Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares (VFSTX) 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 VFSTX. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VFSTX
VFSTX charges 0.20% annually. There are 26 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% | — | — | VFSTX vs VTBNX | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutiona... | 0.02% | 398.10B | Feb 2010 | VFSTX vs VBMPX | |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutiona... | 0.03% | 398.10B | Sep 1995 | VFSTX vs VBTIX | |
| Fidelity U.S. Bond Index Fund | 0.03% | — | Mar 1990 | VFSTX vs FXNAX | |
| Fidelity Short-Term Bond Index Fund | 0.03% | — | Oct 2017 | VFSTX vs FNSOX |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VFSTX
VFSTX has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 71. There are 13 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 | VFSTX vs VUSFX | |
| Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund | 100 | — | May 2018 | VFSTX vs FJTDX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | 99 | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VFSTX vs VUBFX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | 99 | — | Oct 2008 | VFSTX vs JSOSX | |
| Fidelity Series Short-Term Credit Fund | 90 | — | Mar 2015 | VFSTX vs FYBTX |
Top Performing VFSTX Alternatives (YTD)
VFSTX is at 0.49% YTD. There are 19 mutual funds in the Total Bond Market category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 1.99%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 1.99% | — | Feb 2015 | VFSTX vs VUSFX | |
| Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund | 1.93% | — | May 2018 | VFSTX vs FJTDX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | 1.93% | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VFSTX vs VUBFX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class Z | 1.79% | — | Oct 2018 | VFSTX vs FIWDX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Strategic Income Fund Class I | 1.74% | — | Jul 1995 | VFSTX vs FSRIX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VFSTX
VFSTX has 2.26% 1-year volatility. There are 20 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 | VFSTX vs VUSFX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | 0.73% | — | Oct 2008 | VFSTX vs JSOSX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | 0.83% | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VFSTX vs VUBFX | |
| Fidelity Flex Conservative Income Bond Fund | 1.27% | — | May 2018 | VFSTX vs FJTDX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Short-Term Bond Fund Class C | 1.82% | — | Jul 2016 | VFSTX vs FANCX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VFSTX
VFSTX has a 1-year max drawdown of -1.71%. There are 20 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 | VFSTX vs FJTDX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares | -0.25% | — | Feb 2015 | VFSTX vs VUSFX | |
| JPMorgan Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Class... | -0.26% | — | Oct 2008 | VFSTX vs JSOSX | |
| Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Investor Share... | -0.30% | 15.70B | Feb 2015 | VFSTX vs VUBFX | |
| Fidelity Advisor Short-Term Bond Fund Class C | -1.18% | — | Jul 2016 | VFSTX 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.
Often Compared With VFSTX
Investors most often compare VFSTX with VCSH, OSTIX, BSV. These 20 comparison targets span 11 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VFSTX with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VFSTX with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VFSTX with funds that move differently
Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VFSTX.
Explore VFSTX Diversifiers