βš”οΈ Head to head

VBND vs WBND: Which ETF Is Better?

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

WBND comes out ahead on 4 of 7 measures. Which matters most depends on you.

The big difference is currency. VBND is currency hedged, so its returns ignore moves in the Australian dollar. WBND is unhedged: it does better when the dollar falls and worse when it rises.

The short answer

πŸ’ΈLower feeWBND wins
VBND
0.20%
WBND
0.19%

Worth about $699 on $100,000 over 20 years.

🏦Bigger fundVBND wins
VBND
$4.9bn
WBND
$782m

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

πŸ“ˆ1-year returnWBND wins
VBND
βˆ’1.2%
WBND
βˆ’0.6%
πŸ“Š3-year returnToo close to call
VBND
+3.3% a yr
WBND
–
🏁5-year returnToo close to call
VBND
βˆ’1.3% a yr
WBND
–
βš–οΈCheaper to tradeVBND wins
VBND
0.04%
WBND
0.07%

A tighter gap between the buy and sell price.

VBND vs WBND side by side

VBND leads on 3, WBND on 4VBNDVanguard Global Aggregate Bond Index (Hedged) ETFWBNDBetashares Global Aggregate Bond Currency H ETF
The basics
Index trackedBloomberg Global Aggregate Index, hedged to AUDBloomberg Global Aggregate Index
Fund managerVanguardBetashares
Asset classInternational bondsInternational bonds
ListedOct 2017Aug 2025
Cost and size
MERyearly fee, lower is better0.20%0.19%βœ“
AUMfund size$4.9bnβœ“$782m
Net flows (Sep)new money in, last month$99mβœ“$63m
Bid/ask spreadtrading cost, lower is better0.04%βœ“0.07%
Total returns
1 monthβˆ’1.9%βˆ’1.7%βœ“
1 yearβˆ’1.2%βˆ’0.6%βœ“
3 years p.a.+3.3%–
5 years p.a.βˆ’1.3%–
$10,000 invested
1 year ago$9,883$9,940βœ“
5 years ago$9,370–

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

VBND vs WBND 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

Only VBND has a 5 years record: $10,000 then is worth $9,370 today.

VBNDWBND$10,000 invested
$0k$4k$8k$12k$16k$9.9k$9.9k1 year agoWBND +$57$11.0ktoo new3 years ago$9.4ktoo new5 years ago

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

WBND's lower fee leaves about $699 more in your pocket over 20 years.

VBND charges 0.20% a yearWBND charges 0.19% a year
🧾 Fees paid on $100,000Saving
5 years
VBND
βˆ’$1,306
WBND
βˆ’$1,241
You keep$65more with WBND
10 years
VBND
βˆ’$3,646
WBND
βˆ’$3,465
You keep$181more with WBND
20 years
VBND
βˆ’$14,212
WBND
βˆ’$13,513
You keep$699more with WBND

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 WBND 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 WBND
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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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 WBND?

It depends on what you need. On our numbers VBND wins on 3 measures and WBND on 4. WBND is cheaper, with a management fee of 0.19% vs 0.20%. On $100,000 over 20 years that difference is worth about $699. VBND is the larger fund at $4.9bn vs $782m. WBND has the better 1-year return: βˆ’0.6% vs βˆ’1.2%.

Which is cheaper, VBND or WBND?

VBND charges 0.20% a year and WBND charges 0.19% a year.

Can I hold both VBND and WBND?

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