VUSB vs. VGUS

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB) and Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF (VGUS).

VUSB and VGUS are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VUSB is an actively managed fund by Vanguard. It was launched on Apr 5, 2021. VGUS is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg Short Treasury Index. It was launched on Feb 7, 2025.

Performance

VUSB vs. VGUS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB) and Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF (VGUS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VUSB vs. VGUS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
VUSB Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF	0.59%	4.65%
VGUS Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF	0.81%	3.77%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VUSB achieves a 0.59% return, which is significantly lower than VGUS's 0.81% return.

VUSB

• 1D: 0.09%
• 1M: -0.12%
• YTD: 0.59%
• 6M: 1.76%
• 1Y: 4.48%
• 3Y*: 5.28%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

VGUS

• 1D: 0.01%
• 1M: 0.25%
• YTD: 0.81%
• 6M: 1.82%
• 1Y: 4.00%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

VUSB vs. VGUS - Expense Ratio Comparison

VUSB has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than VGUS's 0.07% 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%.

VUSB

Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF

VGUS

Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF

Return for Risk

VUSB vs. VGUS — Risk / Return Rank

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

VUSB

VUSB Risk / Return Rank: 99
VUSB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
VUSB Sortino Ratio Rank: 99
VUSB Omega Ratio Rank: 99
VUSB Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
VUSB Martin Ratio Rank: 99

VGUS

VGUS Risk / Return Rank: 100
VGUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 100
VGUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 100
VGUS Omega Ratio Rank: 100
VGUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 100
VGUS Martin Ratio Rank: 100

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.

VUSB vs. VGUS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB) and Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF (VGUS). 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.

	VUSB	VGUS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	5.84	11.39	-5.55
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	9.33	31.34	-22.02
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	2.86	8.64	-5.78
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	9.75	55.20	-45.44
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	50.27	367.74	-317.47
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VUSB vs. VGUS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VUSB Sharpe Ratio is 5.84, which is lower than the VGUS Sharpe Ratio of 11.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VUSB and VGUS, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VUSB	VGUS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.84	11.39	-5.55
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	4.00	11.78	-7.77

Correlation

The correlation between VUSB and VGUS is 0.27, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.

Dividends

VUSB vs. VGUS - Dividend Comparison

VUSB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.53%, more than VGUS's 3.66% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
VUSB Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF	4.53%	4.63%	5.16%	4.45%	1.56%	0.26%
VGUS Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF	3.66%	3.12%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

VUSB vs. VGUS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VUSB drawdown since its inception was -1.79%, which is greater than VGUS's maximum drawdown of -0.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUSB and VGUS.

Drawdown Indicators

	VUSB	VGUS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-1.79%	-0.07%	-1.72%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.46%	-0.07%	-0.39%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.12%	0.00%	-0.12%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.28%	0.00%	-0.28%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.09%	0.01%	+0.08%

Volatility

VUSB vs. VGUS - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB) has a higher volatility of 0.37% compared to Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF (VGUS) at 0.07%. This indicates that VUSB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGUS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VUSB	VGUS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.37%	0.07%	+0.30%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.49%	0.16%	+0.33%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.77%	0.35%	+0.42%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.83%	0.35%	+0.48%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.83%	0.35%	+0.48%