VONG vs VTILX
Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF vs Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Class Institutional
Which is better, VONG or VTILX?
VONG costs less.
VONG 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 | VONG | VTILX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.06%Best | 0.07% |
| AUM | $51.6B | $141.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.46% | 4.23% |
| Holdings | 373 | 7,415 |
| YTD Price Return | +3.67% | -2.69% |
| 1Y Price Return | +6.69% | -4.85% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +20.73% | -0.87% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | +11.22% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 19.1% | 6.0%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -33.2% | -15.3%Best |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Fixed Income |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | - |
| Inception | Sep 20, 2010 | 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. VONG currently yields 0.46% and VTILX 4.23%.
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 10, 2026 (4.9 years).
VONG vs VTILX Performance
Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG) is an ETF from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Class Institutional (VTILX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US). Over the past year VONG's price moved +6.69% and VTILX's -4.85%, before the income each one paid out.
Over three years, VONG compounded at +20.73% per year against -0.87% for VTILX.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VONG has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 19.1% 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 -33.2% for VONG 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 0.59. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VONG charges 0.06% per year while VTILX charges 0.07%. On a $10,000 position that is $6 vs $7 annually, a gap of $1 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VONG currently yields 0.46% against 4.23% for VTILX.
Structure and taxes
VTILX is a mutual fund and VONG 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 11.4% of VONG'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.
VONG and VTILX share little of their money.
The two holdings books were reported 242 days apart, VONG as of Jun 30, 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.
6 positions in common, counted across the 371 positions we hold weights for in VONG and 1,459 in VTILX, against full books of 373 and 7,415.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VONG 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, VONG or VTILX?
VONG has an expense ratio of 0.06% while VTILX charges 0.07%. VONG is the cheaper option, by $1 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, VONG or VTILX?
VONG has been the more volatile fund at 19.1% annualized versus 6.0% for VTILX. Worst drawdown: VONG -33.2% vs VTILX -15.3%.
Should I hold both VONG and VTILX?
VONG and VTILX have a monthly-return correlation of 0.59, 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 VONG and VTILX?
At least 11.4% of VONG's money is in holdings VTILX also owns. Our book for VTILX is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 6 positions in common, counted across the 371 positions we hold weights for in VONG and 1,459 in VTILX.
Which pays a higher dividend, VONG or VTILX?
VONG yields 0.46% while VTILX yields 4.23%, so VTILX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VTILX or VONG in a taxable account?
VONG 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 VONG?
VONG has a lower expense ratio. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.