VAB.TO vs. VBAL.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VAB.TO (Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF) and VBAL.TO (Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio) are both exchange-traded funds - VAB.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Canadian Float Adjusted Bond Index, while VBAL.TO is a Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by Vanguard. VAB.TO is passively managed, while VBAL.TO is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, VAB.TO returned 0.66%/yr vs 7.87%/yr for VBAL.TO. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VAB.TO charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.24%/yr for VBAL.TO.

Performance

VAB.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO) and Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VAB.TO achieves a 1.62% return, which is significantly lower than VBAL.TO's 8.13% return.

VAB.TO

• 1D: -0.07%
• 1M: 1.70%
• YTD: 1.62%
• 6M: 0.78%
• 1Y: 3.12%
• 3Y*: 4.12%
• 5Y*: 0.66%
• 10Y*: 1.51%

VBAL.TO

• 1D: -0.30%
• 1M: 4.26%
• YTD: 8.13%
• 6M: 6.49%
• 1Y: 18.31%
• 3Y*: 13.79%
• 5Y*: 7.87%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

VAB.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
VAB.TO Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF	1.62%	2.28%	3.98%	6.90%	-11.86%	-2.88%	8.26%	6.77%	2.62%
VBAL.TO Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio	8.13%	11.88%	14.56%	12.43%	-11.44%	10.16%	10.23%	14.85%	-2.87%

Correlation

The correlation between VAB.TO and VBAL.TO is 0.51, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.51
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.47
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.41
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 2018	0.29

Over the past year, VAB.TO and VBAL.TO have become more correlated (0.51) than their long-term average of 0.29, meaning their price movements have been converging.

Return for Risk

VAB.TO vs. VBAL.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

VAB.TO

VAB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 21
VAB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
VAB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 18
VAB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 19
VAB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 24
VAB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 21

VBAL.TO

VBAL.TO Risk / Return Rank: 68
VBAL.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
VBAL.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
VBAL.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 71
VBAL.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
VBAL.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 69

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

VAB.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO) and Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL.TO). 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.

	VAB.TO	VBAL.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.72	2.30	-1.59
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.98	3.30	-2.31
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.12	1.44	-0.31
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.10	3.10	-2.00
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.61	13.17	-10.56
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VAB.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VAB.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.72, which is lower than the VBAL.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.30. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VAB.TO and VBAL.TO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VAB.TO	VBAL.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.72	2.30	-1.59
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.10	0.92	-0.82
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.23	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.39	0.78	-0.39

Drawdowns

VAB.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VAB.TO drawdown since its inception was -18.39%, smaller than the maximum VBAL.TO drawdown of -21.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VAB.TO and VBAL.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	VAB.TO	VBAL.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.39%	-21.19%	+2.80%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.83%	-5.93%	+3.10%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-5.31%	-9.68%	+4.37%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.82%	-16.45%	+0.63%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-18.39%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.92%	-0.30%	-1.62%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.11%	-3.17%	-0.94%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.20%	1.39%	-0.19%

Volatility

VAB.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO) is 1.59%, while Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL.TO) has a volatility of 2.73%. This indicates that VAB.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VBAL.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VAB.TO	VBAL.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.59%	2.73%	-1.14%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.45%	6.59%	-3.14%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.38%	7.99%	-3.61%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.58%	8.63%	-2.05%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.48%	10.09%	-3.61%

VAB.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

VAB.TO has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than VBAL.TO's 0.24% 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

VAB.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Dividend Comparison

VAB.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.32%, more than VBAL.TO's 2.05% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VAB.TO Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF	3.32%	3.33%	3.19%	2.95%	2.87%	2.48%	2.50%	2.65%	2.79%	2.77%	2.75%	2.78%
VBAL.TO Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio	2.05%	2.21%	2.26%	2.32%	2.16%	1.91%	1.79%	2.20%	1.99%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VAB.TO and VBAL.TO in my portfolio?

VAB.TO and VBAL.TO have a correlation of 0.51, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VAB.TO or VBAL.TO?

On fees, VAB.TO is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VAB.TO or VBAL.TO?

VAB.TO is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.24% for VBAL.TO.

What is the main difference between VAB.TO and VBAL.TO?

VAB.TO is categorized as Canadian Government Bonds, while VBAL.TO is Diversified Portfolio. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for VAB.TO and 0.24% for VBAL.TO.