Vanguard Core-Plus Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VCPAX) 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 VCPAX. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VCPAX
VCPAX charges 0.20% annually. There are 27 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% | — | — | VCPAX vs VTBNX | |
| Fidelity U.S. Bond Index Fund | 0.03% | — | Mar 1990 | VCPAX vs FXNAX | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutiona... | 0.03% | 394.40B | Sep 1995 | VCPAX vs VBTIX | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutiona... | 0.03% | 394.40B | Feb 2010 | VCPAX vs VBMPX | |
| Fidelity Short-Term Bond Index Fund | 0.03% | — | Oct 2017 | VCPAX vs FNSOX |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VCPAX
VCPAX has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 31. There are 40 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 | VCPAX vs VUSFX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | 100 | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VCPAX vs VUBFX | |
| Fidelity Conservative Income Bond Institutional Cl... | 99 | — | Mar 2011 | VCPAX vs FCNVX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | 99 | — | Oct 2008 | VCPAX vs JSOSX | |
| Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund | 99 | — | May 2018 | VCPAX vs FJTDX |
Top Performing VCPAX Alternatives (YTD)
VCPAX is at 0.72% YTD. There are 18 mutual funds in the Total Bond Market category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 3.40%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class Z | 3.40% | — | Oct 2018 | VCPAX vs FIWDX | |
| Fidelity Strategic Income Fund | 3.37% | — | Oct 1994 | VCPAX vs FADMX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class I | 3.36% | — | Jul 1995 | VCPAX vs FSRIX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class A | 3.28% | — | Sep 1996 | VCPAX vs FSTAX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class M | 3.28% | — | Oct 1994 | VCPAX vs FSIAX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VCPAX
VCPAX has 3.54% 1-year volatility. There are 33 mutual funds in the Total Bond Market category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.61%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 0.61% | — | Feb 2015 | VCPAX vs VUSFX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | 0.68% | — | Oct 2008 | VCPAX vs JSOSX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | 0.78% | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VCPAX vs VUBFX | |
| Fidelity Conservative Income Bond Institutional Cl... | 1.18% | — | Mar 2011 | VCPAX vs FCNVX | |
| Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund | 1.27% | — | May 2018 | VCPAX vs FJTDX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VCPAX
VCPAX has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.65%. There are 33 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 Conservative Income Bond Institutional Cl... | -0.10% | — | Mar 2011 | VCPAX vs FCNVX | |
| Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund | -0.10% | — | May 2018 | VCPAX vs FJTDX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares | -0.25% | — | Feb 2015 | VCPAX vs VUSFX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | -0.26% | — | Oct 2008 | VCPAX vs JSOSX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | -0.30% | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VCPAX vs VUBFX |
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 VCPAX
Investors most often compare VCPAX with VCOBX, VPLS, DODIX. These 20 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VCPAX with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VCPAX with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VCPAX with funds that move differently
Vanguard Core-Plus Bond Fund Admiral Shares alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VCPAX.
Explore VCPAX Diversifiers