SPDW vs VTILX
State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF vs Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Class Institutional
Which is better, SPDW or VTILX?
SPDW costs less.
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 | VTILX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 0.07% |
| AUM | $42.3B | $141.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 3.02% | 4.19% |
| Holdings | 2,440 | 7,415 |
| YTD Price Return | +16.43% | -1.77% |
| 1Y Price Return | +25.35% | -3.44% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +17.78% | -0.58% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | +6.56% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 16.5% | 6.0%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -32.4% | -15.3%Best |
| Fund Family | SPDR State Street Global Advisors | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Fixed Income |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | - |
| Inception | Apr 20, 2007 | Feb 17, 2021 |
Not shown on this pair: $10,000 over 4.9 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 3.02% and VTILX 4.19%.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 4.9 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 25, 2021 to Sep 4, 2026 (4.9 years).
SPDW vs VTILX Performance
State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF (SPDW) is an ETF from SPDR State Street Global Advisors and Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Class Institutional (VTILX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SPDW's price moved +25.35% and VTILX's -3.44%, before the income each one paid out.
Over three years, SPDW compounded at +17.78% per year against -0.58% for VTILX.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPDW has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.5% compared with 6.0% for VTILX. 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 -15.3% for VTILX. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.68. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPDW charges 0.03% per year while VTILX charges 0.07%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $7 annually, a gap of $4 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPDW currently yields 3.02% against 4.19% for VTILX.
Structure and taxes
VTILX 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
At least 3.3% of SPDW's money is in holdings VTILX also owns.
Stated as a floor: for VTILX, our book for it covers 7.1% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
SPDW and VTILX share little of their money.
The two holdings books were reported 151 days apart, SPDW as of Mar 31, 2026 and VTILX as of Oct 31, 2025, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
25 positions in common, counted across the 2,345 positions we hold weights for in SPDW and 1,459 in VTILX, against full books of 2,440 and 7,415.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in SPDW | Weight in VTILX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISP:MIIntesa Sanpaolo SpA Shs | 0.32% | 0.00% | 0.32% |
| BNPP:PABnp Paribas Sa | 0.32% | 0.00% | 0.32% |
| LLOY:LNLloyds Banking Group Plc | 0.27% | 0.01% | 0.26% |
| 9983:JPFast Retailing Co. Ltd. Com Stk | 0.27% | 0.00% | 0.27% |
| INGA:ASIng Groep N.V. | 0.26% | 0.01% | 0.25% |
| SGEF:PAVinci Sa | 0.25% | 0.01% | 0.24% |
| ABI:BRAnheuser Busch Inbev SA NV | 0.23% | 0.00% | 0.23% |
| ENGIYEngie-spon Adr | 0.19% | 0.01% | 0.18% |
| DBK:FFDeutsche Bank Ag | 0.19% | 0.00% | 0.19% |
| CABK:MACaixabank SA Unsponsored ADR (1 ADS : 0.33333 Ordinary) | 0.15% | 0.03% | 0.12% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPDW and VTILX 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 VTILX?
SPDW has an expense ratio of 0.03% while VTILX charges 0.07%. SPDW is the cheaper option, by $4 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, SPDW or VTILX?
SPDW has been the more volatile fund at 16.5% annualized versus 6.0% for VTILX. Worst drawdown: SPDW -32.4% vs VTILX -15.3%.
Should I hold both SPDW and VTILX?
SPDW and VTILX have a monthly-return correlation of 0.68, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between SPDW and VTILX?
At least 3.3% of SPDW's money is in holdings VTILX also owns. Our book for VTILX is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 25 positions in common, counted across the 2,345 positions we hold weights for in SPDW and 1,459 in VTILX.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPDW or VTILX?
SPDW yields 3.02% while VTILX yields 4.19%, so VTILX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VTILX or SPDW in a taxable account?
SPDW is an ETF and VTILX 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 VTILX 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.