VGK vs VIITX
Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF vs Vanguard Institutional Intermediate Term Bond Fund Institutional Plus Class
Which is better, VGK or VIITX?
Large Cap Blend against Intermediate Term Bond.
VIITX 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 | VGK | VIITX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.06% | 0.02%Best |
| AUM | $30.5B | - |
| Dividend Yield | 2.82% | 4.59% |
| Holdings | 1,240 | 2,599 |
| YTD Price Return | +8.49% | -2.54% |
| 1Y Price Return | +17.33% | -2.41% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +15.23% | +0.46% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | +5.54% | -2.42% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.2% | 4.2%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -35.1% | -15.0%Best |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Fixed Income |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Intermediate Term Bond |
| Inception | Mar 4, 2005 | Dec 1, 1997 |
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. VGK currently yields 2.82% and VIITX 4.59%.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 7, 2021 to Sep 4, 2026 (5 years).
VGK vs VIITX Performance
Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (VGK) is an ETF from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Institutional Intermediate Term Bond Fund Institutional Plus Class (VIITX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US). Over the past year VGK's price moved +17.33% and VIITX's -2.41%, before the income each one paid out.
Over three years, VGK compounded at +15.23% per year against +0.46% for VIITX; over five years the annualized figures are +5.54% and -2.42% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VGK has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.2% compared with 4.2% for VIITX. 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 -35.1% for VGK and -15.0% for VIITX. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.69. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VGK charges 0.06% per year while VIITX charges 0.02%. On a $10,000 position that is $6 vs $2 annually, a gap of $4 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VGK currently yields 2.82% against 4.59% for VIITX.
Structure and taxes
VIITX is a mutual fund and VGK 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 1,178 holdings in VGK and 1,285 in VIITX, totalling 94.9% and 52.5% 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 61 days apart, VGK as of Jun 30, 2026 and VIITX as of Apr 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 1,178 positions we hold weights for in VGK and 1,285 in VIITX, against full books of 1,240 and 2,599.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VGK and VIITX 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, VGK or VIITX?
VGK has an expense ratio of 0.06% while VIITX charges 0.02%. VIITX is the cheaper option, by $4 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, VGK or VIITX?
VGK has been the more volatile fund at 17.2% annualized versus 4.2% for VIITX. Worst drawdown: VGK -35.1% vs VIITX -15.0%.
Should I hold both VGK and VIITX?
VGK and VIITX have a monthly-return correlation of 0.69, 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, VGK or VIITX?
VGK yields 2.82% while VIITX yields 4.59%, so VIITX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VIITX or VGK in a taxable account?
VGK is an ETF and VIITX 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 VIITX better than VGK?
VIITX has a lower expense ratio. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.