VCIT vs VWIUX
Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond ETF vs Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax-Exempt Fund admiral class
Which is better, VCIT or VWIUX?
Long Term Mid Quality against Municipal Bond.
VCIT has a lower expense ratio. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.91.
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 | VCIT | VWIUX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 0.09% |
| AUM | $70.0B | $86.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 4.89% | 3.44% |
| Holdings | 2,283 | 16,510 |
| YTD Price Return | -6.70% | -5.87% |
| 1Y Price Return | -7.07% | -5.11% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +1.31% | +0.05% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | -3.77% | -2.48% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 7.8% | 5.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -22.1% | -15.4%Best |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Fixed Income | Tax Preferred |
| Style | Long Term Mid Quality | Municipal Bond |
| Inception | Nov 19, 2009 | 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. VCIT currently yields 4.89% and VWIUX 3.44%.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 4, 2021 to Sep 30, 2026 (5 years).
VCIT vs VWIUX Performance
Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT) is an ETF from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax-Exempt Fund admiral class (VWIUX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US). Over the past year VCIT's price moved -7.07% and VWIUX's -5.11%, before the income each one paid out.
Over three years, VCIT compounded at +1.31% per year against +0.05% for VWIUX; over five years the annualized figures are -3.77% and -2.48% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VCIT has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 7.8% compared with 5.6% for VWIUX. 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 -22.1% for VCIT and -15.4% for VWIUX. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.91. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VCIT charges 0.03% per year while VWIUX 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, VCIT currently yields 4.89% against 3.44% for VWIUX.
Structure and taxes
VWIUX is a mutual fund and VCIT 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 1,364 holdings in VCIT and 1,698 in VWIUX, totalling 61.8% and 17.8% 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 1,364 positions we hold weights for in VCIT and 1,698 in VWIUX, against full books of 2,283 and 16,510.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VCIT and VWIUX 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, VCIT or VWIUX?
VCIT has an expense ratio of 0.03% while VWIUX charges 0.09%. VCIT is the cheaper option, by $6 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, VCIT or VWIUX?
VCIT has been the more volatile fund at 7.8% annualized versus 5.6% for VWIUX. Worst drawdown: VCIT -22.1% vs VWIUX -15.4%.
Should I hold both VCIT and VWIUX?
VCIT and VWIUX have a monthly-return correlation of 0.91, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, VCIT or VWIUX?
VCIT yields 4.89% while VWIUX yields 3.44%, so VCIT currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VWIUX or VCIT in a taxable account?
VCIT is an ETF and VWIUX 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 VWIUX better than VCIT?
VCIT has a lower expense ratio. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.91. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.