Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF (VGUS) belongs to the Ultrashort Bond category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with VGUS. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VGUS
VGUS charges 0.07% annually. There are 4 ETFs in the Ultrashort Bond category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US T... | 0.03% | 1.91B | Sep 2022 | VGUS vs XHLF | |
| BondBloxx Bloomberg One Year Target Duration US Tr... | 0.03% | 758.60M | Sep 2022 | VGUS vs XONE | |
| State Street SPDR Portfolio Ultra Short T-Bill ETF | 0.05% | 13.77M | Oct 2025 | VGUS vs SPTU | |
| Xtrackers US 0-1 Year Treasury ETF | 0.06% | — | Oct 2024 | VGUS vs TRSY | |
| Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF | 0.07% | 8.40B | Feb 2025 | VGUS vs VBIL |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VGUS
VGUS has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 100. There are 18 ETFs in the Ultrashort Bond category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 100.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 100 | 97.69B | May 2020 | VGUS vs SGOV | |
| SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 100 | 46.75B | May 2007 | VGUS vs BIL | |
| Invesco Short Term Treasury ETF | 100 | 2.59B | Jan 2017 | VGUS vs TBLL | |
| Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF | 100 | 8.40B | Feb 2025 | VGUS vs VBIL | |
| PIMCO Ultra Short Government Active Exchange-Trade... | 100 | 1.03B | Jun 2023 | VGUS vs BILZ |
Top Performing VGUS Alternatives (YTD)
VGUS is at 1.81% YTD. There are 45 ETFs in the Ultrashort Bond category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 2.99%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Century Multisector Floating Income ETF | 2.99% | 22.67M | Mar 2023 | VGUS vs FUSI | |
| CrossingBridge Ultra-Short Duration ETF | 2.92% | 14.84M | Sep 2021 | VGUS vs CUSD | |
| NEOS Enhanced Income 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 2.66% | 1.45B | Aug 2022 | VGUS vs CSHI | |
| VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF | 2.54% | 2.89B | Apr 2011 | VGUS vs FLTR | |
| Simplify Treasury Option Income ETF | 2.36% | 474.96M | Oct 2022 | VGUS vs BUCK |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VGUS
VGUS has 0.33% 1-year volatility. There are 17 ETFs in the Ultrashort Bond category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.19%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 0.19% | 97.69B | May 2020 | VGUS vs SGOV | |
| SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 0.20% | 46.75B | May 2007 | VGUS vs BIL | |
| Invesco Short Term Treasury ETF | 0.20% | 2.59B | Jan 2017 | VGUS vs TBLL | |
| Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF | 0.21% | 8.40B | Feb 2025 | VGUS vs VBIL | |
| PIMCO Ultra Short Government Active Exchange-Trade... | 0.21% | 1.03B | Jun 2023 | VGUS vs BILZ |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VGUS
VGUS has a 1-year max drawdown of -0.07%. There are 17 ETFs in the Ultrashort Bond category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.01%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF | -0.01% | 8.40B | Feb 2025 | VGUS vs VBIL | |
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | -0.01% | 97.69B | May 2020 | VGUS vs SGOV | |
| SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | -0.01% | 46.75B | May 2007 | VGUS vs BIL | |
| iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF | -0.02% | 6.55B | Feb 2014 | VGUS vs TFLO | |
| WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund | -0.02% | 17.91B | Feb 2014 | VGUS vs USFR |
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 | 66 | 10.45% | 1.70T | Sep 2010 | VGUS vs VOO | |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 66 | 10.96% | 2.30T | May 2001 | VGUS vs VTI | |
| Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Technology Equities | 57 | 22.94% | 170.10B | Mar 2004 | VGUS vs VGT | |
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | Global Equities | 56 | 11.67% | 652.30B | Jan 2011 | VGUS vs VXUS | |
| Vanguard Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 32 | 6.19% | 393.80B | Jan 2004 | VGUS vs VUG | |
| Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Global Equities | 63 | 11.12% | 95.30B | Jun 2008 | VGUS vs VT | |
| Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | Dividend | 83 | 13.44% | 96.10B | Nov 2006 | VGUS vs VYM | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | Total Bond Market | 32 | -0.17% | 394.40B | Apr 2007 | VGUS vs BND | |
| Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | Dividend | 66 | 9.40% | 127.80B | Apr 2006 | VGUS vs VIG | |
| Vanguard Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 90 | 16.06% | 245.00B | Jan 2004 | VGUS vs VTV |
Often Compared With VGUS
Investors most often compare VGUS with VGSH, VUSB, VTIP. These 20 comparison targets span 8 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VGUS with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VGUS with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VGUS with funds that move differently
Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VGUS.
Explore VGUS Diversifiers