Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEI) 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 VTEI. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VTEI
VTEI 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% | 47.60B | Aug 2015 | VTEI vs VTEB | |
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 3.92B | Oct 2022 | VTEI vs SCMB | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.89M | Aug 2025 | VTEI vs TAXT | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 153.73M | Aug 2025 | VTEI vs TAXI | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 116.60M | Aug 2025 | VTEI vs TAXS |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VTEI
VTEI has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 75. There are 65 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 98.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 98 | 9.88M | Sep 2024 | VTEI vs MYMG | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | VTEI vs FUMB | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | VTEI vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 96 | 1.39B | Mar 2015 | VTEI vs MEAR | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 96 | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | VTEI vs GUMI |
Top Performing VTEI Alternatives (YTD)
VTEI is at 1.39% YTD. There are 89 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 4.48%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 4.48% | 142.76M | Jun 2013 | VTEI vs RVNU | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 4.02% | 19.03M | Sep 2016 | VTEI vs MFLX | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 3.94% | 25.43M | Nov 2025 | VTEI vs THYM | |
| Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF | 3.89% | 18.13M | Oct 2020 | VTEI vs RTAI | |
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | 3.81% | 27.55M | Dec 2025 | VTEI vs MMMA |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VTEI
VTEI has 2.38% 1-year volatility. There are 50 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% | 30.59M | Sep 2025 | VTEI vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.73% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | VTEI vs MYMF | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.74% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | VTEI vs AUSM | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.75% | 398.45M | Oct 2007 | VTEI vs CALI | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.78% | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | VTEI vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VTEI
VTEI has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.61%. There are 58 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% | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | VTEI vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.33% | 290.51M | Sep 2019 | VTEI vs BSMQ | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 9.88M | Sep 2024 | VTEI vs MYMG | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | VTEI vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.38% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | VTEI vs MYMF |
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 | 63 | 8.09% | 1.70T | Sep 2010 | VTEI vs VOO | |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 64 | 8.90% | 2.30T | May 2001 | VTEI vs VTI | |
| Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Technology Equities | 60 | 22.82% | 170.10B | Mar 2004 | VTEI vs VGT | |
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | Global Equities | 62 | 13.40% | 652.30B | Jan 2011 | VTEI vs VXUS | |
| Vanguard Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 27 | 2.25% | 393.80B | Jan 2004 | VTEI vs VUG | |
| Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Global Equities | 65 | 10.43% | 95.30B | Jun 2008 | VTEI vs VT | |
| Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | Dividend | 83 | 12.09% | 96.10B | Nov 2006 | VTEI vs VYM | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | Total Bond Market | 36 | 1.01% | 394.40B | Apr 2007 | VTEI vs BND | |
| Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | Dividend | 61 | 7.42% | 127.80B | Apr 2006 | VTEI vs VIG | |
| Vanguard Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 91 | 16.08% | 245.00B | Jan 2004 | VTEI vs VTV |
Often Compared With VTEI
Investors most often compare VTEI with VWITX, VWLUX, MUB. These 20 comparison targets span 12 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VTEI with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VTEI with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VTEI with funds that move differently
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VTEI.
Explore VTEI Diversifiers