VBND vs. BND
VBND (Vident U.S. Bond Strategy ETF) and BND (Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VBND is a Intermediate Core-Plus Bond fund tracking the Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy Index, while BND is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VBND returned 1.58%/yr vs 1.58%/yr for BND. Their correlation of 0.85 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VBND charges 0.41%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BND.
Performance
VBND vs. BND - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VBND achieves a 0.39% return, which is significantly higher than BND's 0.27% return. Over a longer period, both investments have demonstrated similar performance, with their 10-year annualized returns being quite close: VBND at 1.58% and BND at 1.58%.
VBND
- 1D
- -0.16%
- 1M
- 0.60%
- YTD
- 0.39%
- 6M
- 0.57%
- 1Y
- 5.65%
- 3Y*
- 4.74%
- 5Y*
- 0.41%
- 10Y*
- 1.58%
BND
- 1D
- -0.19%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 0.27%
- 6M
- 0.12%
- 1Y
- 5.11%
- 3Y*
- 3.96%
- 5Y*
- 0.09%
- 10Y*
- 1.58%
VBND vs. BND - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBND Vident U.S. Bond Strategy ETF | 0.39% | 7.31% | 1.26% | 8.16% | -14.18% | -0.43% | 5.37% | 9.50% | -0.96% | 3.15% |
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 0.27% | 7.08% | 1.38% | 5.65% | -13.11% | -1.86% | 7.71% | 8.84% | -0.12% | 3.57% |
Correlation
The correlation between VBND and BND is 0.83, 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 | 0.83 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.92 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.86 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 17, 2014 | 0.85 |
The correlation between VBND and BND has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.83 to 0.92 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VBND vs. BND — Risk / Return Rank
VBND
BND
VBND vs. BND - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vident U.S. Bond Strategy ETF (VBND) and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND). 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.
| VBND | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.06 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.24 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.01 | 1.92 | +0.09 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.41 | 5.80 | -0.39 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VBND | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.30 | 1.36 | -0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 | 0.01 | +0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 | 0.29 | +0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.31 | 0.59 | -0.27 |
Drawdowns
VBND vs. BND - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBND drawdown since its inception was -18.97%, roughly equal to the maximum BND drawdown of -18.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBND and BND.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBND | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.97% | -18.58% | -0.39% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.82% | -2.68% | -0.14% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.60% | -5.92% | +1.32% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.97% | -17.91% | -1.06% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.97% | -18.58% | -0.39% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.87% | -2.37% | +1.50% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.21% | -3.06% | -1.15% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.05% | 0.88% | +0.17% |
Volatility
VBND vs. BND - Volatility Comparison
Vident U.S. Bond Strategy ETF (VBND) has a higher volatility of 1.49% compared to Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) at 1.23%. This indicates that VBND's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BND based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBND | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.49% | 1.23% | +0.26% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.91% | 2.66% | +0.25% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.37% | 3.78% | +0.59% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.12% | 6.02% | +0.10% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.45% | 5.53% | -0.08% |
VBND vs. BND - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBND has a 0.41% expense ratio, which is higher than BND's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
VBND vs. BND - Dividend Comparison
VBND's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.23%, more than BND's 3.97% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 3.97% | 3.86% | 3.67% | 3.09% | 2.60% | 2.12% | 2.38% | 2.72% | 2.81% | 2.54% | 2.51% | 2.57% |
VBND Vident U.S. Bond Strategy ETF | 4.23% | 4.22% | 4.41% | 3.88% | 2.55% | 1.56% | 1.98% | 3.14% | 2.82% | 2.00% | 3.12% | 1.49% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VBND and BND have a correlation of 0.83, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VBND has higher volatility (1.49%) compared to BND (1.23%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VBND dropped -18.97% vs BND's -18.58%.
On 10-year performance, BND leads with 1.58% vs 1.58% for VBND. On fees, BND is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BND has been the lower-risk option at 1.23%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, BND has performed better with a 1.58% return vs 1.58%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BND is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.41% for VBND.
VBND has the higher dividend yield at 4.23%, compared with 3.97% for BND.
VBND is categorized as Intermediate Core-Plus Bond, while BND is Total Bond Market. VBND tracks Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy Index, while BND tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. They also come from different issuers: Vident and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.41% for VBND and 0.03% for BND.
BND currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.36 vs 1.30), 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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