VBLAX Alternatives & Similar Mutual Funds

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
VBMPX	Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutiona...	0.02%	398.10B	Feb 2010	VBLAX vs VBMPX
VTBNX	Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund	0.02%	—	—	VBLAX vs VTBNX
VBTIX	Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutiona...	0.03%	398.10B	Sep 1995	VBLAX vs VBTIX
FXNAX	Fidelity U.S. Bond Index Fund	0.03%	—	Mar 1990	VBLAX vs FXNAX
FNSOX	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 4. There are 90 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
VUSFX	Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares	100	—	Feb 2015	VBLAX vs VUSFX
FJTDX	Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund	99	—	May 2018	VBLAX vs FJTDX
VUBFX	Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share...	99	15.70B	Feb 2015	VBLAX vs VUBFX
JSOSX	JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class...	99	—	Oct 2008	VBLAX vs JSOSX
FYBTX	Fidelity Series Short-Term Credit Fund	86	—	Mar 2015	VBLAX vs FYBTX

Top Performing VBLAX Alternatives (YTD)

VBLAX is at -3.42% YTD. There are 90 mutual funds in the Total Bond Market category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 1.99%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
VUSFX	Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares	1.99%	—	Feb 2015	VBLAX vs VUSFX
FJTDX	Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund	1.93%	—	May 2018	VBLAX vs FJTDX
VUBFX	Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share...	1.93%	15.70B	Feb 2015	VBLAX vs VUBFX
FIWDX	Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class Z	1.87%	—	Oct 2018	VBLAX vs FIWDX
FSRIX	Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class I	1.82%	—	Jul 1995	VBLAX vs FSRIX

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VBLAX

VBLAX has 7.87% 1-year volatility. There are 88 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
VUSFX	Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares	0.60%	—	Feb 2015	VBLAX vs VUSFX
JSOSX	JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class...	0.73%	—	Oct 2008	VBLAX vs JSOSX
VUBFX	Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share...	0.83%	15.70B	Feb 2015	VBLAX vs VUBFX
FJTDX	Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund	1.27%	—	May 2018	VBLAX vs FJTDX
FANCX	Fidelity Advisor Short-Term Bond Fund Class C	1.81%	—	Jul 2016	VBLAX vs FANCX

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VBLAX

VBLAX has a 1-year max drawdown of -6.45%. There are 90 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
FJTDX	Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund	-0.10%	—	May 2018	VBLAX vs FJTDX
VUSFX	Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares	-0.25%	—	Feb 2015	VBLAX vs VUSFX
JSOSX	JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class...	-0.26%	—	Oct 2008	VBLAX vs JSOSX
VUBFX	Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share...	-0.30%	15.70B	Feb 2015	VBLAX vs VUBFX
FANCX	Fidelity Advisor Short-Term Bond Fund Class C	-1.18%	—	Jul 2016	VBLAX vs FANCX

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.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
VTSAX	Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Sha...	Large Cap Blend Equities	59	10.50%	2.30T	Nov 2000	VBLAX vs VTSAX
VFIAX	Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares	S&P 500, Large Cap Blend Equities	59	10.10%	1.70T	Nov 2000	VBLAX vs VFIAX
VTIAX	Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Admi...	Foreign Large Cap Equities	70	12.86%	651.00B	Nov 2010	VBLAX vs VTIAX
VIGAX	Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares	Large Cap Growth Equities	16	4.99%	378.80B	Nov 2000	VBLAX vs VIGAX
VWELX	Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares	Diversified Portfolio	50	5.37%	123.40B	Jul 1929	VBLAX vs VWELX
VBTLX	Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shar...	Total Bond Market	13	-0.91%	398.10B	Nov 2001	VBLAX vs VBTLX
VIGIX	Vanguard Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares	Large Cap Growth Equities	16	5.01%	378.80B	May 1998	VBLAX vs VIGIX
VITAX	Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund Admiral...	Technology Equities	40	20.41%	169.20B	Mar 2004	VBLAX vs VITAX
VDIGX	Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund	Dividend, Large Cap Blend Equities	30	5.07%	35.70B	May 1992	VBLAX vs VDIGX
VBIAX	Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares	Diversified Portfolio	59	6.08%	63.70B	Nov 2000	VBLAX vs VBIAX

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.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
BLV	Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF	Long-Term Bond	10	-2.38%	8.70B	Apr 2007	VBLAX vs BLV
VFIDX	Vanguard Intermediate-Term Investment-Grade Fund A...	Total Bond Market	15	-1.10%	39.30B	Feb 2001	VBLAX vs VFIDX
VWESX	Vanguard Long-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor ...	Total Bond Market	4	-3.30%	10.10B	Jul 1973	VBLAX vs VWESX
FBLTX	Fidelity SAI Long-Term Treasury Bond Index Fund	Government Bonds	3	-3.98%	—	Oct 2015	VBLAX vs FBLTX
VUSTX	Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Investor Shares	Government Bonds	3	-3.77%	2.80B	May 1986	VBLAX vs VUSTX
DFIEX	DFA International Core Equity 2 Portfolio Institut...	Foreign Large Cap Equities	76	12.10%	42.60B	Sep 2005	VBLAX vs DFIEX
BNDX	Vanguard Total International Bond ETF	Global Bonds	18	0.62%	123.30B	May 2013	VBLAX vs BNDX
BIV	Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF	Intermediate Core Bond	19	-0.71%	52.70B	Apr 2007	VBLAX vs BIV
VICSX	Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond Index Fu...	Corporate Bonds	18	-0.69%	69.50B	Mar 2010	VBLAX vs VICSX
VGAVX	Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fu...	Government Bonds	51	0.37%	6.80B	May 2013	VBLAX vs VGAVX
VAIPX	Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admir...	Inflation-Protected Bonds	20	0.41%	28.20B	Jun 2005	VBLAX vs VAIPX
VLTCX	Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admir...	Corporate Bonds	5	-2.66%	10.00B	Jan 2010	VBLAX vs VLTCX
BNDW	Vanguard Total World Bond ETF	Global Bonds	21	0.16%	1.90B	Sep 2018	VBLAX vs BNDW
DODIX	Dodge & Cox Income Fund	Intermediate Core-Plus Bond	18	-0.78%	—	—	VBLAX vs DODIX
VUSXX	Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund	Money Market	—	1.82%	0.00	Dec 1992	VBLAX vs VUSXX
VCLT	Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF	Corporate Bonds	12	-1.99%	10.00B	Nov 2009	VBLAX vs VCLT
FCNVX	Fidelity Conservative Income Bond Institutional Cl...	Ultrashort Bond	99	1.82%	—	Mar 2011	VBLAX vs FCNVX
VOO	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	78	11.72%	1.70T	Sep 2010	VBLAX vs VOO
FADMX	Fidelity Strategic Income Fund	Multisector Bonds	58	1.84%	—	Oct 1994	VBLAX vs FADMX
SPY	State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	78	11.70%	789.06B	Jan 1993	VBLAX vs SPY

Compare VBLAX with Any Fund or Stock

Compare VBLAX with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.

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Diversifiers

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

Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBLAX) Alternatives