares MSCI Norway ETF | 26.80% | 95.75M | Jan 2012 | VGK vs ENOR | |
| Global X MSCI Norway ETF | 25.23% | 87.72M | Nov 2010 | VGK vs NORW | |
| iShares MSCI Poland ETF | 22.62% | 730.89M | May 2010 | VGK vs EPOL | |
| iShares MSCI Austria ETF | 22.21% | 178.07M | Mar 1996 | VGK vs EWO | |
| Portfolio Building Block European Banks Index ETF | 21.81% | 438.81M | Nov 2025 | VGK vs PBEU |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VGK
VGK has 15.90% 1-year volatility. There are 19 ETFs in the Europe Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 7.08%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF | 7.08% | 100.00K | Apr 2016 | VGK vs RFEU | |
| Xtrackers MSCI Europe Hedged Equity Fund | 13.24% | 772.43M | Oct 2013 | VGK vs DBEU | |
| ProShares MSCI Europe Dividend Growers ETF | 14.08% | 8.35M | Sep 2015 | VGK vs EUDV | |
| WisdomTree European Opportunities Fund | 14.34% | 282.42M | Mar 2015 | VGK vs OPPE | |
| First Trust Switzerland AlphaDEX Fund | 14.58% | 36.64M | Feb 2012 | VGK vs FSZ |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VGK
VGK has a 1-year max drawdown of -12.09%. There are 17 ETFs in the Europe Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -4.83%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF | -4.83% | 100.00K | Apr 2016 | VGK vs RFEU | |
| WisdomTree European Opportunities Fund | -8.83% | 282.42M | Mar 2015 | VGK vs OPPE | |
| First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index F... | -9.39% | 887.35M | Aug 2007 | VGK vs FDD | |
| Xtrackers MSCI Europe Hedged Equity Fund | -9.81% | 772.43M | Oct 2013 | VGK vs DBEU | |
| iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF | -9.92% | 4.14B | Mar 1996 | VGK vs EWU |
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 | 68 | 10.16% | 1.70T | Sep 2010 | VGK vs VOO | |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 67 | 10.49% | 2.30T | May 2001 | VGK vs VTI | |
| Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Technology Equities | 52 | 20.36% | 169.20B | Mar 2004 | VGK vs VGT | |
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | Global Equities | 71 | 12.75% | 651.00B | Jan 2011 | VGK vs VXUS | |
| Vanguard Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 28 | 5.02% | 378.80B | Jan 2004 | VGK vs VUG | |
| Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Global Equities | 70 | 11.15% | 97.00B | Jun 2008 | VGK vs VT | |
| Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | Dividend | 90 | 14.21% | 96.20B | Nov 2006 | VGK vs VYM | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | Total Bond Market | 29 | -0.54% | 398.10B | Apr 2007 | VGK vs BND | |
| Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | Dividend | 75 | 9.71% | 129.60B | Apr 2006 | VGK vs VIG | |
| Vanguard Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 93 | 16.37% | 254.20B | Jan 2004 | VGK vs VTV |
Often Compared With VGK
Investors most often compare VGK with VEA, VEU, FEZ. These 20 comparison targets span 8 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VGK with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VGK with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VGK with funds that move differently
Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VGK.
Explore VGK Diversifiers