BND vs VDIGX
Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF vs Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Class
Which is better, BND or VDIGX?
Intermediate Term Bond against Large Cap Blend.
BND has a lower expense ratio.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | BND | VDIGX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 0.20% |
| AUM | $160.9B | $35.5B |
| Dividend Yield | 4.04% | 23.10% |
| Holdings | 17,437 | 62 |
| YTD Price Return | -3.84% | -3.99% |
| 1Y Price Return | -4.30% | -14.10% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +0.23% | -3.79% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | -3.82% | -3.26% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 6.3%Best | 16.0% |
| Max Drawdown | -21.4%Best | -32.6% |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Intermediate Term Bond | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Apr 3, 2007 | May 15, 1992 |
Not shown on this pair: $10,000 over 5 years, Top 10 Weight.
A price return is not the return of a fund that pays its income out. The coupon or distribution never appears in the price, so the return rows carry no winner here. BND currently yields 4.04% and VDIGX 23.10%.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 20, 2021 to Sep 18, 2026 (5 years).
BND vs VDIGX Performance
Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) is an ETF from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Class (VDIGX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US). Over the past year BND's price moved -4.30% and VDIGX's -14.10%, before the income each one paid out.
Over three years, BND compounded at +0.23% per year against -3.79% for VDIGX; over five years the annualized figures are -3.82% and -3.26% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VDIGX has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.0% compared with 6.3% for BND. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -21.4% for BND and -32.6% for VDIGX. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.56. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BND charges 0.03% per year while VDIGX charges 0.20%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $20 annually, a gap of $17 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BND currently yields 4.04% against 23.10% for VDIGX.
Structure and taxes
VDIGX is a mutual fund and BND is an ETF. A mutual fund prices once a day at net asset value and may carry a purchase minimum. An ETF trades through the day at whatever the market pays for it.
In a taxable account the difference that usually matters is distributions. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely has to sell holdings and rarely passes a capital gain to the people who held it; a mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can distribute a realised gain at year end to everyone still in the fund, whether or not they sold anything themselves. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. Both are descriptions of how the two wrappers work, not a recommendation.
Tax-loss harvesting works on either wrapper.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 16 holdings in BND and 51 in VDIGX, totalling 1.5% and 99.3% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
0 positions in common, counted across the 16 positions we hold weights for in BND and 51 in VDIGX, against full books of 17,437 and 62.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of BND and VDIGX you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, BND or VDIGX?
BND has an expense ratio of 0.03% while VDIGX charges 0.20%. BND is the cheaper option, by $17 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, BND or VDIGX?
VDIGX has been the more volatile fund at 16.0% annualized versus 6.3% for BND. Worst drawdown: BND -21.4% vs VDIGX -32.6%.
Should I hold both BND and VDIGX?
BND and VDIGX have a monthly-return correlation of 0.56, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, BND or VDIGX?
BND yields 4.04% while VDIGX yields 23.10%, so VDIGX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VDIGX or BND in a taxable account?
BND is an ETF and VDIGX is a mutual fund. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely distributes a capital gain to the people holding it. A mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can pass a realised gain to every holder at year end. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. This is information, not a recommendation.
Is VDIGX better than BND?
BND has a lower expense ratio. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.