VB alternatives and similar ETFs

VB alternatives at a glance#

Each fund below can stand in for VB, closest first. “Same kind” funds hold the same kind of stocks through a different index. “Related” funds make a different bet that often moves the same way.

Fees come from each fund company, checked on the dates shown on each fund’s page.

How VB and its alternatives did over the same dates#

Each row measures the alternative and VB on the days both traded, so neither gets a head start. Correlation shows how closely their daily moves matched over about the last five years. A value of 1 means they always moved together.

Prices through October 16, 2026. Figures use daily closing prices adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. They do not include taxes or the cost of buying and selling. Past results do not tell you what will happen next.

Each VB alternative, compared#

SCHA: Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF#

SCHA also holds small US companies. It tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Small-Cap Total Stock Market Index, while VB tracks the Morningstar US Small Cap Index.

It charges 0.03% a year, about $3 on $10,000, against $3 for VB. It held 1,721 stocks, against 1,301 for VB.

From November 2009 to October 2026, SCHA returned about 11.8% a year and VB returned about 12.1% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.99).

Read the SCHA fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

IWM: iShares Russell 2000 ETF#

IWM also holds small US companies. It tracks the Russell 2000 Index, while VB tracks the Morningstar US Small Cap Index.

It charges 0.19% a year, about $19 on $10,000, against $3 for VB. It held 1,983 stocks, against 1,301 for VB.

From January 2004 to October 2026, IWM returned about 8.4% a year and VB returned about 9.6% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.98).

Read the IWM fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

IJR: iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF#

IJR also holds small US companies. It tracks the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, while VB tracks the Morningstar US Small Cap Index.

It charges 0.06% a year, about $6 on $10,000, against $3 for VB. It held 643 stocks, against 1,301 for VB.

From January 2004 to October 2026, IJR returned about 9.6% a year and VB returned about 9.6% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.97).

Read the IJR fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

VBR: Vanguard Morningstar Small-Cap Value ETF#

VBR is a looser match. It holds small US companies that look cheap compared with their earnings and assets, while VB holds small US companies.

It charges 0.05% a year, about $5 on $10,000, against $3 for VB. It held 820 stocks, against 1,301 for VB.

From January 2004 to October 2026, VBR returned about 9.4% a year and VB returned about 9.6% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.97).

Read the VBR fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

IJT: iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF#

IJT is a looser match. It holds small US companies whose sales and profits are growing fast, while VB holds small US companies.

It charges 0.18% a year, about $18 on $10,000, against $3 for VB. It held 372 stocks, against 1,301 for VB.

From January 2004 to October 2026, IJT returned about 9.8% a year and VB returned about 9.6% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.97).

Read the IJT fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

IWN: iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF#

IWN is a looser match. It holds small US companies that look cheap compared with their earnings and assets, while VB holds small US companies.

It charges 0.24% a year, about $24 on $10,000, against $3 for VB. It held 1,410 stocks, against 1,301 for VB.

From January 2004 to October 2026, IWN returned about 8.1% a year and VB returned about 9.6% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.96).

Read the IWN fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

IJS: iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Value ETF#

IJS is a looser match. It holds small US companies that look cheap compared with their earnings and assets, while VB holds small US companies.

It charges 0.18% a year, about $18 on $10,000, against $3 for VB. It held 480 stocks, against 1,301 for VB.

From January 2004 to October 2026, IJS returned about 9.0% a year and VB returned about 9.6% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.94).

Read the IJS fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

AVUV: Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF#

AVUV is a looser match. It holds small US companies that look cheap compared with their earnings and assets, while VB holds small US companies.

It charges 0.25% a year, about $25 on $10,000, against $3 for VB. It held 794 stocks, against 1,301 for VB.

From September 2019 to October 2026, AVUV returned about 15.0% a year and VB returned about 10.6% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.93).

Read the AVUV fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

VB versions from other fund companies#

Some people keep all their funds with one company. Here is the closest fund to VB from each other company on this page:

• Schwab: SCHA, Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (same kind of fund, 0.03% a year)
• iShares (BlackRock): IWM, iShares Russell 2000 ETF (same kind of fund, 0.19% a year)
• Avantis Investors (American Century): AVUV, Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (related fund, 0.25% a year)

Most brokers let you buy any ETF, whoever runs it. Mutual fund versions, such as a fund company’s index mutual fund, are not listed here.

How to choose between VB and its alternatives#

• What it tracks. A fund on the same index holds the same stocks. A different index can mean different weights, more or fewer holdings, or a different mix.
• The fee. The difference is often small. On $10,000, VB costs about $3 a year.
• History. An older fund has been through more bad markets, so you can see how far it fell.
• What you already own. Two funds that move together add little variety. A fund with a low correlation behaves more on its own.

Swapping VB to harvest a tax loss#

Some investors sell a fund at a loss to lower their taxes, then buy a similar fund so they stay invested. This is called tax-loss harvesting.

The IRS wash sale rule blocks the loss if you buy a “substantially identical” security within 30 days before or after the sale. The IRS has not said exactly when two funds count. Funds on the same index are more likely to. Funds on a different index, such as SCHA, IWM or IJR, are less likely to.

Ask a tax professional before you rely on this. Read the IRS rules in Publication 550.

Test VB and its alternatives in a backtest#

Tactfolio is a platform where you build rules-based investing strategies, backtest them on decades of real prices, share them, and run them automatically in your own Alpaca account. Open the builder, add VB and SCHA, and see how each would have done on the same dates, or how a mix of both would have done.

The details#

Alternatives are picked from facts, not from returns. First come funds that track the same index as VB. Then come funds that hold the same kind of stocks through another index. Last come funds from a close category that make a different bet. Leveraged funds are only listed as alternatives to other leveraged funds.

Within each group, the funds whose daily returns moved most like VB over about the last five years come first. Returns and worst drops use Tactfolio’s stored daily prices, adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. Each alternative is measured with VB only on days both traded. Read what a backtest simulates for more on these measures.