Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU) Alternatives

Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU) belongs to the Utilities Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with VPU. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or funds that fit a different role in your portfolio.

Cheapest Alternatives to VPU

VPU charges 0.10% annually. Among ETFs in the Utilities Equities category, these options have the lowest expense ratios among VPU alternatives.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	Inception
FUTY	Fidelity MSCI Utilities Index ETF	0.08%	Oct 21, 2013	VPU vs FUTY
XLU	Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund	0.13%	Dec 16, 1998	VPU vs XLU
PSCU	Invesco S&P SmallCap Utilities & Communication Ser...	0.29%	Apr 7, 2010	VPU vs PSCU
XLUI	State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR Premium ...	0.35%	Jul 29, 2025	VPU vs XLUI
POWR	iShares U.S. Power Infrastructure ETF	0.40%	Jan 31, 2012	VPU vs POWR

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VPU

Among ETFs in the Utilities Equities category, these options rank highest on PortfoliosLab's risk-adjusted score, which accounts for volatility, drawdown, and return consistency over a 1-year period.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	Inception
GII	SPDR S&P Global Infrastructure ETF	91	Jan 25, 2007	VPU vs GII
JXI	iShares Global Utilities ETF	91	Sep 21, 2006	VPU vs JXI
ZAP	Global X U.S. Electrification ETF	90	Dec 17, 2024	VPU vs ZAP
ECLN	First Trust EIP Carbon Impact ETF	87	Aug 19, 2019	VPU vs ECLN
PAVE	Global X US Infrastructure Development ETF	85	Mar 6, 2017	VPU vs PAVE

Top Performing VPU Alternatives (YTD)

VPU alternatives from the Utilities Equities category, sorted by year-to-date return.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	Inception
ECLN	First Trust EIP Carbon Impact ETF	13.79%	Aug 19, 2019	VPU vs ECLN
ELFY	ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF	13.34%	Apr 9, 2025	VPU vs ELFY
POWR	iShares U.S. Power Infrastructure ETF	12.26%	Jan 31, 2012	VPU vs POWR
BILT	iShares Infrastructure Active ETF	11.93%	Jul 29, 2025	VPU vs BILT
ZAP	Global X U.S. Electrification ETF	11.63%	Dec 17, 2024	VPU vs ZAP

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VPU

VPU alternatives from the Utilities Equities category, sorted by annualized volatility over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	Inception
BILT	iShares Infrastructure Active ETF	9.35%	Jul 29, 2025	VPU vs BILT
XLUI	State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR Premium ...	10.42%	Jul 29, 2025	VPU vs XLUI
NFRA	FlexShares STOXX Global Broad Infrastructure Index...	12.55%	Oct 8, 2013	VPU vs NFRA
ECLN	First Trust EIP Carbon Impact ETF	12.76%	Aug 19, 2019	VPU vs ECLN
GII	SPDR S&P Global Infrastructure ETF	13.21%	Jan 25, 2007	VPU vs GII

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VPU

VPU alternatives from the Utilities Equities category, sorted by maximum drawdown over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	Inception
NFRA	FlexShares STOXX Global Broad Infrastructure Index...	-7.84%	Oct 8, 2013	VPU vs NFRA
JXI	iShares Global Utilities ETF	-8.17%	Sep 21, 2006	VPU vs JXI
RSPU	Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Utilities ETF	-8.35%	Nov 1, 2006	VPU vs RSPU
ECLN	First Trust EIP Carbon Impact ETF	-8.45%	Aug 19, 2019	VPU vs ECLN
IDU	iShares U.S. Utilities ETF	-8.45%	Jun 20, 2000	VPU vs IDU

