VTBNX vs VYM
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Institutional Shares vs Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF
Which is better, VTBNX or VYM?
Long Term High Quality against Large Cap Value.
VTBNX 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 | VTBNX | VYM |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.02%Best | 0.04% |
| AUM | $207.3B | $81.6B |
| Dividend Yield | 3.79% | 2.24% |
| Holdings | 14,920 | 613 |
| YTD Price Return | -2.91% | +13.45% |
| 1Y Price Return | -2.81% | +17.91% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +0.40% | +15.38% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | -3.57% | +9.05% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 6.3%Best | 13.9% |
| Max Drawdown | -21.5% | -17.5%Best |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Long Term High Quality | Large Cap Value |
| Inception | Feb 17, 2009 | Nov 10, 2006 |
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. VTBNX currently yields 3.79% and VYM 2.24%.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 7, 2021 to Sep 4, 2026 (5 years).
VTBNX vs VYM Performance
Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund Institutional Shares (VTBNX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year VTBNX's price moved -2.81% and VYM's +17.91%, before the income each one paid out.
Over three years, VTBNX compounded at +0.40% per year against +15.38% for VYM; over five years the annualized figures are -3.57% and +9.05% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VYM has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.9% compared with 6.3% for VTBNX. 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 -21.5% for VTBNX and -17.5% for VYM. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.56. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VTBNX charges 0.02% per year while VYM charges 0.04%. On a $10,000 position that is $2 vs $4 annually, a gap of $2 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VTBNX currently yields 3.79% against 2.24% for VYM.
Structure and taxes
VTBNX is a mutual fund and VYM 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 2.6% of VYM's money is in holdings VTBNX also owns.
Stated as a floor: for VTBNX, our book for it covers 64.4% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
VYM and VTBNX share little of their money.
The two holdings books were reported 91 days apart, VTBNX as of Mar 31, 2026 and VYM as of Jun 30, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
11 positions in common, counted across the 12,728 positions we hold weights for in VTBNX and 603 in VYM, against full books of 14,920 and 613.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in VTBNX | Weight in VYM | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIS 6.55 03/15/33Walt Disney Co/the | 0.00% | 0.71% | 0.71% |
| DUKDuke Energy Corp | 0.01% | 0.41% | 0.40% |
| TMUST-Mobile Usa Inc Esrw Usd Npv Ref Sm#585558 | 0.04% | 0.34% | 0.30% |
| MMC 4.75 03/15/39Marsh & Mclennan Cos Inc | 0.00% | 0.33% | 0.33% |
| HUM 4.625 12/01/42Humana Inc | 0.00% | 0.20% | 0.20% |
| KDPKeurig Dr Pepper Inc (kdp Us) | 0.00% | 0.18% | 0.18% |
| ZTS 3 09/12/27Zoetis Inc | 0.00% | 0.13% | 0.13% |
| CNPCenterpoint Energy Inc. | 0.00% | 0.12% | 0.12% |
| HUBBHubbell Inc | 0.00% | 0.11% | 0.11% |
| RPRXRoyalty Pharma Plc Cl A | 0.00% | 0.10% | 0.10% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VTBNX and VYM 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, VTBNX or VYM?
VTBNX has an expense ratio of 0.02% while VYM charges 0.04%. VTBNX is the cheaper option, by $2 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, VTBNX or VYM?
VYM has been the more volatile fund at 13.9% annualized versus 6.3% for VTBNX. Worst drawdown: VTBNX -21.5% vs VYM -17.5%.
Should I hold both VTBNX and VYM?
VTBNX and VYM have a monthly-return correlation of 0.56, 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 VTBNX and VYM?
At least 2.6% of VYM's money is in holdings VTBNX also owns. Our book for VTBNX is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 11 positions in common, counted across the 12,728 positions we hold weights for in VTBNX and 603 in VYM.
Which pays a higher dividend, VTBNX or VYM?
VTBNX yields 3.79% while VYM yields 2.24%, so VTBNX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VTBNX or VYM in a taxable account?
VYM is an ETF and VTBNX 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 VYM better than VTBNX?
VTBNX has a lower expense ratio. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.