SPDW vs VMLUX
State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF vs Vanguard Limited Term Tax-Exempt Fund admiral class
Which is better, SPDW or VMLUX?
Large Cap Blend against Municipal Bond.
SPDW 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 | SPDW | VMLUX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 0.09% |
| AUM | $42.1B | $34.5B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.92% | 2.93% |
| Holdings | 2,440 | 7,398 |
| YTD Price Return | +12.93% | -1.91% |
| 1Y Price Return | +18.55% | -2.35% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +16.46% | +0.47% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | +6.72% | -0.80% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 16.4% | 2.9%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -32.4% | -8.4%Best |
| Fund Family | SPDR State Street Global Advisors | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Tax Preferred |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Municipal Bond |
| Inception | Apr 20, 2007 | Feb 12, 2001 |
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. SPDW currently yields 2.92% and VMLUX 2.93%.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 20, 2021 to Sep 18, 2026 (5 years).
SPDW vs VMLUX Performance
State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF (SPDW) is an ETF from SPDR State Street Global Advisors and Vanguard Limited Term Tax-Exempt Fund admiral class (VMLUX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SPDW's price moved +18.55% and VMLUX's -2.35%, before the income each one paid out.
Over three years, SPDW compounded at +16.46% per year against +0.47% for VMLUX; over five years the annualized figures are +6.72% and -0.80% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPDW has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.4% compared with 2.9% for VMLUX. 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 -32.4% for SPDW and -8.4% for VMLUX. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.72. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPDW charges 0.03% per year while VMLUX charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $9 annually, a gap of $6 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPDW currently yields 2.92% against 2.93% for VMLUX.
Structure and taxes
VMLUX is a mutual fund and SPDW 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 2,129 holdings in SPDW and 872 in VMLUX, totalling 86.3% and 24.4% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
The two holdings books were reported 62 days apart, SPDW as of Aug 31, 2026 and VMLUX as of Jun 30, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
0 positions in common, counted across the 2,129 positions we hold weights for in SPDW and 872 in VMLUX, against full books of 2,440 and 7,398.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPDW and VMLUX 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, SPDW or VMLUX?
SPDW has an expense ratio of 0.03% while VMLUX charges 0.09%. SPDW is the cheaper option, by $6 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, SPDW or VMLUX?
SPDW has been the more volatile fund at 16.4% annualized versus 2.9% for VMLUX. Worst drawdown: SPDW -32.4% vs VMLUX -8.4%.
Should I hold both SPDW and VMLUX?
SPDW and VMLUX have a monthly-return correlation of 0.72, 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, SPDW or VMLUX?
SPDW yields 2.92% while VMLUX yields 2.93%, so VMLUX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VMLUX or SPDW in a taxable account?
SPDW is an ETF and VMLUX 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 VMLUX better than SPDW?
SPDW has a lower expense ratio. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.