Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (VGS.AX) belongs to the Global Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with VGS.AX. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VGS.AX
VGS.AX charges 0.18% annually. No ETFs in the Global Equities category have lower expense ratios; the lowest-cost alternatives shown here go as low as 0.25%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schroder Global Core Fund - Active ETF | 0.25% | — | Jun 2025 | VGS.AX vs CORE.AX | |
| Global X EURO STOXX 50 ETF | 0.35% | — | Jul 2016 | VGS.AX vs ESTX.AX | |
| Betashares FTSE 100 ETF | 0.45% | — | Jul 2019 | VGS.AX vs F100.AX | |
| VanEck MSCI International Sustainable Equity ETF | 0.55% | — | Mar 2018 | VGS.AX vs ESGI.AX | |
| Betashares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF | 0.59% | — | Jan 2017 | VGS.AX vs ETHI.AX |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VGS.AX
VGS.AX has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 42. There are 26 ETFs in the Global Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 95.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global X Semiconductor ETF | 95 | — | Aug 2021 | VGS.AX vs SEMI.AX | |
| iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (AU) | 87 | — | May 2000 | VGS.AX vs IKO.AX | |
| Betashares Japan Currency Hedged ETF | 84 | — | May 2016 | VGS.AX vs HJPN.AX | |
| iShares Asia 50 ETF (AU) | 83 | — | Nov 2007 | VGS.AX vs IAA.AX | |
| iShares Global 100 AUD Hedged ETF | 73 | — | Dec 2014 | VGS.AX vs IHOO.AX |
Top Performing VGS.AX Alternatives (YTD)
VGS.AX is at 5.31% YTD. There are 36 ETFs in the Global Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 73.20%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global X Semiconductor ETF | 73.20% | — | Aug 2021 | VGS.AX vs SEMI.AX | |
| iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (AU) | 64.31% | — | May 2000 | VGS.AX vs IKO.AX | |
| Betashares Crude Oil Index Currency Hedged Complex... | 63.70% | — | Nov 2011 | VGS.AX vs OOO.AX | |
| Global X Hydrogen ETF | 43.83% | — | Oct 2021 | VGS.AX vs HGEN.AX | |
| iShares Asia 50 ETF (AU) | 35.14% | — | Nov 2007 | VGS.AX vs IAA.AX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VGS.AX
VGS.AX has 9.77% 1-year volatility. There are 6 ETFs in the Global Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 5.05%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Government Inflation ETF | 5.05% | — | Mar 2012 | VGS.AX vs ILB.AX | |
| Vanguard Diversified Conservative Index ETF | 5.30% | — | Nov 2017 | VGS.AX vs VDCO.AX | |
| iShares MSCI World ex Australia Minimum Volatility... | 7.90% | — | Oct 2016 | VGS.AX vs WVOL.AX | |
| SPDR ETFs Australia - State Street SPDR MSCI World... | 8.57% | — | Sep 2015 | VGS.AX vs QMIX.AX | |
| Betashares Managed Risk Global Shares Complex ETF | 8.86% | — | — | VGS.AX vs WRLD.AX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VGS.AX
VGS.AX has a 1-year max drawdown of -10.72%. There are 30 ETFs in the Global Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -3.89%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Diversified Conservative Index ETF | -3.89% | — | Nov 2017 | VGS.AX vs VDCO.AX | |
| iShares Government Inflation ETF | -4.40% | — | Mar 2012 | VGS.AX vs ILB.AX | |
| VanEck FTSE Global Infrastructure (AUD Hedged) ETF | -5.54% | — | Apr 2016 | VGS.AX vs IFRA.AX | |
| iShares MSCI World ex Australia Minimum Volatility... | -5.56% | — | Oct 2016 | VGS.AX vs WVOL.AX | |
| iShares Core FTSE Global Infrastructure (AUD Hedge... | -5.76% | — | May 2023 | VGS.AX vs GLIN.AX |
Other ETFs from Vanguard
The 10 most viewed Vanguard ETFs shown here include VDHG.AX, VHY.AX, VAS.AX and span 8 categories.
Compare VGS.AX with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VGS.AX with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VGS.AX with funds that move differently
Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VGS.AX.
Explore VGS.AX Diversifiers