Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBLAX) belongs to the Total Bond Market category. Below you'll find alternative mutual funds from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with VBLAX. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VBLAX
VBLAX charges 0.07% annually. There are 14 mutual funds in the Total Bond Market category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.02%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund | 0.02% | — | — | VBLAX vs VTBNX | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutiona... | 0.03% | 394.40B | Sep 1995 | VBLAX vs VBTIX | |
| Fidelity U.S. Bond Index Fund | 0.03% | — | Mar 1990 | VBLAX vs FXNAX | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutiona... | 0.03% | 394.40B | Feb 2010 | VBLAX vs VBMPX | |
| Fidelity Short-Term Bond Index Fund | 0.03% | — | Oct 2017 | VBLAX vs FNSOX |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VBLAX
VBLAX has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 8. There are 93 mutual funds in the Total Bond Market category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 100.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 100 | — | Feb 2015 | VBLAX vs VUSFX | |
| Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund | 99 | — | May 2018 | VBLAX vs FJTDX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | 99 | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VBLAX vs VUBFX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | 99 | — | Oct 2008 | VBLAX vs JSOSX | |
| Fidelity Series Short-Term Credit Fund | 88 | — | Mar 2015 | VBLAX vs FYBTX |
Top Performing VBLAX Alternatives (YTD)
VBLAX is at -1.49% YTD. There are 93 mutual funds in the Total Bond Market category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 2.63%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class Z | 2.63% | — | Oct 2018 | VBLAX vs FIWDX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class I | 2.50% | — | Jul 1995 | VBLAX vs FSRIX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class M | 2.46% | — | Oct 1994 | VBLAX vs FSIAX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class A | 2.38% | — | Sep 1996 | VBLAX vs FSTAX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class C | 2.00% | — | Nov 1997 | VBLAX vs FSRCX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VBLAX
VBLAX has 7.92% 1-year volatility. There are 91 mutual funds in the Total Bond Market category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.60%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 0.60% | — | Feb 2015 | VBLAX vs VUSFX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | 0.68% | — | Oct 2008 | VBLAX vs JSOSX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | 0.80% | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VBLAX vs VUBFX | |
| Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund | 1.26% | — | May 2018 | VBLAX vs FJTDX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Short-Term Bond Fund Class C | 1.82% | — | Jul 2016 | VBLAX vs FANCX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VBLAX
VBLAX has a 1-year max drawdown of -5.98%. There are 91 mutual funds in the Total Bond Market category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.10%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund | -0.10% | — | May 2018 | VBLAX vs FJTDX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares | -0.25% | — | Feb 2015 | VBLAX vs VUSFX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | -0.26% | — | Oct 2008 | VBLAX vs JSOSX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | -0.30% | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VBLAX vs VUBFX | |
| Fidelity Short-Term Bond Fund | -1.17% | — | Sep 1986 | VBLAX vs FSHBX |
Other Mutual Funds from Vanguard
The 10 most viewed Vanguard mutual funds shown here include VTSAX, VFIAX, VTIAX and span 8 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $2T.
Often Compared With VBLAX
Investors most often compare VBLAX with BLV, VFIDX, VWESX. These 20 comparison targets span 13 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VBLAX with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VBLAX with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VBLAX with funds that move differently
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VBLAX.
Explore VBLAX Diversifiers