VGVA.L vs. VUSA.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VGVA.L (Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Accumulating) and VUSA.L (Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VGVA.L is a European Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP, while VUSA.L is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VGVA.L returned -5.33%/yr vs 14.94%/yr for VUSA.L. At a correlation of -0.05, they often move in opposite directions. Both charge a 0.07% expense ratio.

Performance

VGVA.L vs. VUSA.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Accumulating (VGVA.L) and Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VGVA.L achieves a -1.19% return, which is significantly lower than VUSA.L's 10.52% return.

VGVA.L

• 1D: 0.28%
• 1M: 1.61%
• YTD: -1.19%
• 6M: -1.36%
• 1Y: 2.14%
• 3Y*: 2.10%
• 5Y*: -5.33%
• 10Y*: —

VUSA.L

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: 5.52%
• YTD: 10.52%
• 6M: 10.48%
• 1Y: 29.10%
• 3Y*: 19.01%
• 5Y*: 14.94%
• 10Y*: 16.07%

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

VGVA.L vs. VUSA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VGVA.L Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Accumulating	-1.19%	4.03%	-3.61%	3.26%	-27.03%	-5.38%	9.36%	5.93%
VUSA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF	10.52%	9.39%	27.33%	19.81%	-9.02%	30.98%	13.66%	16.56%

Correlation

The correlation between VGVA.L and VUSA.L is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.19
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.10
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.00
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 22, 2019	-0.05

The correlation between VGVA.L and VUSA.L shifts across timeframes, from -0.05 (all time) to 0.19 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

VGVA.L vs. VUSA.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

VGVA.L

VGVA.L Risk / Return Rank: 14
VGVA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 14
VGVA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 13
VGVA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 13
VGVA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 14
VGVA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 14

VUSA.L

VUSA.L Risk / Return Rank: 82
VUSA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
VUSA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
VUSA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 85
VUSA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
VUSA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 78

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.

VGVA.L vs. VUSA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Accumulating (VGVA.L) and Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.L). 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.

	VGVA.L	VUSA.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.33	2.74	-2.41
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.49	3.68	-3.18
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.06	1.51	-0.45
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.37	4.08	-3.70
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.00	15.02	-14.02
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VGVA.L vs. VUSA.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VGVA.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.33, which is lower than the VUSA.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.74. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VGVA.L and VUSA.L, 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

	VGVA.L	VUSA.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.33	2.74	-2.41
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.47	1.04	-1.52
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	1.03	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.25	1.06	-1.31

Drawdowns

VGVA.L vs. VUSA.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VGVA.L drawdown since its inception was -39.28%, which is greater than VUSA.L's maximum drawdown of -25.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGVA.L and VUSA.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	VGVA.L	VUSA.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-39.28%	-25.47%	-13.81%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.75%	-7.11%	+1.36%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-7.88%	-20.94%	+13.06%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-37.05%	-20.94%	-16.11%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-25.47%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-31.00%	-0.23%	-30.77%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-19.93%	-3.19%	-16.74%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.13%	1.93%	+0.20%

Volatility

VGVA.L vs. VUSA.L - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Accumulating (VGVA.L) has a higher volatility of 2.79% compared to Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.L) at 2.63%. This indicates that VGVA.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VUSA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VGVA.L	VUSA.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.79%	2.63%	+0.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.27%	7.12%	-1.85%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.53%	10.58%	-4.05%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.28%	14.29%	-3.01%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.86%	15.64%	-4.78%

VGVA.L vs. VUSA.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both VGVA.L and VUSA.L have an expense ratio of 0.07%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VGVA.L vs. VUSA.L - Dividend Comparison

VGVA.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VUSA.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.87%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VGVA.L Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Accumulating	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VUSA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF	0.87%	0.95%	1.00%	1.24%	1.41%	1.04%	1.44%	1.50%	1.72%	1.61%	1.58%	1.73%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VGVA.L and VUSA.L in my portfolio?

VGVA.L and VUSA.L have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VGVA.L or VUSA.L?

Both ETFs have the same 0.07% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VGVA.L or VUSA.L?

VGVA.L and VUSA.L have the same expense ratio: 0.07% per year.

What is the main difference between VGVA.L and VUSA.L?

VGVA.L is categorized as European Government Bonds, while VUSA.L is S&P 500. VGVA.L tracks FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP, while VUSA.L tracks S&P 500 Index.