VBK vs VDIGX
Vanguard Morningstar Small-Cap Growth ETF vs Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Class
Which is better, VBK or VDIGX?
Small Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
VBK has a lower expense ratio. VBK led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. VBK is less concentrated, with 9.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.2%.
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 | VBK | VDIGX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.05%Best | 0.20% |
| AUM | $23.2B | $35.5B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.44% | 23.10% |
| Holdings | 553 | 62 |
| YTD Price Return | +10.21%Best | -4.02% |
| 1Y Price Return | +10.89%Best | -14.34% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +15.35%Best | -3.90% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | +3.46%Best | -3.26% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 21.0% | 16.0%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -38.5% | -32.6%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $11,854Best | $8,473 |
| Top 10 Weight | 9.1%Best | 38.2% |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Small Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 26, 2004 | May 15, 1992 |
Returns are price returns and exclude distributions, because our data feed carries no adjusted close for VDIGX. Both funds are measured the same way, so the comparison holds. VBK yields 0.44% and VDIGX 23.10% on top.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 20, 2021 to Sep 17, 2026 (5 years).
VBK vs VDIGX growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 5 years both funds cover. Prices exclude distributions, on both funds alike.
VBK vs VDIGX Performance
Vanguard Morningstar Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK) 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 VBK returned +10.89% while VDIGX returned -14.34%. Year to date, VBK is up 10.21% versus a loss of 4.02% for VDIGX.
Over three years, VBK compounded at +15.35% per year against -3.90% for VDIGX; over five years the annualized figures are +3.46% and -3.26% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VBK has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 21.0% compared with 16.0% for VDIGX. 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 -38.5% for VBK 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 0.67. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VBK charges 0.05% per year while VDIGX charges 0.20%. On a $10,000 position that is $5 vs $20 annually, a gap of $15 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VBK currently yields 0.44% against 23.10% for VDIGX.
Structure and taxes
VDIGX is a mutual fund and VBK 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 542 holdings in VBK and 51 in VDIGX, totalling 97.2% 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 542 positions we hold weights for in VBK and 51 in VDIGX, against full books of 553 and 62.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 49 positions for VDIGX that do not appear in our book for VBK (97.1% of the fund), and 525 for VBK that do not appear in VDIGX (92.5%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VBK 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, VBK or VDIGX?
VBK has an expense ratio of 0.05% while VDIGX charges 0.20%. VBK is the cheaper option, by $15 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, VBK or VDIGX?
Over the past year VBK returned +10.89% vs -14.34% for VDIGX, so VBK leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, VBK or VDIGX?
VBK has been the more volatile fund at 21.0% annualized versus 16.0% for VDIGX. Worst drawdown: VBK -38.5% vs VDIGX -32.6%.
Should I hold both VBK and VDIGX?
VBK and VDIGX have a monthly-return correlation of 0.67, 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, VBK or VDIGX?
VBK yields 0.44% while VDIGX yields 23.10%, so VDIGX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VDIGX or VBK in a taxable account?
VBK 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 VBK?
VBK has a lower expense ratio. VBK led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. VBK is less concentrated, with 9.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.2%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.