βš”οΈ Head to head

VBND vs VIF: Which ETF Is Better?

A side-by-side comparison of fees, size, returns and holdings, using data to 30 September 2026.

VBND comes out ahead on 8 of 9 measures. Which matters most depends on you.

Underneath, they are 100% the same. With holdings this similar, the fee and size are usually what separate them.

The short answer

πŸ’ΈLower feeToo close to call
VBND
0.20%
VIF
0.20%
🏦Bigger fundVBND wins
VBND
$4.9bn
VIF
$862m

Bigger funds usually trade more cheaply and are less likely to close.

πŸ“ˆ1-year returnVBND wins
VBND
βˆ’1.2%
VIF
βˆ’1.7%
πŸ“Š3-year returnVBND wins
VBND
+3.3% a yr
VIF
+2.3% a yr
🏁5-year returnVBND wins
VBND
βˆ’1.3% a yr
VIF
βˆ’1.5% a yr
βš–οΈCheaper to tradeVBND wins
VBND
0.04%
VIF
0.07%

A tighter gap between the buy and sell price.

VBND vs VIF side by side

VBND leads on 8, VIF on 1VBNDVanguard Global Aggregate Bond Index (Hedged) ETFVIFVanguard International Fixed Interest Index (Hedged) ETF
The basics
Index trackedBloomberg Global Aggregate Index, hedged to AUDBloomberg Global Treasury Scaled Index, hedged to AUD
Fund managerVanguardVanguard
Asset classInternational bondsInternational bonds
ListedOct 2017Dec 2015
Cost and size
MERyearly fee, lower is better0.20%0.20%
AUMfund size$4.9bnβœ“$862m
Net flows (Sep)new money in, last month$99mβœ“βˆ’$3.7m
Bid/ask spreadtrading cost, lower is better0.04%βœ“0.07%
Total returns
1 monthβˆ’1.9%βˆ’1.5%βœ“
1 yearβˆ’1.2%βœ“βˆ’1.7%
3 years p.a.+3.3%βœ“+2.3%
5 years p.a.βˆ’1.3%βœ“βˆ’1.5%
$10,000 invested
1 year ago$9,883βœ“$9,829
5 years ago$9,370βœ“$9,257

βœ“ marks the better figure on each measure. Returns include distributions, to 30 September 2026.

VBND vs VIF price chart

Both ETFs on one chart as % change. Use the 1D to All buttons to change the period. Price only, so it leaves out distributions Β· TradingView

πŸ“ˆ Growth

What $10,000 invested is worth now

$10,000 put into VBND 5 years ago is worth $9,370 today, against $9,257 in VIF. That is $113 more in VBND.

VBNDVIF$10,000 invested
$0k$4k$8k$12k$16k$9.9k$9.8k1 year agoVBND +$54$11.0k$10.7k3 years agoVBND +$318$9.4k$9.3k5 years agoVBND +$113

Total returns to 30 September 2026, with distributions reinvested, before tax and brokerage. The price chart above leaves out distributions, so it can look worse. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

πŸ’Έ Cost

What the fees cost you

VBND and VIF charge the same fee, so fees make no difference between them.

VBND charges 0.20% a yearVIF charges 0.20% a year
🧾 Fees paid on $100,000Saving
5 years
VBND
βˆ’$1,306
VIF
βˆ’$1,306
Same cost
10 years
VBND
βˆ’$3,646
VIF
βˆ’$3,646
Same cost
20 years
VBND
βˆ’$14,212
VIF
βˆ’$14,212
Same cost

Total fees paid on a $100,000 investment, assuming a 7% a year return before fees. Illustration only: it ignores tax, brokerage and differences in returns.

VBND and VIF overlap

100%portfolio overlap (very high: holding both adds little diversification)

1 companies appear in both funds. Overlap is the share of the portfolio that is the same in both, counting the smaller weight of each shared company.

Biggest shared holdings% of VBND% of VIF
100.00%100.00%

Add more ETFs and see the overlap in Compare ETFs β†’

Best-endeavours estimate. Built from each issuer's published holdings, which may be weeks or months old, may cover only part of a fund (some publish only their top 10) and are matched by company name. Figures may be incomplete or inaccurate. Check the issuer's website and PDS before relying on them. General information only.

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  • Every holding of each ETF: the top 50 companies, with sectors and countries
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Joshua Stega
etfadviserExchange traded fund specialist adviser Β· 20 years’ experience
Keep in touch with the marketsWeekly ETF research, the Market Health-O-Meter and our model portfolio.Try it free for 30 days β†’

FAQs

Which is better, VBND or VIF?

It depends on what you need. On our numbers VBND wins on 8 measures and VIF on 1. VBND is the larger fund at $4.9bn vs $862m. VBND has the better 1-year return: βˆ’1.2% vs βˆ’1.7%. VBND has the better 3-year return: +3.3% a year vs +2.3%.

Which is cheaper, VBND or VIF?

VBND charges 0.20% a year and VIF charges 0.20% a year.

Can I hold both VBND and VIF?

You can, but check how much they overlap. VBND is a international bonds fund and VIF is a international bonds fund.

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Add more ETFs to this comparison β†’

General information only, not a recommendation. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.