Vanguard Total World Bond ETF (BNDW) belongs to the Global Bonds category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with BNDW. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to BNDW
BNDW charges 0.05% annually. No ETFs in the Global Bonds category have lower expense ratios; the lowest-cost alternatives shown here go as low as 0.07%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Total International Bond ETF | 0.07% | 123.30B | May 2013 | BNDW vs BNDX | |
| iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.07% | 11.21B | Nov 2015 | BNDW vs IAGG | |
| Nuveen International Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.08% | 3.86B | Sep 2025 | BNDW vs NXUS | |
| Avantis Credit ETF | 0.19% | 20.33M | Apr 2025 | BNDW vs AVGB | |
| iShares USD Green Bond ETF | 0.20% | 500.56M | Nov 2018 | BNDW vs BGRN |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to BNDW
BNDW has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 21. There are 10 ETFs in the Global Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 42.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avantis Credit ETF | 42 | 20.33M | Apr 2025 | BNDW vs AVGB | |
| JPMorgan International Bond Opportunities ETF | 34 | 2.10B | Apr 2017 | BNDW vs JPIB | |
| iShares USD Green Bond ETF | 32 | 500.56M | Nov 2018 | BNDW vs BGRN | |
| VanEck Green Bond ETF | 31 | 184.22M | Mar 2017 | BNDW vs GRNB | |
| Frontier Asset Opportunistic Credit ETF | 30 | 34.88M | Dec 2024 | BNDW vs FOPC |
Top Performing BNDW Alternatives (YTD)
BNDW is at 0.16% YTD. There are 11 ETFs in the Global Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 2.61%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Global Government Bond USD Hedged Active E... | 2.61% | 2.97B | Jun 2025 | BNDW vs GGOV | |
| T. Rowe Price Multi-Sector Income ETF | 2.33% | 58.52M | Nov 2025 | BNDW vs TMSF | |
| iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF | 1.21% | 11.21B | Nov 2015 | BNDW vs IAGG | |
| JPMorgan International Bond Opportunities ETF | 0.93% | 2.10B | Apr 2017 | BNDW vs JPIB | |
| Dimensional Global Core Plus Fixed Income ETF | 0.93% | 3.37B | Nov 2023 | BNDW vs DFGP |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to BNDW
BNDW has 3.36% 1-year volatility. There are 6 ETFs in the Global Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 2.52%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avantis Credit ETF | 2.52% | 20.33M | Apr 2025 | BNDW vs AVGB | |
| T. Rowe Price Multi-Sector Income ETF | 2.82% | 58.52M | Nov 2025 | BNDW vs TMSF | |
| Frontier Asset Opportunistic Credit ETF | 2.87% | 34.88M | Dec 2024 | BNDW vs FOPC | |
| iShares USD Green Bond ETF | 2.89% | 500.56M | Nov 2018 | BNDW vs BGRN | |
| iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF | 2.90% | 11.21B | Nov 2015 | BNDW vs IAGG |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to BNDW
BNDW has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.70%. There are 5 ETFs in the Global Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.12%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avantis Credit ETF | -2.12% | 20.33M | Apr 2025 | BNDW vs AVGB | |
| Frontier Asset Opportunistic Credit ETF | -2.18% | 34.88M | Dec 2024 | BNDW vs FOPC | |
| iShares USD Green Bond ETF | -2.23% | 500.56M | Nov 2018 | BNDW vs BGRN | |
| iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF | -2.32% | 11.21B | Nov 2015 | BNDW vs IAGG | |
| VanEck Green Bond ETF | -2.51% | 184.22M | Mar 2017 | BNDW vs GRNB |
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 | 78 | 11.72% | 1.70T | Sep 2010 | BNDW vs VOO | |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 78 | 12.18% | 2.30T | May 2001 | BNDW vs VTI | |
| Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Technology Equities | 60 | 22.47% | 169.20B | Mar 2004 | BNDW vs VGT | |
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | Global Equities | 72 | 13.32% | 651.00B | Jan 2011 | BNDW vs VXUS | |
| Vanguard Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 37 | 7.33% | 378.80B | Jan 2004 | BNDW vs VUG | |
| Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Global Equities | 77 | 12.40% | 97.00B | Jun 2008 | BNDW vs VT | |
| Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | Dividend | 92 | 14.80% | 96.20B | Nov 2006 | BNDW vs VYM | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | Total Bond Market | 24 | -0.30% | 398.10B | Apr 2007 | BNDW vs BND | |
| Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | Dividend | 79 | 10.16% | 129.60B | Apr 2006 | BNDW vs VIG | |
| Vanguard Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 94 | 16.93% | 254.20B | Jan 2004 | BNDW vs VTV |
Often Compared With BNDW
Investors most often compare BNDW with VGIT, AGGG.L, AGG. These 20 comparison targets span 9 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare BNDW with Any Fund or Stock
Compare BNDW with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair BNDW with funds that move differently
Vanguard Total World Bond ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to BNDW.
Explore BNDW Diversifiers