Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund (VBMFX) belongs to the Intermediate Core Bond category. Below you'll find alternative mutual funds from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with VBMFX. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VBMFX
VBMFX charges 0.15% annually. There are 11 mutual funds in the Intermediate Core Bond category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.02%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federated Hermes Mortgage Strategy Portfolio | 0.02% | — | Dec 2007 | VBMFX vs FMBPX | |
| State Street Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio | 0.02% | — | Sep 2014 | VBMFX vs SSAFX | |
| Fisher Investments Institutional Group Fixed Incom... | 0.03% | — | Dec 2019 | VBMFX vs QDIBX | |
| Fisher Investments Institutional Group ESG Fixed I... | 0.04% | — | Dec 2019 | VBMFX vs QDVBX | |
| iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index Fund | 0.05% | — | Jul 1993 | VBMFX vs WFBIX |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VBMFX
VBMFX has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 18. There are 62 mutual funds in the Intermediate Core Bond category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 61.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford Schroders Tax-Aware Bond Fund | 61 | — | Oct 2011 | VBMFX vs STWTX | |
| Loomis Sayles Securitized Asset Fund | 59 | — | Mar 2006 | VBMFX vs LSSAX | |
| PACE Mortgage-Backed Securities Fixed Income Inves... | 55 | — | Aug 1995 | VBMFX vs PCGTX | |
| Manning & Napier Credit Series | 44 | — | Apr 2020 | VBMFX vs MCDWX | |
| DFA Diversified Fixed Income Portfolio | 39 | — | Aug 2016 | VBMFX vs DFXIX |
Top Performing VBMFX Alternatives (YTD)
VBMFX is at -0.03% YTD. There are 46 mutual funds in the Intermediate Core Bond category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 2.72%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PACE Mortgage-Backed Securities Fixed Income Inves... | 2.72% | — | Aug 1995 | VBMFX vs PCGTX | |
| Loomis Sayles Securitized Asset Fund | 1.20% | — | Mar 2006 | VBMFX vs LSSAX | |
| Hartford Schroders Tax-Aware Bond Fund | 1.08% | — | Oct 2011 | VBMFX vs STWTX | |
| DFA Diversified Fixed Income Portfolio | 0.77% | — | Aug 2016 | VBMFX vs DFXIX | |
| Fidelity SAI Investment Grade Securitized Fund | 0.76% | — | May 2023 | VBMFX vs FSMOX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VBMFX
VBMFX has 3.81% 1-year volatility. There are 37 mutual funds in the Intermediate Core Bond category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 2.47%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Education Income Fund | 2.47% | — | Mar 2021 | VBMFX vs FEDUX | |
| Baird Intermediate Bond Fund | 2.49% | — | Sep 2000 | VBMFX vs BIMSX | |
| Baird Intermediate Bond Fund Class Institutional | 2.50% | — | Sep 2000 | VBMFX vs BIMIX | |
| DFA Diversified Fixed Income Portfolio | 2.63% | — | Aug 2016 | VBMFX vs DFXIX | |
| Johnson Institutional Intermediate Bond Fund | 2.73% | — | Aug 2000 | VBMFX vs JIBEX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VBMFX
VBMFX has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.91%. There are 34 mutual funds in the Intermediate Core Bond category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -1.69%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFA Diversified Fixed Income Portfolio | -1.69% | — | Aug 2016 | VBMFX vs DFXIX | |
| Fidelity Education Income Fund | -1.72% | — | Mar 2021 | VBMFX vs FEDUX | |
| Baird Intermediate Bond Fund | -1.87% | — | Sep 2000 | VBMFX vs BIMSX | |
| Baird Intermediate Bond Fund Class Institutional | -2.07% | — | Sep 2000 | VBMFX vs BIMIX | |
| Fidelity Intermediate Bond Fund | -2.11% | — | May 1975 | VBMFX vs FTHRX |
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 VBMFX
Investors most often compare VBMFX with BND, DODLX, PFM. These 20 comparison targets span 13 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VBMFX with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VBMFX with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VBMFX with funds that move differently
Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VBMFX.
Explore VBMFX Diversifiers