Vanguard Core Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VCOBX) 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 VCOBX. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VCOBX
VCOBX charges 0.10% annually. There are 8 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 | VCOBX vs FMBPX | |
| State Street Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio | 0.02% | — | Sep 2014 | VCOBX vs SSAFX | |
| Fisher Investments Institutional Group Fixed Incom... | 0.03% | — | Dec 2019 | VCOBX vs QDIBX | |
| Fisher Investments Institutional Group ESG Fixed I... | 0.04% | — | Dec 2019 | VCOBX vs QDVBX | |
| iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index Fund | 0.05% | — | Jul 1993 | VCOBX vs WFBIX |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VCOBX
VCOBX has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 30. There are 14 mutual funds in the Intermediate Core Bond category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 65.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loomis Sayles Securitized Asset Fund | 65 | — | Mar 2006 | VCOBX vs LSSAX | |
| Hartford Schroders Tax-Aware Bond Fund | 60 | — | Oct 2011 | VCOBX vs STWTX | |
| PACE Mortgage-Backed Securities Fixed Income Inves... | 55 | — | Aug 1995 | VCOBX vs PCGTX | |
| Manning & Napier Credit Series | 46 | — | Apr 2020 | VCOBX vs MCDWX | |
| DFA Diversified Fixed Income Portfolio | 42 | — | Aug 2016 | VCOBX vs DFXIX |
Top Performing VCOBX Alternatives (YTD)
VCOBX is at 1.10% YTD. There are 11 mutual funds in the Intermediate Core Bond category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 3.21%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PACE Mortgage-Backed Securities Fixed Income Inves... | 3.21% | — | Aug 1995 | VCOBX vs PCGTX | |
| Loomis Sayles Securitized Asset Fund | 1.88% | — | Mar 2006 | VCOBX vs LSSAX | |
| Dupree Taxable Municipal Bond Fund | 1.70% | — | Nov 2010 | VCOBX vs DUTMX | |
| Hartford Schroders Tax-Aware Bond Fund | 1.28% | — | Oct 2011 | VCOBX vs STWTX | |
| DFA Social Fixed Income Portfolio | 1.20% | — | Apr 2016 | VCOBX vs DSFIX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VCOBX
VCOBX has 3.65% 1-year volatility. There are 13 mutual funds in the Intermediate Core Bond category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 2.50%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baird Intermediate Bond Fund Class Institutional | 2.50% | — | Sep 2000 | VCOBX vs BIMIX | |
| Baird Intermediate Bond Fund | 2.51% | — | Sep 2000 | VCOBX vs BIMSX | |
| Fidelity Education Income Fund | 2.51% | — | Mar 2021 | VCOBX vs FEDUX | |
| DFA Diversified Fixed Income Portfolio | 2.62% | — | Aug 2016 | VCOBX vs DFXIX | |
| Johnson Institutional Intermediate Bond Fund | 2.76% | — | Aug 2000 | VCOBX vs JIBEX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VCOBX
VCOBX has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.62%. There are 13 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 | VCOBX vs DFXIX | |
| Fidelity Education Income Fund | -1.72% | — | Mar 2021 | VCOBX vs FEDUX | |
| Baird Intermediate Bond Fund | -1.87% | — | Sep 2000 | VCOBX vs BIMSX | |
| Baird Intermediate Bond Fund Class Institutional | -2.07% | — | Sep 2000 | VCOBX vs BIMIX | |
| Fidelity Intermediate Bond Fund | -2.11% | — | May 1975 | VCOBX 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 VCOBX
Investors most often compare VCOBX with BND, VCRB, VCPAX. These 19 comparison targets span 12 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VCOBX with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VCOBX with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VCOBX with funds that move differently
Vanguard Core Bond Fund Admiral Shares alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VCOBX.
Explore VCOBX Diversifiers