Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEL) 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 VTEL. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VTEL
VTEL charges 0.09% annually. There are 12 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 | VTEL vs VTEB | |
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 4.00B | Oct 2022 | VTEL vs SCMB | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 126.55M | Aug 2025 | VTEL vs TAXS | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.72M | Aug 2025 | VTEL vs TAXT | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 163.46M | Aug 2025 | VTEL vs TAXI |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VTEL
VTEL has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 83. There are 44 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 My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | VTEL vs MYMG | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | VTEL vs MYMF | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | VTEL vs FUMB | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 97 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | VTEL vs AUSM | |
| iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 96 | 1.41B | Mar 2015 | VTEL vs MEAR |
Top Performing VTEL Alternatives (YTD)
VTEL is at 1.89% YTD. There are 37 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 4.49%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF | 4.49% | 18.13M | Oct 2020 | VTEL vs RTAI | |
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 4.29% | 143.84M | Jun 2013 | VTEL vs RVNU | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 3.92% | 25.42M | Nov 2025 | VTEL vs THYM | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 3.90% | 20.73M | Sep 2016 | VTEL vs MFLX | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 3.62% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | VTEL vs OVM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VTEL
VTEL has 3.75% 1-year volatility. There are 115 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% | 33.31M | Sep 2025 | VTEL vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.71% | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | VTEL vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.71% | 408.07M | Oct 2007 | VTEL vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.73% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | VTEL vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.81% | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | VTEL vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VTEL
VTEL has a 1-year max drawdown of -3.22%. There are 97 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% | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | VTEL vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 283.20M | Sep 2019 | VTEL vs BSMQ | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | VTEL vs MYMG | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | VTEL vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.38% | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | VTEL 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 | 66 | 10.72% | 1.70T | Sep 2010 | VTEL vs VOO | |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 66 | 11.20% | 2.30T | May 2001 | VTEL vs VTI | |
| Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Technology Equities | 50 | 21.52% | 170.10B | Mar 2004 | VTEL vs VGT | |
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | Global Equities | 56 | 12.04% | 652.30B | Jan 2011 | VTEL vs VXUS | |
| Vanguard Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 30 | 6.69% | 393.80B | Jan 2004 | VTEL vs VUG | |
| Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Global Equities | 63 | 11.34% | 95.30B | Jun 2008 | VTEL vs VT | |
| Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | Dividend | 85 | 13.43% | 96.10B | Nov 2006 | VTEL vs VYM | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | Total Bond Market | 36 | 0.26% | 394.40B | Apr 2007 | VTEL vs BND | |
| Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | Dividend | 68 | 9.70% | 127.80B | Apr 2006 | VTEL vs VIG | |
| Vanguard Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 91 | 15.79% | 245.00B | Jan 2004 | VTEL vs VTV |
Often Compared With VTEL
Investors most often compare VTEL with VWLUX, VTEI, RMCA. These 20 comparison targets span 4 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VTEL with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VTEL with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VTEL with funds that move differently
Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VTEL.
Explore VTEL Diversifiers