Other ETFs from Vanguard

Most popular Vanguard ETFs on PortfoliosLab, across asset classes.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	Inception
VOO	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	60	-3.66%	Sep 7, 2010	VPU vs VOO
VTI	Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	59	-3.29%	Jun 27, 2016	VPU vs VTI
VGT	Vanguard Information Technology ETF	Technology Equities	62	-6.16%	Mar 25, 2004	VPU vs VGT
VXUS	Vanguard Total International Stock ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities	85	3.51%	Jan 26, 2011	VPU vs VXUS
VUG	Vanguard Growth ETF	Large Cap Growth Equities	44	-9.39%	Nov 13, 2000	VPU vs VUG
VT	Vanguard Total World Stock ETF	Global Equities	74	-0.74%	Jun 24, 2008	VPU vs VT
VYM	Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF	Dividend	65	3.69%	Feb 7, 2019	VPU vs VYM
BND	Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF	Total Bond Market	50	0.09%	Apr 3, 2007	VPU vs BND
VIG	Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF	Dividend	47	-1.48%	Dec 19, 2013	VPU vs VIG
VTV	Vanguard Value ETF	Large Cap Value Equities	60	3.54%	Jan 26, 2004	VPU vs VTV

Often Compared With VPU

What investors most often compare with VPU, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	Inception
SPY	State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	59	-3.65%	Jan 22, 1993	VPU vs SPY
VUIAX	Vanguard Utilities Index Fund Admiral Shares	Utilities Equities	66	7.79%	Apr 28, 2004	VPU vs VUIAX
UTG	Reaves Utility Income Trust		80	9.79%	—	VPU vs UTG
SCHD	Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	Dividend	43	12.17%	Oct 20, 2011	VPU vs SCHD
UTES	Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF	Utilities Equities, Actively Managed	58	2.56%	Sep 23, 2015	VPU vs UTES
VNQ	Vanguard Real Estate ETF	REIT	15	1.67%	Sep 23, 2004	VPU vs VNQ
FSUTX	Fidelity Select Utilities Portfolio	Utilities Equities	72	7.24%	Dec 9, 1981	VPU vs FSUTX
XLP	State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR E...	Consumer Staples Equities	15	5.46%	Dec 16, 1998	VPU vs XLP
IGF	iShares Global Infrastructure ETF	Industrials Equities	92	9.55%	Dec 10, 2007	VPU vs IGF
FXU	First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund	Utilities Equities	81	11.27%	May 8, 2007	VPU vs FXU
XUT.TO	iShares S&P/TSX Capped Utilities Index ETF	Utilities Equities	88	11.66%	Apr 12, 2011	VPU vs XUT.TO
2B7A.DE	iShares S&P 500 Utilities Sector UCITS ETF USD Acc	Utilities Equities, S&P 500	31	9.21%	Mar 20, 2017	VPU vs 2B7A.DE
XLV	State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF	Health & Biotech Equities	18	-4.18%	Dec 16, 1998	VPU vs XLV
EINC	VanEck Energy Income ETF	Energy Equities	56	20.92%	Mar 13, 2012	VPU vs EINC
IUUS.L	iShares S&P 500 Utilities Sector UCITS ETF USD (Ac...	S&P 500	58	7.38%	Mar 20, 2017	VPU vs IUUS.L
UPW	ProShares Ultra Utilities	Leveraged Equities, Leveraged	52	15.87%	Jan 30, 2007	VPU vs UPW
SPYU.DE	SPDR MSCI Europe Utilities UCITS ETF	Utilities Equities	94	16.09%	Dec 5, 2014	VPU vs SPYU.DE
PUI	Invesco DWA Utilities Momentum ETF	Utilities Equities	53	9.10%	Oct 26, 2005	VPU vs PUI
FUTBX	Fidelity SAI U.S. Treasury Bond Index Fund	Government Bonds	32	-0.12%	Mar 1, 2016	VPU vs FUTBX
GABUX	Gabelli Utilities Fund	Utilities Equities	71	8.26%	Aug 30, 1999	VPU vs GABUX

Compare VPU with Any Fund or Stock

Compare VPU with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.

Symbol name

Vanguard Utilities ETF

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