Vanguard Short Duration Bond ETF Shares (VSDB) belongs to the Short-Term Bond category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with VSDB. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VSDB
VSDB charges 0.15% annually. There are 14 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 33.80B | Nov 2009 | VSDB vs VGSH | |
| Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.03% | 69.90B | Apr 2007 | VSDB vs BSV | |
| SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 6.12B | Nov 2011 | VSDB vs SPTS | |
| Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 0.03% | 12.86B | Aug 2010 | VSDB vs SCHO | |
| Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF | 0.03% | 848.73M | Oct 2019 | VSDB vs SCHJ |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VSDB
VSDB has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 89. There are 27 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 99.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | 99 | 47.61M | Sep 2024 | VSDB vs MYCF | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF | 98 | 409.03M | Feb 2024 | VSDB vs FLDB | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF | 98 | 1.91B | Jun 2018 | VSDB vs FLDR | |
| State Street My2027 Corporate Bond ETF | 98 | 37.45M | Sep 2024 | VSDB vs MYCG | |
| DoubleLine Commercial Real Estate ETF | 97 | 452.38M | Mar 2023 | VSDB vs DCRE |
Top Performing VSDB Alternatives (YTD)
VSDB is at 1.15% YTD. There are 22 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 2.35%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defined Duration 5 ETF | 2.35% | — | Nov 2025 | VSDB vs DDV | |
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | 2.32% | 47.61M | Sep 2024 | VSDB vs MYCF | |
| AAM SLC Low Duration Income ETF | 2.32% | 77.26M | Dec 2024 | VSDB vs LODI | |
| SanJac Alpha Low Duration ETF | 2.28% | 1.52M | Sep 2024 | VSDB vs SJLD | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF | 2.03% | 409.03M | Feb 2024 | VSDB vs FLDB |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VSDB
VSDB has 1.76% 1-year volatility. There are 33 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.58%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | 0.58% | 47.61M | Sep 2024 | VSDB vs MYCF | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF | 0.81% | 1.91B | Jun 2018 | VSDB vs FLDR | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF | 0.91% | 409.03M | Feb 2024 | VSDB vs FLDB | |
| State Street My2027 Corporate Bond ETF | 0.93% | 37.45M | Sep 2024 | VSDB vs MYCG | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 1.03% | 130.20M | Aug 2025 | VSDB vs TAXS |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VSDB
VSDB has a 1-year max drawdown of -1.42%. There are 42 ETFs in the Short-Term Bond category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.12%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF | -0.12% | 47.61M | Sep 2024 | VSDB vs MYCF | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF | -0.17% | 409.03M | Feb 2024 | VSDB vs FLDB | |
| State Street My2027 Corporate Bond ETF | -0.45% | 37.45M | Sep 2024 | VSDB vs MYCG | |
| Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF | -0.47% | 1.91B | Jun 2018 | VSDB vs FLDR | |
| DoubleLine Commercial Real Estate ETF | -0.68% | 452.38M | Mar 2023 | VSDB vs DCRE |
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 | VSDB vs VOO | |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 67 | 10.49% | 2.30T | May 2001 | VSDB vs VTI | |
| Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Technology Equities | 52 | 20.36% | 169.20B | Mar 2004 | VSDB vs VGT | |
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | Global Equities | 71 | 12.75% | 651.00B | Jan 2011 | VSDB vs VXUS | |
| Vanguard Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 28 | 5.02% | 378.80B | Jan 2004 | VSDB vs VUG | |
| Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Global Equities | 70 | 11.15% | 97.00B | Jun 2008 | VSDB vs VT | |
| Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | Dividend | 90 | 14.21% | 96.20B | Nov 2006 | VSDB vs VYM | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | Total Bond Market | 29 | -0.54% | 398.10B | Apr 2007 | VSDB vs BND | |
| Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | Dividend | 75 | 9.71% | 129.60B | Apr 2006 | VSDB vs VIG | |
| Vanguard Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 93 | 16.37% | 254.20B | Jan 2004 | VSDB vs VTV |
Often Compared With VSDB
Investors most often compare VSDB with VBIL, SPSB, VUSB. These 20 comparison targets span 8 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VSDB with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VSDB with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VSDB with funds that move differently
Vanguard Short Duration Bond ETF Shares alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VSDB.
Explore VSDB Diversifiers