AGG vs. BNDW
AGG (iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) and BNDW (Vanguard Total World Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AGG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, while BNDW is a Global Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Float Adjusted Composite Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, AGG returned 0.07%/yr vs 0.27%/yr for BNDW. Their correlation of 0.93 suggests significant overlap in exposure. AGG charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for BNDW.
Performance
AGG vs. BNDW - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AGG achieves a 0.47% return, which is significantly lower than BNDW's 0.88% return.
AGG
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- 0.61%
- YTD
- 0.47%
- 6M
- 0.55%
- 1Y
- 4.33%
- 3Y*
- 3.96%
- 5Y*
- 0.07%
- 10Y*
- 1.54%
BNDW
- 1D
- 0.15%
- 1M
- 0.77%
- YTD
- 0.88%
- 6M
- 0.88%
- 1Y
- 3.23%
- 3Y*
- 4.10%
- 5Y*
- 0.27%
- 10Y*
- —
AGG vs. BNDW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.47% | 7.19% | 1.31% | 5.65% | -13.02% | -1.77% | 7.48% | 8.46% | 1.38% |
BNDW Vanguard Total World Bond ETF | 0.88% | 5.02% | 2.42% | 7.18% | -12.88% | -2.10% | 6.22% | 8.37% | 1.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between AGG and BNDW is 0.95, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 6, 2018 | 0.93 |
The correlation between AGG and BNDW has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.93 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
AGG vs. BNDW — Risk / Return Rank
AGG
BNDW
AGG vs. BNDW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) and Vanguard Total World Bond ETF (BNDW). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AGG | BNDW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.17 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.30 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.17 | +0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.57 | 1.20 | +0.37 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.54 | 3.24 | +1.29 |
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Drawdowns
AGG vs. BNDW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AGG drawdown since its inception was -18.43%, which is greater than BNDW's maximum drawdown of -17.22%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AGG and BNDW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AGG | BNDW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.43% | -17.22% | -1.21% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.76% | -2.70% | -0.06% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.11% | -4.27% | -1.84% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.82% | -16.93% | -0.89% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.43% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.93% | -1.08% | -0.85% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.71% | -4.95% | +2.24% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.96% | 1.00% | -0.04% |
Volatility
AGG vs. BNDW - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) has a higher volatility of 1.10% compared to Vanguard Total World Bond ETF (BNDW) at 0.92%. This indicates that AGG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BNDW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AGG | BNDW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.10% | 0.92% | +0.18% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.83% | 2.70% | +0.13% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.81% | 3.35% | +0.46% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.10% | 5.22% | +0.88% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.41% | 4.89% | +0.52% |
AGG vs. BNDW - Expense Ratio Comparison
AGG has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than BNDW's 0.05% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
AGG vs. BNDW - Dividend Comparison
AGG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.98%, less than BNDW's 4.19% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 3.98% | 3.89% | 3.74% | 3.13% | 2.39% | 1.77% | 2.14% | 2.70% | 2.72% | 2.32% | 2.39% | 2.45% |
BNDW Vanguard Total World Bond ETF | 4.19% | 4.12% | 3.90% | 3.73% | 2.02% | 2.58% | 1.56% | 3.05% | 1.66% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.95, AGG and BNDW move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
AGG has higher volatility (1.10%) compared to BNDW (0.92%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AGG dropped -18.43% vs BNDW's -17.22%.
On 5-year performance, BNDW leads with 0.27% vs 0.07% for AGG. On fees, AGG is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BNDW has been the lower-risk option at 0.92%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, BNDW has performed better with a 0.27% return vs 0.07%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
AGG is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.05% for BNDW.
BNDW has the higher dividend yield at 4.19%, compared with 3.98% for AGG.
AGG is categorized as Total Bond Market, while BNDW is Global Bonds. AGG tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, while BNDW tracks Bloomberg Global Aggregate Float Adjusted Composite Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for AGG and 0.05% for BNDW.
AGG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.14 vs 0.97), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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