Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX) 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 VBTLX. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VBTLX
VBTLX charges 0.04% annually. There are 5 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% | — | — | VBTLX vs VTBNX | |
| Fidelity U.S. Bond Index Fund | 0.03% | — | Mar 1990 | VBTLX vs FXNAX | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutiona... | 0.03% | 394.40B | Sep 1995 | VBTLX vs VBTIX | |
| Fidelity Short-Term Bond Index Fund | 0.03% | — | Oct 2017 | VBTLX vs FNSOX | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutiona... | 0.03% | 394.40B | Feb 2010 | VBTLX vs VBMPX |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VBTLX
VBTLX has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 20. There are 68 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 | VBTLX vs VUSFX | |
| Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund | 99 | — | May 2018 | VBTLX vs FJTDX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | 99 | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VBTLX vs VUBFX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | 99 | — | Oct 2008 | VBTLX vs JSOSX | |
| Fidelity Series Short-Term Credit Fund | 88 | — | Mar 2015 | VBTLX vs FYBTX |
Top Performing VBTLX Alternatives (YTD)
VBTLX is at -0.28% YTD. There are 62 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 | VBTLX vs FIWDX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class I | 2.50% | — | Jul 1995 | VBTLX vs FSRIX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class M | 2.46% | — | Oct 1994 | VBTLX vs FSIAX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class A | 2.38% | — | Sep 1996 | VBTLX vs FSTAX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class C | 2.00% | — | Nov 1997 | VBTLX vs FSRCX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VBTLX
VBTLX has 3.82% 1-year volatility. There are 56 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 | VBTLX vs VUSFX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | 0.68% | — | Oct 2008 | VBTLX vs JSOSX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | 0.80% | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VBTLX vs VUBFX | |
| Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund | 1.26% | — | May 2018 | VBTLX vs FJTDX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Short-Term Bond Fund Class C | 1.82% | — | Jul 2016 | VBTLX vs FANCX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VBTLX
VBTLX has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.89%. There are 53 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 | VBTLX vs FJTDX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares | -0.25% | — | Feb 2015 | VBTLX vs VUSFX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | -0.26% | — | Oct 2008 | VBTLX vs JSOSX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | -0.30% | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VBTLX vs VUBFX | |
| Fidelity Short-Term Bond Fund | -1.17% | — | Sep 1986 | VBTLX vs FSHBX |
Other Mutual Funds from Vanguard
The 10 most viewed Vanguard mutual funds shown here include VTSAX, VFIAX, VTIAX and span 7 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $2T.
Often Compared With VBTLX
Investors most often compare VBTLX with BND, FTBFX, SWAGX. These 20 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VBTLX with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VBTLX with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VBTLX with funds that move differently
Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VBTLX.
Explore VBTLX Diversifiers