Vanguard California Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEC) belongs to the Municipal Bonds category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with VTEC. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VTEC
VTEC charges 0.08% annually. There are 9 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 48.80B | Aug 2015 | VTEC vs VTEB | |
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 3.93B | Oct 2022 | VTEC vs SCMB | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 183.09M | Jul 2019 | VTEC vs FMUN | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 130.20M | Aug 2025 | VTEC vs TAXS | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.01M | Aug 2025 | VTEC vs TAXT |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VTEC
VTEC has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 70. There are 69 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 97.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | VTEC vs MYMF | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | VTEC vs MYMG | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 97 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | VTEC vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | VTEC vs FUMB | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 97 | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | VTEC vs GUMI |
Top Performing VTEC Alternatives (YTD)
VTEC is at -0.07% YTD. There are 120 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 3.71%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-Square Municipal Income Tax Free ETF | 3.71% | 4.54M | May 2023 | VTEC vs ZTAX | |
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | 2.42% | 28.01M | Dec 2025 | VTEC vs MMMA | |
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 2.38% | 142.95M | Jun 2013 | VTEC vs RVNU | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 2.26% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | VTEC vs OVM | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 2.25% | 26.19M | Nov 2025 | VTEC vs THYM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VTEC
VTEC has 2.71% 1-year volatility. There are 67 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.54%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF | 0.54% | 34.95M | Sep 2025 | VTEC vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.69% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | VTEC vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.72% | 445.30M | Oct 2007 | VTEC vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.76% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | VTEC vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.84% | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | VTEC vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VTEC
VTEC has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.85%. There are 79 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.22%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | -0.22% | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | VTEC vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 270.83M | Sep 2019 | VTEC vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | VTEC vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | VTEC vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 576.01M | Apr 2019 | VTEC vs IBMO |
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 | VTEC vs VOO | |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 67 | 10.49% | 2.30T | May 2001 | VTEC vs VTI | |
| Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Technology Equities | 52 | 20.36% | 169.20B | Mar 2004 | VTEC vs VGT | |
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | Global Equities | 71 | 12.75% | 651.00B | Jan 2011 | VTEC vs VXUS | |
| Vanguard Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 28 | 5.02% | 378.80B | Jan 2004 | VTEC vs VUG | |
| Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Global Equities | 70 | 11.15% | 97.00B | Jun 2008 | VTEC vs VT | |
| Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | Dividend | 90 | 14.21% | 96.20B | Nov 2006 | VTEC vs VYM | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | Total Bond Market | 29 | -0.54% | 398.10B | Apr 2007 | VTEC vs BND | |
| Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | Dividend | 75 | 9.71% | 129.60B | Apr 2006 | VTEC vs VIG | |
| Vanguard Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 93 | 16.37% | 254.20B | Jan 2004 | VTEC vs VTV |
Often Compared With VTEC
Investors most often compare VTEC with CMF, VCADX, DCIBX. These 20 comparison targets span 5 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VTEC with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VTEC with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VTEC with funds that move differently
Vanguard California Tax-Exempt Bond ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VTEC.
Explore VTEC Diversifiers