VBTLX vs. BND
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX) and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND).
VBTLX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Nov 12, 2001. BND is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Apr 3, 2007.
Performance
VBTLX vs. BND - Performance Comparison
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VBTLX vs. BND - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBTLX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | -0.49% | 7.17% | 1.26% | 5.74% | -13.16% | -1.81% | 7.72% | 8.73% | -0.25% | 3.56% |
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 0.05% | 7.08% | 1.38% | 5.65% | -13.11% | -1.86% | 7.71% | 8.84% | -0.12% | 3.57% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VBTLX achieves a -0.49% return, which is significantly lower than BND's 0.05% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VBTLX having a 1.60% annualized return and BND not far ahead at 1.67%.
VBTLX
- 1D
- 0.52%
- 1M
- -2.23%
- YTD
- -0.49%
- 6M
- 0.50%
- 1Y
- 3.77%
- 3Y*
- 3.44%
- 5Y*
- 0.23%
- 10Y*
- 1.60%
BND
- 1D
- 0.22%
- 1M
- -1.74%
- YTD
- 0.05%
- 6M
- 0.95%
- 1Y
- 4.24%
- 3Y*
- 3.59%
- 5Y*
- 0.24%
- 10Y*
- 1.67%
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VBTLX vs. BND - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBTLX has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is higher than BND's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
VBTLX vs. BND — Risk / Return Rank
VBTLX
BND
VBTLX vs. BND - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX) 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.
| VBTLX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.00 | 0.99 | +0.01 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.44 | 1.41 | +0.04 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.18 | 0.00 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.78 | 1.81 | -0.03 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.08 | 4.98 | +0.11 |
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
| VBTLX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.00 | 0.99 | +0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.32 | 0.30 | +0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.76 | 0.59 | +0.17 |
Correlation
The correlation between VBTLX and BND is 0.89, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
VBTLX vs. BND - Dividend Comparison
VBTLX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.61%, less than BND's 3.91% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBTLX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | 3.61% | 3.87% | 3.69% | 3.10% | 2.59% | 1.96% | 2.39% | 2.74% | 2.57% | 2.56% | 2.53% | 2.82% |
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 3.91% | 3.86% | 3.67% | 3.09% | 2.60% | 2.12% | 2.38% | 2.72% | 2.81% | 2.54% | 2.51% | 2.57% |
Drawdowns
VBTLX vs. BND - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBTLX drawdown since its inception was -18.81%, roughly equal to the maximum BND drawdown of -18.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBTLX and BND.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBTLX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.81% | -18.58% | -0.23% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.73% | -2.44% | -0.29% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.14% | -17.91% | -0.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.81% | -18.58% | -0.23% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.06% | -2.58% | -0.48% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.67% | -3.07% | +0.40% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.96% | 0.89% | +0.07% |
Volatility
VBTLX vs. BND - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX) and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) have volatilities of 1.55% and 1.63%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBTLX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.55% | 1.63% | -0.08% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.59% | 2.52% | +0.07% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.37% | 4.30% | +0.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.98% | 6.00% | -0.02% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.97% | 5.52% | -0.55% |